Thunder Ball Grotto and O'Brien's Cay

In the previous blog I told you about the Grotto.  After our snorkeling in the Grotto we went to O'Brien's Cay where we did some more snorkeling in an area called the aquarium.  O'Brien's Cay is North of Cambridge Cay where we had visited on our journey South.  We didn't get an opportunity to see the aquarium at that time, so I was very eager to go back to experience the aquarium for myself!  It was so worth the trip!  It was fabulous!  There were so many fish everywhere!  We would be swimming right in the middle of so many schools of Sargeant Majors and Yellowtail Snappers!  Some of the other people were feeding the fish kernels of corn which the fish absolutely loved.  This got them coming out of their hiding places and swimming all around us!

Here are my photos from Thunder Ball Grotto:

There wasn't enough sunlight coming into the Grotto so the photos didn't come out very clear.

 Here are the photos from our snorkeling trip to the Aquarium:

So Cool to swim through all of these fish!

Damselfish

Lots of Sargent Majors and at the center bottom is a Stoplight Parrotfish-Initial Phase

Yellowtail Snapper (I am told this is what Japanese restaurants use for their Yellowtail Sushi)

The closest I could come to identifying these cute little blue fish is a Blue Hamlet which is in the Hamlets/Sea Basses Family.  It is amazing how many fish look so much alike in my fish ID book.  (Perhaps they think the same way about us humans?!  ha-ha!)

Homo Sapien - very rare in this neck of the "woods!"

 

O'Brien's Cay was a very small island and we snorkeled all the way around it.  There were not very many fish on the back side of the Cay but the plant and coral life was breathtaking!  

Here are photos of the opposite side of the Cay from the Aquarium:

Butterflyfish

He was too deep for me to ID him positively.  I think it's a Stoplight Parrotfish - terminal phase

A return trip to Exuma Land and Sea Park Headquarters coming up next - and........more snorkeling!!!!!

Staniel Cay #2

This is where were anchored at Staniel Cay.  It was a beautiful sunset right near where the grotto was.

This is the entrance to the grotto at dusk.  You can only go through there with snorkel gear at low tide.

Someone going through the entrance.

Inside the grotto looking at the entrance.

More photos of the interior:
 

We did a lot of snorkeling inside the grotto.  There were lots of fish and I took lots of pictures with Sarah's underwater camera. 

We did a lot of snorkeling within a 2 day span so I am going to post those photos all in one blog which will be next. 

So.......onward bound!
 

Staniel Cay #1

Our next stop was in Staniel Cay.  This is a very busy stopping point for all sorts of travelers - by sea and air.  A lot of people fly here and stay at some cozy cottage or a resort for vacation.  Cruisers come for a rest and/or a provisioning of the boat's needs as well as the cruiser's needs.

All sizes of boats make their way to Staniel Cay.

Another beautiful beach!

Hard to see - there are birds sitting on the rocks in the water each facing into the wind.  No ruffled feathers here - they know they live in the Bahamas!

This was a realtor's sign that was in front of a group of cottages where visitor's could stay.

These are the two grocery stores on the island.  One blue and the other pink.  They were almost right next to each other.  At least they knew what their competitor was doing!

There were some unusual and/or unexpected plants.  The first picture is of a cotton plant.  Not sure what the other plant in the second photo is.  Any guesses?

This yard was done up very elaborately with rocks, conch shells, plants, drift wood, etc.

One of many chickens all over the town!  Plus a rooster almost at every corner.  No alarm were needed here!

The local Baptist Church

The Yacht Club was the center of the activities there.  It was a combination bar and restaurant and gift shop.

Waiting to go in to reserve a place for dinner.

Here's the bar.

This is the most formal of all restaurants we encountered in the Exumas.

Here we are waiting for our table to be ready!

 




This was our exploration of the town.  

Stay tuned to our adventure at Thunder Ball Grotto!

Bitter Guana Cay

This is Bitter Guana Cay.   It has a very interesting and beautiful rock face. 


The island is a protected iguana habitat.  Scientists study these iguanas, what they eat, their habits, etc.

Camera Ham!

   

Eating a piece of forbidden fruit - a small piece of apple!

 There is a cave on Bitter Guana Cay.  It was not wide enough for us to walk through, but was just right for an iguana or two!!
 

A great day for the beach,

 

                                                               
 

   especially.............




   



    

when iguanas are nearby!

Black Point #4

Some of you may know that Ed and I started on a (as low as you can go) low carb diet right at the start of our trip.  It was working out pretty well, especially the first couple of months.  We have gradually upped our intake of carbs just a little.  Well..........when we arrived here one of the first things some people told us......."you have to get some of Corene's fresh baked bread!"   Well.........we are good listeners so, we bought her raisin bread which was still warm from the oven, and a loaf of her coconut bread (this last loaf was under my persistence since I am the only one who loves coconut).   It was the best bread!  It was the first bread we have eaten since October!

It made a delightful french toast!   By the way, guess who decided he liked coconut bread?  So much for having a loaf to myself!!!

Corene in her kitchen with her wonderful bread!

An activity I have been wanting to learn since getting to the Bahamas is learning how to plait with palmetto fronds.  This very lovely lady was preparing some fronds and very graciously and patiently taught me how to do it.  She got me started, gave me a few fronds, and told me to do my homework.

My finished homework - a headband!

 (my hair is tied back in a ponytail - it looks really short in this photo)

Black Point #3

I forgot to include this photo of me wearing my new straw hat.  I bought it in a small shop that was right off the dock in Little Farmer's Cay.  I didn't wear it until I got to Black Point, though.  I had to put a string on it to tie around my neck otherwise it would have blown away with the wind!

Also, I am wearing green since it was St. Patrick's Day.  I hope everyone who's reading this had a very nice St. Patrick's Day!