ON TO TREASURE CAY..(Pronounced KEY)

Thursday, 11/18/10.  Steph

Another nearby day trip is Treasure Cay.  When you do it in a sailboat, it becomes an over-nighter or more.  We have both a Fodor’s (land based) and Dozier’s (Waterway guide.)  They both describe Treasure Cay as devoid of any cultural value or history.  It is the site of a large Marina and Resort development, and is promoted as one of the top ten beaches in the world.  According to the geocaching web-site, however this area was settled early by English Loyalists after the war of Independence.  The Crown saw fit to help ex colonists return to British Soil and subsidized their repatriation to the Bahamas.  Archeological evidence implies that this area was the first landfall and settlement, but the emigrants from South Carolina were not impressed by the beach and moved on, primarily to Hopetown which reaks of charm and culture.

Although one sees palm trees everywhere, they appear to be part of human habitat.  The Bahamas has a thriving lumber industry based on Pine.  Indeed, the twenty mile stretch of land connecting Marsh Harbor with Treasure Cay is mostly Pine forest.  Here at Treasure Cay,  palms are king.  The housing ranges from private ranch houses to bungalows to double-decked, time-share cum condos. Other colorful tropical plantings of bougainvillea, croton and the national flower, yellow elder make for a beautiful show along with hundreds of varieties whose name I do not know.

The internet service Judy signed up for was very localized, and it did not run out as far as the anchorage here. (It would have, we found out, if we had paid the marina $8 a day to anchor.) Judy put the laptop in a dry-bag and we packed a picnic lunch.  We loaded the Dingy and headed to the marina with our donation of accumulated garbage.  We tied up at the marina where a collection box welcomed bagged garbage only.  Luck would have it that all our garbage was bagged!  Walked past the bar and out towards the beach which is on the ocean side of the Cay.  Judy stopped at a picnic table under the shade of a banyan to check out the net.  I proceeded to the beach, entering through a gate for the Coco beach Restaurant and bar.  More lovely plantings and palm trees and there it was, several miles of white sand crescent with thatched roof umbrellas and vacant chaises.  My feet sank into the deep soft white sand, and unlike the quartz sand I am familiar with, it was not hot!!

You need to know at this point, that the tourist season has not actually started here, and most places are in shakedown mode. For one of the top ten beaches in the world, I was alone.  Then Judy caught up with me and we strolled along the strand looking at shells and coral fragments.  The water was too cold and too shallow to swim in, and I walked out about seventy-five feet and barely wet my ankles.  I yelled to Judy, “Look at me, I’m walking on water.”

We commandeered a couple of lounge chairs and checked out our lunch. Our typical selection was canned tuna, canned chicken or canned Turkey salad with mayonnaise and onion and romaine served with or without bread or a wrap.  A Washington State apple and bottle water brought from home rounded out this repast.  Sitting there looking at the blue sky and waves rolling in to the soft white sand I felt like we were in a Corona commercial. 

While Judy read her book, I went scavenging for an empty water bottle to collect some sand for Vince , our friend the caretaker at the Nyack Boat Club (everybody needs a hobby.)  I’ve been pretty diligent about bringing him sand from all of our cruises, but this will be the best yet.  While I mentioned that the water was too cold for swimming, let me say that I’ve been in the water a few times , I just know it will be warmer as we continue south.  Also this is the clearest water I’ve ever been in.  It’s like a swimming pool.  The air temperature has been between 80 and 90 degrees every day with enough air movement to be extraordinarily pleasant.  Truly “Balmy Breezes.”  (I’m writing this on the last day of November, and I’ve been in shorts since we crossed the Gulf Stream.)


The beach at Treasure Cay...Corona, anyone?




Corona - take 2




Sunset over Maribelle




Playing cards on Last Tango--the GIRLS won!



After the beach we reconnoitered the commercial strip with the real estate, police and post offices and a small superette.  We bought a back-up jar of Hellman’s and Judy stocked up in Milky Ways.  We’ve been warned that as we travel further south, provisioning will become more difficult and more expensive.  Also if you see something you want, get it before it’s gone, you may not find it tomorrow.

This brings me to my sermon, “Live your dream.”  We’ve had lots of friends and others tell us how we are living their dream, or how they wish they were doing what we’re doing.  Some have commitments, some have reasons and some have excuses.  I don’t know what your dream may be, but don’t let excuses get in your way. We are happy and delighted to show the way that two average people with average skills and resources can do it. So if you know something you want, do it while you can, you may not get the chance tomorrow. AMEN