Boating with Sunset Delight: 2024 Exuma Bahama: Hiking Monument Trail

21 March 2024

Following our standard pattern of operations, Clark was up at 6:30 for the weather report then we listened to the Boaters' Net before getting in the dinghy for today's adventures.

For our first stop, we headed to the dinghy beaching area for access to the NAPA Auto parts store. On our way there, we passed Goat Cay which provides good protection in the event of bad weather. If we did not have a marina reservation for the upcoming storms in a couple of days, this might have been a place to hide.

Island looks abandoned from this angle
with old cement foundation on property

Nice house on connecting cay however

With bridge to island with cement remains

the house has a boathouse

Clark pulled up to the beach that provides dinghy access to NAPA, dropped a stern anchor in the water, and tied the bow to a tree limb.

Our dinghy is one furthest out in water

The grounds of the landing spot were like a playground for grownups! We saw a hammock, a few water toys, and a bunch of kayaks and other boats left for future use. Given the surroundings we did not lock up our dinghy as everyone else was simply tied to a tree limb as well.

Going for a look around

Swing

We followed the short path up to the highway to get to NAPA. The cars flew by very rapidly. It was unnerving just to walk on the side of the road. Fortunately, NAPA was very close to the dinghy landing.

NAPA Auto Parts store

Although I thought it highly unlikely, Clark thought the store might have hiking shoes based on input from another boater. I thought it odd that an auto parts store might sell shoes, but given it is the Bahamas, anything is possible. Clark needed a new cap screw for the anchor winch that broke just after we arrived in the Bahamas.

We found no shoes, and nowhere we have yet to find in the Bahamas sells metric hardware / screws! What I did find in the store was so amazing to me I had to take pictures. I am used to auto part stores selling only auto parts! I took only pictures out of the store as they did not have what I needed, and I did not need what they had.

Linens

Toys / Barbies

Housewares

Washer / Dryer, Microwave, Refrigerator

When it was time to leave the beach, Clark was so busy talking to another boater that he totally ignored me when I said the dinghy was beaching itself, and we would not be able to get it off the shore. He kept waving me off, and I kept interrupting him. Sure enough, when he finally came over to push the dinghy out, it would not budge. He pulled while I pushed, but we were well onto the sand.

The woman he had been talking to came over to help. She had a slender build, but she was mighty strong. She picked up the front of the dinghy, gave it a push, and it was back in the water! Her husband had come over to assist, but by the time he got to the boat, she had it in the water. Her secret that I will know for next time was to lift and push - not just push!

Following our NAPA adventure, we dinghied over to the dock where we could walk the trail up to the monument. When we dinghied by this spot yesterday, I saw a dock we could tie to but Clark only noticed the dilapidated dock that was unusable. He thought we would need to anchor off again until we rounded the bend, and he saw the dock I was referring to.

He put out a stern anchor to "Med Moor" us off the dock.

We found a couple of signs to help us on our way.

The climb up to the monument was short but tricky with vegetation, slippery sand, and steep sections to the top.

We had talked to a fellow boater about finding the trail up the hill. He said to look for anything that might be a "trail blaze". It could be anything. He also said we should not plan to hike in flip flops. As we approached the beginning of the trail, we found a picnic table with flip flops on it.

Clark said, "Leave flip flops here!"
(We weren't wearing flip flops!)

I can walk long distances on flat terrain, but give me an incline and my legs fail me. Shortly after we started on our way, I was struggling up the hill. We took a few wrong turns through the vegetation looking for the start of the trail up. We finally found a plastic ribbon hanging from a branch, and we were on our way.

Narrow but doable

The trail was made of sand and well-traveled. The start was easy except for watching out for low branches. As we started to go up in elevation, I worked hard to climb. I was already out of breath, hot, and my legs were complaining, when we rounded a corner and I came upon a sight that made me stop and stare. I had not thought I would be using a rope climb up rocks!

No way!

I told Clark I was going back to wait on the beach for him.

"You can do it. It's easy. Like climbing stairs!"

By the time we finished discussing the climb, my heart rate was back to normal. My legs had forgotten to complain, and I had cooled down with a drink of water. I decided to give it a go and made it up with some help from Clark. I made him hold my hand for the rest of the climb up to be sure I did not hurt myself on the terrain. As usual, he "forced" me to do something I would rather not do, and I was glad he pushed me after the fact.

The hike was worth the challenge. We got lots of good views of Elizabeth Harbour.

We could see "Sunset Delight" out there.

I (Ev) wouldn't be standing on that small
cement post in the wind near the edge.

Looking towards the Atlantic Ocean

Sailboat on the Atlantic Ocean

Rickety bench - even tired I did not want
to sit there so close to the edge, and
Clark was standing in front of it!

Construction for a new resort.

Proof I made it up that hill!

When we got up to the monument, we found other hikers there before us. The man saw that Clark had helped me along, and he suggested we take the beach hike back to the boat as it would be easier. Clark prefers not to backtrack, so that was perfect.

Clark found the trail markers so he was happy.

We skidded our way down the last part of the trail to the beach.

Looking back at where we had come from, we found one of those unusual trail blazes. Someone had found a broken piece of blue plastic and tied it to a tree limb as a trail marker.

Blue plastic trail marker

Phew! We made it to the beach!

"Hey! Wait up!"

We had to climb over this to get off the beach.

Once again, the views were spectacular.

I felt like I was walking through a
short (meaning the height of the vegetation) jungle.

Another unusual trail blaze -
painted rock next to broken plastic pot

Clark stopped to admire the plant life. He liked the glossy leaves.

Our hike path circumnavigated the "private residence" on the property. We got minimal views of the buildings there, so no pictures were taken.

Finally we got back to our starting point, and it was time for lunch. Before we left "Sunset Delight" Clark suggested we bring a picnic lunch, so we would not need to hurry ourselves along on today's exploration. We had picked out our picnic spot, in the shade, before we hiked up to the monument, so we knew exactly where we wanted to sit.

Perfect spot for our picnic lunch

After lunch we headed back to the boat and got a great show of athleticism from a young dog on the beach. "Mom" and "Dad" threw the frisbee, and the dog retrieved it or caught it depending on the success of the throw. The dog made sure that Mom and Dad got equal time as he returned it to one then the other for the next throw. He stopped for a short, refreshing break in the water and then was back at it again for more fun!

Got it this time!

After our day's exploration, we returned to "Sunset Delight" to relax, read, and do online puzzles. Around 6:00 or so , Clark said our friends on "Big Moose" wanted to come over to visit and see the boat as that did not happen in Black Point or Georgetown anchorages. They came and we gave them a tour. Denise and Steve are lovely folks from Chattanooga, and we hope to see them on future travels.

The sun had set before they left to go back to their boat.