Egg Island, Bahamas to Allen Cay, Exuma Cays, Bahamas
KORKZcrew is the blue dot on the map
This morning I got up early to do F.I.T.'s 7:00 exercise class upstairs, and half asleep, didn't really pay attention to. my surroundings. At one point during class I saw a jet ski going by our boat, which I found curious because we were anchored in an area too remote for a jet ski to be toodling around. Soon afterward I noticed this MONSTER yacht named Andromeda parked to the south of us that had apparently arrived overnight, which explained the mysterious appearance of the jet ski — undoubtedly one of its plentiful toys, which also included a helicopter. Pretty sure KORKZcrew could've functioned as Andromeda's dinghy but we're probably too 2008 (and riffraffy) for their taste 😂 . You can see it in this 360 degree drone video, and while it might not look that big here, it's a whopping 352 feet long, and has the capacity for 30 passengers and 43 crew.😳
From the website:
"The newest large yacht on the market, ANDROMEDA features a modern luxurious interior designed by H2 and has many special features including Passenger Yacht classification, swimming pool, spa, certified helicopter deck with garage and a huge array of various tenders. Built for expedition style cruising, she is ice classed and has an 8,500nm range and has amazing seakeeping ability. Whatever your destination might be, 107M superyacht ANDROMEDA is ready to take you there. Her combination of ultimate luxury and expedition style cruising makes the impossible, possible."
Andromeda is in the distance behind those 8 or so anchored sailboats. Look at its scale compared to the sailboats.
Even the helicopter looks tiny in comparison to this superyacht.
This made an interesting kickoff to another day of travel, followed moments later by the great surprise of Ron spotting a pod of dolphin riding along our bow.
Steve was all ears for those dolphins!
On the heels of the dolphin excitement came some activity on one of the two fishing lines Ron had just put out. Skeet did the honor of reeling it in, only to find that it was . . . you guessed it . . . another barracuda. Time for me to be really busy doing something else. 😂😬
We've got some serious boat hair in the works here 😜
Today's conditions made for a really easy, flat ride to Allen Cay. Allen is one of the northernmost anchorages in the Exuma Cays, and true confessions, I've heard and read it referred to as Allan, Allan's, and Allen's, so who knows what's correct. We visited here in 2019 and again last spring, as its known for its protection and for its most famous residents: the Allen Cay Rock Iguana.
From the website:
"Many islands throughout The Bahamas are home to the nation’s three species of rock iguanas. But the Allen Cays iguana (Cyclura cychlura inornate) – a subspecies of the Northern Bahamian rock iguana – is unique to Allen Cay and a few neighboring isles. Growing to more than 4ft (1m) in length, it’s a giant relative to its smaller cousins due to its diet of unusually nutrient-rich plants fed by guano, reflecting the cays’ status as home to the world’s largest colony of Audubon’s shearwaters. Grey-brown with uniquely pink highlights, these harmless lizards are threatened by poaching and supplemental feeding by tourists."
Arriving at Allen Cay
On the way into Allen's, we passed two more superyachts: Kensho and Wheels.
From the Kensho website:
"The 75.18m/246'8" motor yacht 'Kensho' is an excellent new superyacht for the luxury charter market. Delivered by the Italian shipyard Admiral Yachts and featuring interior styling by Jouin Manku she can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests in 8 cabins.
Built in 2022, Kensho is custom-built for world-class luxury yacht chartering, offering a wealth of spacious living areas and fabulous amenities, you'll be in for a treat from the moment you step on board. Her features include an elevator, underwater lights, beach club and gym."
And you too can charter Kensho for the low, low price of only $922k per week! 😱 What a bargain!
From the Wheels website:
"A certified family-friendly motor yacht for charter, 76m/249’ WHEELS is undoubtedly one of the most acclaimed vessels in her range. Seven decks of outstanding features are spread over a volume of nearly 2,000GT . WHEELS is operated by an Owner who has been meticulous in her maintenance and upgrades.
Designed by Sam Sorgiovanni, the mind behind some of the most iconic Oceanco yachts (110m KAOS, 88m NIRVANA), WHEELS was delivered in 2008. Her layout is idea for any charter party, with plenty of exterior spaces and fantastic features. On the sundeck aft, enjoy her brand new outdoor cinema, with a viewing point from the lounging area around the Jacuzzi aft. Also ideal for al fresco massage treatments, this deck offers plenty of space for the whole family. The new Canadian SPA hot tub on this deck is perfect for children or an intensely relaxing experience. On the top deck, indulge yourself in a pure moment of relaxation thanks to the exceptional 360-degree observation area."
This one is a steal at only $850k per week. 😳
Once we anchored, we noticed two tents and a bunch of empty lounge chairs on the uninhabited island on our starboard side. Apparently the guests from each of these superyachts had been hanging out on the beach earlier in the day, because we saw tenders with each yacht's name on them coming back and forth to retrieve their respective belongings.
We made our way over to the beach and hung out near the other end of the small stretch of sand, and watched as the yacht crew slowly but surely packed up their belongings with the exception of several chairs and one crew member who didn't seem to mind being left to relax for awhile in between visits by the yacht's tenders. Steve didn't mind relaxing either. 😂🙄
You may not realize it, but Steve is a finalist for the Rotten Dog Awards. You can weigh in with your vote at SteveIsTheMostRottenByFar.com.
While we eventually made our way back to our home base, the guy on the beach wasn't quite as lucky, still hanging out with a few straggling chairs and no yacht tender in sight. When the sun started to go down and he was STILL there, I asked Ron to please go over there and make sure he was ok and didn't need a ride. I knew he had to have been in touch with his fellow crew members via radio, but it seemed super odd that he'd been left there for such a long time.
Turns out the poor guy had in fact been forgotten, but not for long as he had radio'd the yacht and the tender was on their way back to pick him up. I felt so bad for him, but maybe he enjoyed the time off. It's certainly not the worst place to be stranded for a few hours!
Night night, KORKZcrew!
8 hours underway; 45 nautical miles traveled
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