Post #8
As we prepped to leave Big Major, chatter crackled across the VHF. Everyone was talking about the same thing: a nasty front headed our way with winds up to 40 mph. It wasn’t our first rodeo with big winds, but this time felt different, mostly because we didn’t have a good place to hide.
The usual hidey-hole between Big and Little Majors was already full. Too full. Word was, in the last big blow, boats there dragged anchor and some even collided. That didn’t sit well with us.
So we weighed our options and while none of them were perfect, we landed on Black Point. It didn’t offer great protection from west winds, but it was wide open. We figured space was safer than being packed in tight. Still, I’ll admit, neither of us felt totally at ease with the choice.
But a decision had to be made. And so, off we went.
Short Hop, Big Stakes
We left Big Major early, the kind of early where your coffee’s still brewing underway. The sail was a short one, just under 10 nautical miles and less than two hours, but we never treat any passage casually. As always, we did our homework: charts, winds, sea state. Those are the big three for us.
When we pulled into Black Point, we spotted a few mooring balls bobbing in the breeze. No official management, just a first-come, first-served deal. We picked one that looked solid, good depth, not too crowded, and hooked on. Anchor was ready just in case, but after checking the setup (and comparing it to our experience in Highborne Cay), we felt confident this was our best bet.
The front blew through like a freight train. But our decision paid off, and what came after was one of our most memorable stops in the Exumas.
Laundry, Muffins, and Making Do
The morning after the worst of it passed, we were starving. Neither of us had eaten much during the blow. when the boat’s rocking and the wind’s howling, food just doesn’t sound good.
Rodney, always the creative galley guy, whipped up a batch of homemade English muffins. Yep, from scratch. They were delicious, especially with a little fancy French butter I had tucked away for a moment just like this. Storm survival muffins? A new boat tradition might have been born.
With bellies full, our next mission was laundry. If you’ve cruised for a while, you know how exciting clean clothes can be, especially when you find a place like this. Full-sized machines, cold drinks, decent Wi-Fi, and right on the water. It quickly became the unofficial cruiser hangout. I’ll go ahead and say it: Best laundry in the Bahamas. Hands down.
Scootin’ Around Black Point
The next day, we took the scooters out, our little electric sidekicks (check them out on our Gear We Love page). We cruised around the island, stopping here and there. One of our favorite spots was Milo’s Beach, a rugged stretch of sand with stunning views and not a soul in sight. Just us, the breeze, and the sound of waves crashing.
As we zipped down the road, we passed a few local kids who were completely mesmerized by our scooters. We’d been warned that they love asking to ride them. But we came prepared.
“Did your parents say you could ride them?”
“No…”
We smiled, waved, and kept it moving. We figured a few moms were quietly grateful we didn’t hand over the handlebars.
Boatbuilding Boys & Island Tradition
One afternoon, we stumbled across a group of teenage boys building boats for Black Points annual regatta. No YouTube tutorials. No instruction manuals. Just wisdom passed down through generations.
They proudly showed us their tools, the frames, and the parts of the boats in progress. If you wanted to race, you had to help build. No exceptions.
As sailors with a racing past, that hit home. You don’t just get handed a spot. You earn it.
Driftwood, Art, and a Little Luck
We ended up staying nearly a week at Black Point, soaking in the slow rhythm and salty charm. Rodney found a perfect piece of driftwood and started crafting a little boat art , sketching out “Kismet” and filling it in with color. That piece would make a surprise appearance later at the George Town Art Walk.
One night, we joined a local fundraiser for the upcoming Black Point Regatta supported by the cruising community. We bought $20 in raffle tickets. The drawing was a few days out, but we knew the odds of still being there were slim as weather rules everything. Luckily, you didn’t have to be present to win.
Spoiler alert: We were long gone by drawing day, en route to Georgetown.
Did we win anything? You’ll have to read the next post to find out.
Want More Adventures Like This?
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Fair winds and fresh muffins.
Patrice & Rodney