Sailing Eleuthera: Beaches, Diving, and Island Life

Departing an island anchorage off Spanish Wells around noon, Connor and the family crew aboard their sailing catamaran Big Lost set out to navigate Current Cut at the northern tip of Eleuthera. With one catamaran ahead and another trailing astern, the crew timed their passage for one hour after slack tide to avoid the strongest tidal flow through the narrow gap where ocean bodies collide. While slowly working south along the western coast of Eleuthera toward a scheduled parts delivery at Tarpin Bay, the family behind Sailing Big Lost welcomed the change of pace offered by short daytime hops after months of demanding offshore legs.

Navigating Current Cut and the Glass Window Bridge

Current Cut creates turbulent water as the Atlantic Ocean and the shallow Bahamian bank waters squeeze between the islands. Aiming for an hour past slack water allowed Big Lost to slip through with manageable current, though visible swirls and opposing surface water revealed the underlying hydraulic force. Trailing boats followed in line through the cut before the crew paused ashore along northern Eleuthera. Looking out from the narrow rock formation at the Glass Window Bridge, the family stood over the geographic divide where the deep Atlantic rolls right against the calmer leeward expanse.

Rigging Maintenance and Shelter at Pelican Cay

Cruising routines require constant gear upkeep between passages. Going aloft to the first mast spreader, the crew tackled dirty rigging hardware that required cleaning and polishing before the salt film caused corrosion. While Finn and Connor prepared water ski gear below, the turnbuckles aloft received a thorough scrub. Rising winds prompted a move south past the local airstrip to drop anchor behind Pelican Cay, finding protected water behind the small island while companion vessels pushed ahead down the sound.

Beaches and Coastal Sailing to Governor’s Harbour

Shifting southward, the crew explored shorelines searching for sand dollars and watching marine life along the shallows. Setting sail from the anchorage, Big Lost hoisted the mainsail for a steady run down the Eleuthera coast toward Governor’s Harbour, sailing roughly 60 degrees off the wind on a starboard tack in January conditions. Reaching Governor’s Harbour at low tide created a practical challenge: the water was too shallow to motor the dinghy directly onto the beach, requiring Connor to wade out and set the tender anchor while the rest of the crew walked ashore along the roadway.

Shore leave in Governor’s Harbour focused on essential domestic chores. Overhead hatch leaks during wet northward passages earlier in the winter had soaked spare bedding in the cabins, leaving mildewed fabric that needed immediate attention at the local laundromat. Clearing out damp linens restored interior comfort aboard Big Lost before the family planned their next move.

Offshore Fishing and Mainsail Handling

With time in hand before their delivery date at Tarpin Bay, Big Lost ventured farther out into deeper water off Governor’s Harbour to troll for pelagic fish. Connor boated a fresh Spanish mackerel, turning the catch into an impromptu deck filleting demonstration. Emphasizing blade control along the backbone, Connor guided the cut: “so right there there’s rib bones so you don’t go deep if you go too deep you’re going into the gut”.

Calm coastal stretches also provided an ideal training ground for sail handling. With mild conditions along the coast, the crew took the helm to practice hoisting and trimming the mainsail independently. Hoisting demanded careful coordination to keep the catamaran aligned into the eye of the wind: “when raising the main sail you have to make sure you are pointed directly into the wind which is called in irons”. The crew managed line friction at the mast and cleared halyards around the sail bag lines: “raising the Sail Without catching it on the lazy Jacks which are the blue ropes attached to the sail bag”. Once fully tensioned and set, easing the topping lift transferred the full sail load to the main halyard.

Awaiting Parts at Tarpin Bay

The leisurely pace down Eleuthera served a critical technical goal: waiting for two packages to arrive at Tarpin Bay. The most crucial delivery was a replacement compressor for the cockpit Sea Frost refrigerator, which would restore full refrigeration capacity before departing across open water toward the Exumas.

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