Thunderball

March 16, 2015
Big Major Spot
Exhumas, Bahamas

Today was an almost windless day which really makes you feel the heat. We started the day with a boat project. Lee tried to put a zinc on the propeller shaft while using a mask and snorkel. He dropped half the zinc when he went to tighten it. In water so clear you would think it would have been easy to find in 10 ft of water but he could not find it. Mark brought over a snuba rig which you hook to your battery an it lets you breathe underwater as long as the hose will reach. Even with that he could not find it. Mark had another zinc and that one Lee got on without incident. The whole thing was pretty frustrating. 

Just before lunchtime Handleys and we got in our dinghies and went to Staniel Cay to a place called the grotto.  It is an under water cave that at low tide has lots of air in the top. It was used in the James Bond movie Thunderball. We put on our dive skins, fins, masks & snorkels and jumped in the water. We swam to the cave. The top of the entrance was barely above the water at low tide. There were several tropical fish around. There was about 20 other people also snorkeling into the grotto. Inside shafts of light from holes way above ground shone down into the cave. The current was quite strong and my knees are so weak I had trouble. Also my straps on the back of my fins kept slipping. I nearly lost them several times. They do not float. We did not stay inside long. Mark was inside when some one who had climbed the hill outside jumped through the hole in the top of the cave and nearly hit him. 

After the grotto adventure we went to the other end of the island to see about propane and some munchies so I could have Mark, Judy, Lynn and Ed over for sundowners. We got started that way and realized we did not have money. We went on figuring we could find out about propane even if we didn't buy anything. Just as we arrived we remembered it was closed 12-2 for lunch and it was 12:30.  We were sitting in the shade talking about what we should do when Ed & Lynn walked by. They were shopping and wanted the same info on propane. They got there before lunch break and were told, "No propane til Thursday".  The problem with Thurs is Handleys are having another round of guests, coming in tomorrow and staying a week. Handleys & their guests plan to head off to another cay or two  for 4 or 5 days Thurs morning. Staying til Thursday afternoon to get our  tanks filled will keep us from leaving with everyone else. 

Not wanting to hang around 'til 2, we decided to return to Sea Turtle. At 3:30 we went again to the general store a mile or so away by dinghy. No one was there again. We walked on to the Pink store and the Blue store and got our munchies so I could have everyone over to our boat. We walked back to the general store and this time it was open. Lee got some marine grease, chart book for northern Bahamas and I got some juice and cokes. We loaded our stuff in the dinghy and hurried back to Big Major. It was 5:15 when we got back. We had a mess to straighten up and I had snacks to get laid out before everyone arrived at 5:30. We had everyone til about 7 or so then Ed & Lynn went to Mark & Judy's for dinner.

Our lights flashed off. Hope that does not mean electrical problems.