Exuma’s swimming with pigs

People from all over the world are drawn to the Exuma’s in the Bahamas for many reasons, but let’s face it, the real reason is obvious: who wouldn’t want to hang out with swimming pigs? Yes, you read that right. The Exuma’s are home to a group of pigs who have decided that swimming in the crystal-clear waters any day is better than rolling around in the mud.

Before we leave Cat Island we climbed the highest mountain, no less than 63 m high, which took us an impressive 15 minutes. It was an easy hike and when we reached the top and saw the monastery built there, I started to feel a little … tall. The monastery was built by Father Jerome himself in 1941 and he lived there himself. We couldn’t help but admire this impressive achievement. But looking around, I got the feeling that maybe people were a bit smaller back then. Or am I just a giant?

Departing from Cat Island, we were excited to begin our 57 NM sail to Staniel Cay in the Exuma’s. The forecast was, very light wind 7-11 knots, and the little amount of wind that was there, was coming straight from behind. The day before departure Jeroen had been busy setting up the spinnaker poles and testing it with all lines. We hadn’t used the spinnaker poles together with our Ballooner before and the downwind sailing was a great opportunity to try it out. We left at 02:00, while it was low tide, so Jeroen was in front with a bright flashlight that illuminated the water. Everywhere you see small fish jumping out of the water, investigating where that light comes from all of a sudden. We motored slowly out of the bay, looking for even the slightest bit of wind to lead us to the Exuma’s. Looking at our anemometer, we only saw 3 knots of wind, which was not enough to push us along. We motored on quietly for a while until I saw 9 knots appear on the anemometer. I woke Jeroen up, and together we hoisted the Ballooner and rolled out the jib, a technique known as “Wing on Wing”. We noticed how small our jib was and we now knew for sure that we would want a Genoa in the future. When we turned off the engine, peace returned and we sailed calmly at a comfortable 4 knots. The sun rose slowly and we heard nothing but the gentle lapping of the water as the boat glided through. The wind increased slightly to 10-11 knots and the boat speed went up to 5-6 knots. Rajesh and Jeroen also woke up slowly, and Jeroen made breakfast for all of us. There was no one around us and the downwind course was very pleasant, especially as the boat did not heel over. Which made it easy for me to make a smoothie without spilling the ingredients or letting the device slide off the counter. It was a calm and enjoyable sail and after 12 hours of sailing we saw the islands becoming more and more visible. We are preparing to sail through a “cut” for the very first time. It is a passage between two islands. The Exuma-cuts are notorious for their unpredictable currents, thanks to the combination of tidal currents and offshore waves. Especially if the passage is also very narrow. It is therefore important to time your entry well. We want to enter at high tide, so that we have the current with us. Let’s be honest, it’s always exciting to experience something new. After taking in all sails, we motor towards the passage and we are happy that the wind doesn’t blows 30 knots or high waves are present. We see coral reefs and shallows everywhere around us and we navigate on our maps and with our eyes between all the shallows to an anchorage. We do not dare to sail directly onto the lagoon. For this we first want to investigate with the dinghy whether all depths are correctly indicated on the chart. We don’t want to be surprised by a hidden reef or sandbar. That would be a real downer. After a well-deserved sundowner, we lower the dinghy and explore the lagoon. It is very busy in the lagoon with other sailing boats, big and small, and motor yachts, big, bigger, biggest! We almost giddy with excitement as we take it all in. Nevertheless, we decided to stay anchored where we are now. We were so excited to explore all the sights around Staniel Cay that we woke up early the next day and were ready to go.

The Thunderball Grotto was our first stop and is named after the 1965 James Bond movie “Thunderball” which was filmed at this location. Thunderball Grotto has strong tidal currents that can suck you through the cave. It was still an hour before it would be completely low tide, but due to the number of tourists swimming in at the moment, Jeroen and Rajesh decided to do the same while I kept steering around with the dinghy, inside the cave it was very busy and when Jeroen and Rajesh let go of the rope they were caught by the current. It took all their strength to swim back to the rope and they were glad to be back in the dinghy. Not the right time! And man, what a difference an hour makes! The current had calmed down quite a bit and we were able to anchor our dinghy at the cave without any problems. As we swam in we were greeted by an abundance of tropical fish and enjoyed the rock formations within.

