Hawksbill Cay

We are anchored about 1/2 mile off Hawksbill Cay in the chain of islands that make up the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Beautiful and relaxing are a weak description for this secluded 3 mile long island. After the night-time chaos of the crowded anchorage at Allan Cay and the private "keep out" vibes at Highborne Cay it is nice to have an island paradise to ourselves. There are no other boats here and the island is uninhabited.

There are ruins of small stone houses and out buildings of the Russell family plantation on shore. People actually scratched out an existence on this remote, rocky island from 1785 to 1830. It would have been a very harsh life. They burned conch shells to make mortar for their homes. We are tired of eating the conch we bought in Nassau three days ago. This island has mountains of conch shells near the burning oven! Assuming they figured out how to eat the almost inedible conch, they must have eaten it three meals a day.

We will dine tonight on leftover chicken casserole (thanks Doris) and sweet potatoes- even with canned chicken it is better than an all conch and fish diet. We are not allowed to fish or take lobster or conch in the park but we haven't been successful-- in feeding ourselves that way yet anyway.

We hope to move Crossroads 10 miles south to a mooring near the park headquarters on Warderick Wells Cay tomorrow or Saturday.

Glenn

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