The goat on the old tractor...as soon as we took this picture, his buddy popped up from the drivers seat..
We did manage to find our way to the Adderly Ruins, the largest of the Loyalist plantations on the island. We couldn't find the path last time. It was tricky --- walk to the bay, walk down the mangroves at low tide, and THEN follow the tree lined path.
The main house sat on the top of the hill, getting full advanage of the ocean and sound breezes, plus having a wonderful view from all windows.
Here is the kitchen, an unattached building, as was usual for that time (many Cat Island homes still have their kitchens in separate buildings).
The plantation was destroyed by a 1927 hurricane. Due to that hurricane, a settlement further south on the island became known as Deadman's Cay Town, as over 200 people were killed when, in the eye of the hurricane, they rushed out to gather the fish temporarily stranded on the sea bottom. They were all killed when the eye passed and the hurricane waters rushed in again.
We cruised anout 15 miles further north on Long Island for Monday night, spending a quiet evening at Bains Bluff. This is a wonderful place, full of water caves.
and large chunks of shoreline fallen into the sound.
Look at how the water has undercut the ironshore...this is visable only at lower tides.
Next day, to New Bight, on Cat Island, about 52 miles. We had 12 to 20 kts, near a beam reach, sailing at 6 to 7 kts all the way to the southern tip of Cat Island. We've turned around now, definitely heading back north, towards the Abacos and a crossing back to the States. We are sailing up the eastern chain of islands (Cat Island and Eluthra) rather than down the western chain (Exumas) as we did when we headed south. Water and diesel at the Hawks Nest marina and then a Little Tunny tuna for dinner!
He may look small, but he was a fat little fellow and made 2 meals.
We are anchored at New Bight, home of Father Jerome's Hermitage. You may remember this from last year --- looks like a castle, but in reality, it's small scale - I have to bend over to get through the doors. Stations of the cross set in rocks along a steep rocky path to get there.
The Hermitage was buld in the early 1940's. It is spartan, but there are a few beautiful embellishments, like these 2 tiles. The first is at the entrance to Father Jerome's sleeping place, the second in his kitchen building. The nice thing about the Bahamas? No graffiti. No vandalism, No theft from places like this.
Back down the mountain (the hermitage is on the highest point of land in all of the Bahamas), we passed large bromeliads
The usual ruins
We did learn that the people on Cat Island are very superstitious and when the last of a generation dies, the home is left for the spirit. The remaining family collects rocks from the old home site and simply builds a new house. That certainly explains a lot of the abandoned house structures we see.
Walking the beach, we saw this cute tiki hut - sink that opens directly into the water, a few dirty dishes, machete for hacking open conchs, etc, plus obvious booze bootles and a big boombox. Looks like a happening place on a Saturday night!
We also found mussels! Lots and lots of them. They cover large areas of intertidal rocks. Unfortunately, they are also about 1" long and useless to try to harvest to cook.
And our shell for the day --- the West Indian Chiton. Chitons are about 3" long, attach to intertidal rocks, and feed on algae at night. There are several kinds here but this is my favorite. He's beautiful. Just LOOK at the patternn on the shell! It looks like intricate straw weaving. And it has texture - you can feel all of those small ridges and grooves.
And his side, only about 1/4" wide --- it looks just like a rattlesnake skin.
That's it for now - we plan to move a whopping 7 miles to Fernandez Bay, still on Cat Island. Easy to move the boat, too far to walk!
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