Then we only sailed one bay further and there we saw them, the swimming pigs and they were hilarious to see. Although they were a lot bigger than expected. If swimming with pigs isn’t your thing, how about making new scaly friends? Great Guana Cay was a short dinghy ride further and is home to a friendly population of pink iguanas who are only too happy to pose for a selfie or two. These big boys are always ready for a meet and greet, especially if you come with an apple or orange. Well, well, well, what have we got here? A plane wreck with a dark past in the beautiful Exuma’s? Sure, the Exuma’s may be known for its laid-back vibe, but did you know its history is rooted in piracy and drug smuggling? That’s right, it’s not just tropical drinks and sunshine here, we’re here for the dark and mysterious past of this island paradise. As we put on our snorkel gear and take a dip in the crystal-clear waters, I wonder: will we find some hidden cocaine? After all, the plane we’re about to explore was used by the infamous Medellin Cartel in the 1970s to smuggle drugs and money between Colombia and Florida via Exuma’s Norman’s Cay. Like sniffing drug dogs, we snorkel around the wreck and investigate. As we swim around the wreck taking in the rusted metal and marine life that have made this place their home, I can’t help but imagine what it must have been like to be part of such a nefarious operation. Were they always looking over their shoulders, afraid of getting caught by the authorities? I’ll never know, but it sure is fun to let my imagination run wild. The next blockbuster is almost finished in my head!

We come across Cruisers Beach, where we see nameplates of different boats. Of course, we can’t resist making our own nameplate from our boat. The next day we return to hang it up and encounter two other couples who are also on an adventure. Believe it or not, all this can be found around our anchorage at Staniel Cay!

The next morning, we sail a little further north. Just above Compass Cay. We’re always up for an exciting adventure, and what better way to get our adrenaline pumping than by swimming with the friendliest locals in the Exuma’s; nurse sharks! We set sail with our dinghy towards Compass Cay Harbour, fully inflated for this unique experience. We’re told there are between 10 and 30 nurse sharks swimming freely in this area each day, and there’s even a swim platform where they sometimes rest during high tide. Now you may be wondering, “Isn’t it dangerous to swim with sharks?” Well, not these nurse sharks, they won’t bite us as long as we don’t put our hands and feet in front of their mouths, or one of us might become their version of a Happy Meal. As we slowly entered the water, we saw a group of large Bar Jacks swimming around us, next to the nurse sharks. It was a little unnerving seeing the sharks up close, but we were reassured that they are friendly creatures. We were even told that they like to be petted on their backs or tummies which was pretty cool! The first time a nurse shark swam towards us was a bit of a shock. But we remembered what we had been told and slowly ran our hands down their backs. It was a unique feeling, like sandpaper rubbing against our skin. We couldn’t believe we were swimming with these beautiful creatures! We swam around with the nurse sharks for 1.5 hours, and it was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip so far. Truly had an unforgettable experience that we will cherish forever.

After the exhilarating swim with the sharks, we set our sights on our next destination; Rocky Dundas Cave. This ancient cave is hidden from the outside world and was only accessible by swimming under a partially submerged ledge. Entering the cave, we were presented with an astonishing sight; ancient stalactites and stalagmites rising up and hanging from the ceiling and floor. The entire cave was covered in colourful algae, giving it a purple glow. Upon returning to the boat, we were treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets we had seen so far. The Exuma’s really is a special place and we are grateful for the experiences we have already had. The adventure doesn’t stop here! Our next stop is a national park called the Aquarium, where fishing is prohibited. We are curious about all the sea creatures we will find there. Will we see schools of colourful fish? Exotic corals? We can’t wait to find out!

Hereby some extra photo’s which are made by Rajesh with the drone in between our adventures!