| N 24 35.0 W 76 49.3
We left Nassau around noon and teamed up with Jeff and Tessa and their guests for a sail over to Normans Cay - about 35 miles away. It became clear quickly that the wind and wave action were not going to let us get there before 8pm and it would be a rough ride all the way. So, we bailed and sailed over to Rose Island - about 5 miles east of Nassau - for the night. We went over to their boat for cocktails and met Stephen and Meredith. He treated us to a great set of magic tricks - my secret love. He's really quite good!
The next morning, the winds had lightened a bit and we had a great sail over to Norman's Island. It has a broad beach on the west side that is very protected from the prevalent easterlies. March is nesting season for the Tropic Birds - elegant white sea birds with long tails. The sky was teeming with them. Their white underbodies would reflect the aqua blue of the ocean and it looked like they were lit from within by some unbelievable neon. As we watched the sun set, looking for the green flash, the full moon rose behind us. This water is a glorious, indescribable aqua and, like the birds, the full moon took on the same color as the water just before the sun set. What an amazing sight!
The next morning we went ashore to check out the local restaurant for lunch. We had conch burgers, fries, and beer - it just doesn't get better than this. Jeff and Tessa and the guests decided to go on further down the islands. That night we went over to Michael and Gail's for a wonderful dinner and great conversation.
The following day we sailed down to Shroud Cay - the first island in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. It is almost an atoll with an interior of mangroves and salt ponds lined with streams that you can dinghy through at high tide. We explored all over and bathed in the warm shallow water. The place is brimming with sea life - crabs, lobsters, all kinds of fish. Very beautiful.
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