Manjack Cay

Bill and Leslie are The Keepers of Manjack Cay, and hosts to all gentle sailfolk that care to anchor there. Fortunately for them, there have been no aggresive invaders. Fortunatley for us, they are there! We sailed from Green Turtle Cay to Manjack Cay and anchored in the bay where they built their home 16 years ago, you can see their palm-lined beach in one of the photograph below. It was such a calm day on the water that we sailed with our cruising chute, and after we anchored, Bill and Leslie came out to say that since the water surface was as smooth as glass, they were going out on their motor-boat to view the creeks in behind their home and would we like to join them? So we piled in and in no time were in the small, shallow creek and could see right through to the bottom without even a ripple from the wind. They showed us some Hawksbill turtles and a lone Eagle Ray what unusual creatures!

We were invited to take some coconuts, our new favourite staple, use their cleared pathways to get to the ocean beach on the other side of the cay, what lovely people! They are photagaphed above, with their solar-powered golf cart and in front of their extensive vegetable garden. The other photos are of other Bahamian locals: curly-tailed lizards and Hibiscus flowers.

Bill brought a visiting freind out to our boat, both of them wooden boat builders. They arrived in visiting Bahamian fashion: at cocktail hour with drinks at the ready! I was just finishing making hummus and fresh , hot pita bread, so it was a perfect arrival! We talked into the evening, yakking endlessly about (what else?) wooden boats! We shared the story of our ocean crossing from Beaufort and were awarded near-hero status for having survived (someday I'll be brave enough the share the real story with you!) and got to know some great people. Getting to know different sorts of sailors is always a rewarding, and handy thing. You learn a lot about which cays are worth visiting, which passes are best left alone and which ones aren't as bad as they are made out to be. And I get to share recipes!

So, Bill, as requested, the recipe for the pita bread in a little lower down on the side-bar. And if Leslie is successful at making sourdough starter, I would like that recipe! (email me at michelle.lambton@gmail.com , thanks! We'll certainly see you agian!