Excited to reach our second major Bahamian town, we headed out the cut by 8am the next morning. Passing through Rat Cay Cut was no issue — it was almost low tide with just a small eastward current and only 8 knots of SE wind. We motored along the east shore of the Exuma Sound until we reached Conch Cay Cut, which led us safely into the channel west of Stocking Island. Almost immediately we could see anchored boats lining the shore: Monument Beach, then Honeymoon Beach, Volleyball Beach with the famous Chat & Chill Beach Bar, the entrance to the hurricane holes, and finally Sand Dollar Beach. Most of these anchorages are full of moorings, but as long as you don't stray into the shipping channel or tangle with existing moorings, there's still room to anchor. African Queen and we decided on Sand Dollar — a bit quieter and with a little more swinging room.
George Town
George Town is well-stocked by out-island standards. There are marine stores, a fuel dock (worth checking prices before topping up), and grocery stores right in town. What makes it especially convenient is the protected inner lake, accessible by dinghy through a low bridge — though watch the current as you pass through and be prepared for a wet ride if there's any chop running. A grocery store sits right there at the dinghy dock, which is handy after a passage. There is also a local church BBQ on Sundays that's well worth seeking out if your timing lines up.
One of Georgetown's most enduring traditions is the daily cruiser's net on the VHF at 8am — covering local weather, requests for help and spare parts, upcoming events and general announcements. There's also an alternative net for those who want a different format. Between the two you can get a good picture of what's happening around the anchorage.
The hiking on Stocking Island is excellent. You can head north or south along the trails for great views of both the Atlantic Ocean side and Elizabeth Harbour. Monument Beach itself was in the midst of some new construction during our visit — it's evolving — but the view from the top remains unchanged and spectacular, with boat names spelled out in stones by visiting sailors over the years.
We celebrated Cheri's birthday with a big breakfast aboard our boat — a proper occasion that called for as many dishes as we could fit on the table.
Barraterra
On one of our moves we anchored off Barraterra, a small settlement just across from George Town that most cruisers pass by. Kevin helped us out with garbage disposal — no small favour out here — and then, seemingly as a matter of course, shinned up a tall Sapodilla tree and brought down some fruit for us to try. The Sapodilla (known locally as the "dilly") is a brown-skinned fruit with a grainy, almost pear-like texture and a flavour somewhere between brown sugar and vanilla. Once you've had a ripe one it's hard to forget. Down the street past the small bar and the church, Kevin has coconut palms in his yard and generously sent us off with four green ones to boot.
At the bar we met Lulu and fell into conversation with some local contractors. The talk turned to construction costs — apparently a three-bedroom house runs around $120,000 USD to build. One detail that surprised us: land in the Bahamas cannot be purchased outright by outsiders. Instead, an agreement for usage rights is negotiated, which shapes how everyone approaches building and investment here quite differently from back home.
Distances
| Date | Description | Distance | Travel Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 19/24 | Rat Cay, Exuma → Georgetown (Sand Dollar Beach anchorage) | 21.45 NM | 4:31h |
| Jan. 20–27/24 | Stayed at Georgetown; moved between Little Honeymoon Beach, anchored off G-Town for provisions, and back to Sand Dollar | — | — |
| Jan. 28/24 | Georgetown → Rat Cay | 21.67 NM | 4:46h |
| Jan. 29/24 | Stayed at Rat Cay | — | — |
| Jan. 30/24 | Rat Cay → Children's Cay | 1.6 NM | 0:38h |
| Jan. 31/24 | Children's Cay → Lee Stocking Island → Norman's Pond Cay | 5 NM | 1:00h |
| Feb. 1/24 | Stayed at Norman's Pond Cay | — | — |
| Feb. 2/24 | Norman's Pond Cay → Compass Cay (west of Rachel's Bath) | 40.1 NM | 7:58h |
| **15 days total** | **89.82 NM** | **18:53h** | |
| **222 days trip total** | **3,838.82 NM** | **773:48h** |