We sailed into the protected yacht basin of Treasure Cay, Abaco on Sunday afternoon and dropped the hook in calm emerald waters as turtles peeked above the water to check out their new neighbors.

Monday morning we sauntering around the small resort-style village, stopping into a very well-stocked grocery store and small bakery before heading for the beach. 

NEED TREASURE PIC

From the deck of Coco’s Beach Bar we stepped down onto a seemingly endless crescent beach that is unrivaled in the Abacos and easily one of the top five beaches we’ve seen on this trip. Powdery white sand beckoned us down to azure waters that stretched into the horizon. There we drifted along the shoreline in conversation and discovery of tiny sand dollars dotting the tide line. After playing at the beach, we returned to Coco’s for lunch and met back up with some fellow Kemah cruisers aboard “Stray Cat” who recommended frosty mango daiquiris to compliment our cracked conch and grouper sandwich.

Just after a mid-day siesta, our favorite cruising family from Austin joined us at the beach and the boys spent the rest of the afternoon digging a sand fort while the gals floated in the ocean.

A dip in the marina’s freshwater pool, long land showers and a glass of wine over sunset wrapped up our evening.

Tuesday we woke up with a healthy to-do list and a full day of plans. Before we could head to Coco’s traditional Tuesday night beach bonfire and BBQ, we needed to knock out some boat chores to start preparing for our crossing back to the states. We topped off fuel and water, though making water should hardly count as a chore since installing the Cruise RO watermaker. While the CruiseRO made a quick 75 gallons of water, Matt refueled the boat and jerry jugs, then cleaned the bottom.

For our non-boating friends, “cleaning the bottom” means donning snorkel gear and grabbing a 4″ wide plastic paint scraper to remove all the fuzzy marine life that grows on the underwater part of the hull. After two and half hours of methodically scraping every inch, Matt had cleansed “Kaleo” of her slimy beard. With the fresh “shave”, she should glide through the water a little faster and look better while at it.

After chores were wrapped up it was off to “Honu Lele” for appetizers before heading into the beach BBQ. Though the landscape was a bit different, the BBQ style was straight out of Texas. Oil drum barrels cut in half hosted bellies full of charcoal briquets that roasted ribs, jerk chicken and pork, steaks, burgers and hot dogs. After overindulging on the medley of meats and sides and sipping a few mango daiquiris, it was time for the live music.

Matt dancin’ it up in a game of adult musical chairs

To bring the dance floor to life the DJ and singer launched a game of adult musical chairs. Games set to some local live music? Matt was immediately front and center. With the crowd rolling at the antics, Matt was the third to last person standing before he was outpaced by a local for the chair he was eyeing. Other than a break to watch the bonfire be lit, we all danced to a varied playlist of favorites from Rake ‘n’ Scrape to “YMCA” to “New York, New York.” We lived the night up, finally laughing and dancing our full bellies back to our boats to get some rest.

Wednesday morning we were out and about early to enjoy Ms. Florance’s must-have warm cinnamon rolls before setting sail for Green Turtle Cay. We’re slowly savoring our last week in the Abacos as each new destination brings us closer to our crossing back to the states. What a ride!

4 Comments

  1. You really have to see Treasure Cay to believe it, don’t you! It’s like a 3 mile big swimming pool. We loved Green Turtle and the Bluff House Marina is fantastic. We met the owner’s daughter (who manages Bluff House) while we were at West End. She and her fiance were trying to get back to Green Turtle but the winds were pounding from the East and making things difficult for all of us.
    We only got to cruise the Abacos but I don’t feel like we missed anything.

  2. Treasure Cay looks beautiful! What a way to wind down your visit to the Bahamas! We’ve really enjoyed your posts and you’ve provided a wealth of information (and pictures) for when we finally sail there the end of 2012. Looking forward to hearing about your travels along the East Coast as well!

  3. Thanks for your note, Hans and Laura! Yes – You do have to experience Treasure Cay and Green Turtle to truly believe their beauty. And we agree, the Abacos are magical, wonderful cruising grounds with so much to see and do. We could have easily spent months there.

    Sounds like you guys have made the crossing back into Florida in time for your daughter’s college graduation. Although it sounded rocky, I’m sure she was grateful to have you guys there. And that makes it all worth it, eh.

    We appreciate hearing from you and wish you all the best. Christie and Matt

  4. Thanks so much for your thoughtful note, Cheryl.

    You guys would love Treasure Cay! The Abacos were a great way to wind down our voyage through the Bahamas as they are just so different from the Exumas. No better, no worse. Just different (much more convenient, easy cruising to several islands close-by, lots of fully-stocked grocery and dining out options).

    We look forward to following your progress as you continue preparing for Nirvana’s adventures. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll be perched behind the wheel of your own crossing. Enjoy every moment … it passes all too quickly. And, we’ll keep you posted on our East Coast cruise as it unfolds. Best, Christie and Matt

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