April 4, 2017 Exumas Land and Sea Park

Today, we motored north to Bell Island.  This is in the Exumas Land and Sea Park.  There is no fishing allowed here, but great snorkeling. 

First, Joe, Erin and I snorkeled Rocky Dundas.  There is a larger cave here.  We briefly snorkeled in and out of cave.  We were getting close to high tide and the opening to the cave was quickly going under water.  And with the surge from the waves, we didn’t want to get pushed up against the rocks.  It was cool to see, but good to keep it short. 

the opening behind us was closing up fast

Then we took the dinghy to the Sea Aquarium Coral Garden.  This is by far the best place to snorkel in all of the Bahamas.  It is a small area that is just full of fish and coral.  There was no current, so we could circle the island.  Last year, Dave and I had to climb sideways in the water along the rock wall against the current to get back to our dinghy. 
 
 
 

sergeant majors

porcupine fish

Joe felt like the fish accepted him as one of their own

Queen Angelfish, my favorite

dead conch shell sitting in coral

blue chromis

We stopped back at the boat for a bucket of beers and headed to a sandy beach.  We stopped at a small sandy spit of an island at southern end of Exuma land and sea park.  Great photos.

 

unusual wave action formed this sandy ridge on the opposite end of the beach

Tonight we had snapper and aglio e olio.  Joe and Erin brought that recipe to our boat last year.  We had chocolate covered pecans with amaretto flavoring.  So we dropped one in a shot of Amaretto for dessert.