Iguanas, Exumas, and Allens Cay

Before the final words of Chris Parker's forecast are spoken, most of the boats anchored here at Rose Island are setting their sails and heading south. We do the same, joining the conga line towards the Exumas - first stop: Allens Cay. We have some wind, although it is a very close reach, so we do motorsail, managing to move ahead of Dave and Joanne on Tropical Breeze. This is a first for us, so we are just a little amazed that we are able to push ahead of any boat at all. We set a course direct from Rose Island to Allens Cay and arrive with little fuss, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and the thrill of almost transparent water all around us. As I write this entry and review the guidebooks for the Bahamas, I am amazed that we manage to arrive at Allens Cay without incident. As it turns out, there are numerous warnings to avoid the Yellow Bank as there are many coral heads in this area - the shallowest of which lie 0.9 meters/3 feet below surface at mean low water - with the average depth of the Yellow Bank at mean low water at 1.8 meters/6 feet. The warning about the Yellow Bank is pretty specific: Do not run the Yellow Bank on autopilot!
I suppose it was just pure dumb luck that saved us from disaster - and maybe the grace of god. Whichever way you want to look at it, we escaped unscathed from a potentially disastrous situation. In any event, we arrive in good time, anchor with reasonably good holding, launch the dinghy and go ashore to visit the iguanas. There are so many of them, and they come straight out from their hiding spots to greet the visitors from their piece of paradise. Of course, they are looking for handouts despite the fact that boaters are asked not to feed them. They are spectacular nonetheless and I snap tons of pictures of them. We decide to spend two nights here as it appears to offer reasonably good wind protection.
On Thursday, we unpack our wet suits and spend the afternoon snorkeling the reefs close by and searching for conch. Joanne on Tropical Breeze is keen to try this Bahamian treat, and I would like to do the same again, but the conch are small here so I choose to pass for today. We do have fun looking for the conch - and I manage to come up with two for the Tropical Breeze dinner table. By the time we get back to the boat, our anchor alarm is going off and it is clear that the boat has dragged on its anchor. This causes a little bit of stress for us - we decide to pull up the anchor and reset it. This is easier said than done as Odissea xx has a 6 1/2 foot draft, and there is only fair and shallow holding for the most part, and the anchorage is quite full now with more boats that have arrived. We circle around a few times in the deeper water with the boat, and then choose a spot beside Bill and Sue on Hocus Pocus. Bill invites us to snuggle up pretty close to him as he is leaving within the hour. We waste no time accepting that invitation, quickly dropping the anchor - and resetting the anchor alarm just for added security. We spend a restless night worrying about dragging the anchor again and are grateful when the sun finally rises allowing us to make our escape from Allens Cay. The wind is supposed to be quite strong with an approaching cold front in the next couple of days, so we begin planning for a destination to hide out from the worst of the wind.

Some Interesting Facts about the Exumas and Allens Cay:
The Exuma chain has been described as an emerald necklace bedecking the periwinkle and turquoise waters of the Bahamas. Ancient Spanish maps show the Indian names Yumey and Suma for what we now call Exuma - no Spanish names here as Columbus' track did not take him nearby. The first evidence of English settlers goes back to the days of the Proprietors in the early 1700's with both Hog Cay and Exuma being granted to individuals by the Crown Government.
Later, Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution brought their plantation system with its attendant slaves to the Bahamas in the late 1700's, tripling the population and reviving a languid economy. John Forbes, Acting Governor after Lord Dunmore, had an extensive estate on Exuma, as did John Rolle, who owned twice as many slaves as anyone in the country. Adapting to the Exumian environment, the plantation economy as transferred from the American colonies was quite different - fewer slaves, small cottages rather than mansions, pothole-style farming in the often thin-layered infertile soil.
The British government's declaration of emancipation for over 10,000 slaves in 1834, coupled with the blight caused by the chenille bug, and the depleted soil, decimated the plantation system. Lord Rolle's huge estate was deeded in common to the freed slaves and their descendants as "generation land". These freed slaves became farmers and fishermen with half the people of the Exumas still bearing the surname Rolle.
Allens Cay area: the grouping of cays and rocks generally referred to as Allens Cay includes Leaf Cay and Southwest Allens Cay as well as Allens Cay and numerous unnamed rocks. For many, it is the first experience of the inviting clear waters of the Exumas with the carnival of coral and dramatic diving all around. In settled weather, it is a good place to stay and decompress, getting into the swing of leisurely cruising before going any further.