Follow Troop 1257 (the track loads slowly–patience required)
16 July 2022 – Day 1 – Conch Inn Marina, Marsh Harbour
Our troop arrived at the pier around 2:30 pm. Four adults and eight youth. The tide was high enough, so the step down onto Viento Azul was not too big. Crew Chief Alex got everyone organized and situated in record time, and we got underway shortly after the safety briefing.
Everyone has a job as we leave the dock. There are lines to pull in, fenders to lift, and poles to push off from.
Our first stop is always Matt Lowe Cay where we do the mandatory swim test. Afterward, everyone put their snorkel gear on and jumped back in to get comfortable snorkeling in the ocean.
Usually, the scouts sleep on deck, but the night forecast was rain and thunderstorms, so we piled everyone up inside.
Owen and Oliver stayed on the settee, Auggie and Ambrose were on the floor next to the counter, JP picked the galley, Wesley was under the table in the cockpit, Oliver and Alex on the cockpit benches, and the adults on the cockpit benches (Shawn and CP) or the bunks (Mike and Darren).
Lots of thunder and lightening but everything was far away to the north and south-west.
We received much less rain than expected. Thunderstorms kept popping up but we were safe and sound.
17 July 2022 – Day 2 – Matt Lowe Cay
Everyone woke a bit tired. I sure did.
Captain Steve taught the troop sailing basics and the boys hoisted the main sail and unfurled the jib.
We sailed to Tahiti Beach.
Foor prep and doing dishes is part of the experience. The scouts learn to manage provisions, prepare food items for cooking, grilling, and the fine art of cleaning up afterward.
After lunch, the scouts hoisted the troop flag.
18 July 2022 – Day 3 – Tahiti Beach
It was a quiet night. Tahiti Beach …
We motored to Hope Town, and the troop explored the Elbow Reef Lighthouse.
Hope Town, key lime pie
In the afternoon, we snorkeled Fowl Cay Reef.
19 July 2022 – Day 4 – The Settlement, North Guana Cay
It was a very quiet night.
We motor-sailed to North Guana Reef, the nicest of the reefs surrounding the Sea of Abaco.
The boys caught a Bar Jack.
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20 July 2022 – Day 5 – Water Cay
We had a comfortably slow morning. At around 8 am, we got underway to Treasure Cay for Cinnamon Buns and an award-winning beach.
This morning’s first stop was at Florence’s Cafe, where the (by now ravenous) scouts ordered fresh, hot cinnamon buns. Mr. Meyer had a sausage breakfast sandwich, Mr. Cochran ordered waffles and fried chicken, and Darren and CJ got corn beef and grits.
Once everyone was happily stuffed, we hiked across the old tennis courts, up a sand dune, and back down to Treasure Cay Beach, consistently voted among the best beaches in the world.
The Troop is getting the first taste of Treasure Cay Beach. The water is at the perfect temperature and the weather couldn’t be better.
Even the adults are enjoying themselves. Everyone is cooling off and watching the scouts play in the warm Bahamian waters.
There’s lots to do at a beach. Relaxing, swimming, floating, plunging, or building something.
Sandcastles? A dam? What engineering project would be the most fun? Meanwhile, somewhere else, a concrete blog and pole provide oodles of entertainment.
And back at the engineering project, playing “buried alive” seems to resonate with any age group and/or generation.
And then it’s someone else’s turn …
But all fun things must end. We have more places to see and areas to explore. And so we say good-bye to Treasure Cay Beach.
On the way back to the dinghy, Alex smashes his coconut open and tries to drink the water.
At the pier, Captain Steve swings the machete and opens the rest of the coconuts: green for coconut water and brown for coconut meat.
Next on the agenda is a snorkel adventure. Near The Settlement on Great Guana Cay is sunken treasure in the form of trucks, barges, boats, a golf cart, a sailboat, and lot’s of other gold.
Captain Steve is following the scouts in the dinghy to keep random power boats away and to guide the snorkelers in the right direction.
Before motoring to our overnight spot, we drove back and forth over the wrecks in the hopes of catching a fish.
Blue Wind Sailing 