We've just spent several days north of here visiting the Exuma Cays Marine Park, centred on Warderick Wells Cay. The park comprises 20+ cays in total, some privately owned (Johnny Depp rumoured, but no sign of him) but the majority uninhabited and very natural. Once again the waters and beaches were incredible.
We spent a lot of yesterday ashore on Warderick Wells following the maze of hiking trails that circumnavigate the island. It was a little like being on an orienteering course, struggling to spot one cairn from the next in a rocky environment where not many people tread and the local hutia (critters) eat everything and obscure the trail. We eventually made it back to the dinghy after over 3 hours of scrambling over rocks in the heat of the day. Thank goodness we had a water bottle with us.
We both got very hot, however, and when we descended to a pristine and deserted beach, Paul suggsted a skinny dip. Now as blog-readers know, Paul is not adverse to shedding his clothes but I am somewhat more reluctant. In fact, yesterday was the first time I can remember ever doing it - and it was both liberating and exhilirating .... and badly needed to cool us both down. So, at very nearly 50, I finally skinny dipped! Way to go!!
When we arrived at Warderick Wells it coincided with a low pressure front passing through with high winds and large-ish swells, Getting on and off Jay Jay into the dinghy was not for the faint-hearted: The stern of the yacht was bucking through at least a metre and timing was everything. We'd been invited out to dinner on a neighbouring motor cruiser that same evening, and it was a similar story, if not worse, getting on and off their boat. In fact, they were moving around so much with the swell that I ended up feeling sea-sick and had to go home early, despite having taken a sea-sickness pill! Pretty embarassing but not a lot I could do about it. Fortunately a good night's sleep and a near-calm sea by the next morning sorted me out.