LONG ISLAND, THOMPSON BAY, May 23 – 24, 2014

It was time to say our good byes to the PDQ fleet and make our way to Long Island.  

We met up with Linda and Brian on Destination a 47’ Gulfstar and decided to travel together 

It was a beautiful, calm and most colorful crossing of 37.29 NM in 5 hours at an average speed of 7.2 knots.  

Linda and Brian on "Destination"

L.I. has a total land area of 173 square miles being 80 miles in length and 4 miles at its widest point, with a population of 4,000. The best way to see the island is by car and Fox Car Rental provides  us with wheels. 

We picked up our car at 3:30 PM on Friday and were off to explore the north part of L.I.  Our first stop was Morris’ tomb and Grave Marker and we continued north to Deals.  There is much to see at the very north, but we had a dinner reservation at Chez Pierre’s and decided we would have to see that another time.

Diane, Samatha and Linda at the office of tourism

Saturday morning was an early start heading south, stopping to view and photograph the many churches, our first stop was the L.I. Museum.

Next was Dean’s Blue Hole at Turtle Cove is the world’s deepest blue hole plunging 663 feet (200 meters) to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.  The blue hole is oval at its surface, with a diameter ranging from 80 to 120 feet (25 to 37 meters).  Words cannot describe was what it was like to snorkel this 8^th wonder of the world.  

Our next stop found us in Clarence Town visiting St. Peter’s and Paul’s Catholic Church, salt ponds and Flying Fish Marina, one of only 2 marinas on the East Side of L.I’s Atlantic Ocean.  It was getting to be lunch time, and we ended up at Max's Conch Cafe where the mosquitoes feasted on us. 

Diane, Brian and JP 

The next day, we pulled anchor and headed for Hog's Cay, a private island with yet another secluded and beautiful anchorage wedged between some coral reefs and a white sandy beach on the Cay. We snorkeled

and went for a dinghy exploration to the next blue hole. A fine cocktail and dinner on Moonstruck ended another magnificent day.

We could not decide whether to continue east to Conception and Rum Cay on the out islands with Destination our new ravel companion or start the journey back the Exuma chain. We were hoping to stay for the Long Island regatta sailed on the locally built sloops at Salt Ponds but it was not happening for another two weeks.
We backtracked to Stella Maris around Dove Point to refuel and top off the water tanks in preparation for a new adventure on the out islands when Destination came on the VHF with a disappointing weather report.... Change of plans, we are staying at Stella Maris a quaint little marina for diving enthusiast.

The resident manattee