Georgetown

So we have arrived in the cruising mecca of the Bahamas. Elizabeth harbor is formed by Great Exuma and Stocking Island (and other cays) running parallel roughly in NW/SE direction. The harbor is about 10 miles long and 1.5 miles wide with many shallow areas. The easterly trade wind pattern results in most boats anchoring in the lee of Stocking island. Stocking island sports the Chat n Chill beach bar and volleyball beach, where all cruisers gather for their afternoon of play. The town of Georgetown on Great Exuma is then a somewhat long and very wet dinghy ride. However, we found all of the re-provisioning that we needed plus some. Very welcome as we expect to head to the Bahamas Out Islands where supplies will be thin to say the least.

There are several cruisers who departed the U.S. on the same day we did, who came straight to Georgetown. There are even some who do not leave. All told there are about 100 boats here right now, but that greatly increases the farther you get into the season.

Georgetown is also known as chicken harbor, as many arrive with grand plans of moving farther south, but few actually go. The reason being is that going south is then almost all open ocean sailing and within 15 miles one is in the tropics crossing the Tropic of Cancer, thus one becomes quickly exposed to the trade winds with little relief in the easterly flow of both wind and waves. The route south is mostly direct into this flow.

We are hoping that we do not turn into chickens.

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