{"id":22362,"date":"2026-05-15T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/?p=22362"},"modified":"2026-05-14T23:51:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T23:51:54","slug":"moving-to-the-south-side-of-compass-cay-exuma-islands-the-bahamas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/2026\/05\/15\/moving-to-the-south-side-of-compass-cay-exuma-islands-the-bahamas\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving to the South Side of Compass Cay, Exuma Islands, The Bahamas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Dawn on Tuesday, January 13<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1246.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Normally, in an anchorage, boats faced the wind and took any wind waves on the nose. Yesterday morning, the wind was hitting Kosmos on her port side instead of on the bow, which meant the current was so strong that it was overriding the wind in determining which direction Kosmos faced. Having the wind hitting us on the port made the motion onboard different from what was normal in an anchorage &#8212; it wasn&#8217;t a bad motion, it was just not a typical motion, so we felt a bit off kilter.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the morning, we did school and chores. At about 1300, we moved to the south end of the island, to an anchorage that would be more protected in the coming winds. The ride took about 30 minutes and we had to go through two scary passes that were both narrow and shallow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1231.mov\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>We anchored with no problems. It was a bit rolly, so we put out the port side paravane right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1242-map-south-compass-cay-exumas.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a quiet afternoon onboard. The current here was even stronger than it had been on the north side. By evening, we&#8217;d determined that the anchorage was uncomfortable during slack tide when the current was switching directions, but was comfortable when the current direction was stable. Since the current was usually pushing us a different direction than the wind was blowing, we were also experiencing the atypical motion that we&#8217;d mentioned above.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1232.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the later afternoon, another kid boat, called Mellow Puff, pulled into the anchorage and dropped anchor not far from us. They invited us over in the evening and we had a lovely visit with them.\u00a0Here was the view of Kosmos from their boat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1239.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This morning, when Keith woke up, he said that he had a mild sore throat. He sucked on a cough drop and said the sore throat went away. After he finished his school work, he went knee boarding with Mellow Puff. He was able to get up and had a great time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_9800-keith-knee-boarding-with-mellow-puff.mov\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When he got back, he was really tired &#8212; more tired than he should have been, even given all the exercise. We knew that he was fighting a cold.\u00a0Another boat we were friendly with from the <a href=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/2026\/04\/12\/the-beach-and-trek-to-the-washing-machine-shroud-cay-exuma-islands-the-bahamas\/\">flotilla<\/a>, called Clean Cup, anchored nearby. Eric went over and visited for a while. Not long after Eric left, Clean Cup decided to move to <a href=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/2026\/05\/02\/sheltering-from-the-west-winds-in-the-exuma-islands-the-bahamas\/\">the anchorage by Over Yonder Cay<\/a>, so they pulled up anchor and left.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At 1530, hight tide, Eric and Christi went for a dinghy ride in the estuary in the middle of Compass Cay (see map above) with Mellow Puff. Keith didn&#8217;t go &#8212; he said he wanted to stay onboard and rest. It was a scenic ride.\u00a0Not far into the channel was a marina. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1317.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking back at the anchorage from the marina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1412.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On the hill above the mangrove river were a few buildings that looked like homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1322.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking back at the marina from farther up the salt river (near the bend). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1415.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond the houses there was a bend in the river. It was apparently protected from the wind and looked like a mirror. The trek through this reflective stretch was beautiful &#8212; like we were inside a mirror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1335.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking back at the marina from the reflective part of the channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1382.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We rode for quite a ways. Eventually, we came to what appeared to be the ruins of a foot bridge to a house. These were the pylons that had once been the base for the bridge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1349.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The ruins of the home were on the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1351-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Not far beyond the pylons, the water became too shallow to proceed any further, so we turned around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1363.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The estuary was lovely, but we didn\u2019t see much life. We only saw one turtle and a couple of fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0289.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1378.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On the way back, we went into the marina to scope it out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1398.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;d read that tourists could pay to swim with the sharks here, and we happened to be pulling in as a group of three tourists were getting ready to do this. The guide <a href=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/2025\/05\/12\/cruisers-beach-staniel-cay-exuma-islands-bahamas\/\">threw fish guts into the water to attract the sharks<\/a>. Three of four quickly appeared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1409.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As did several other reasonably large fish, too. Except for in the <a href=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/2025\/05\/16\/welcome-to-cambridge-cay-exuma-islands-bahamas\/\">Land and Sea Park<\/a> (where fishing was prohibited) and <a href=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/2026\/04\/05\/thunderbolt-grotto-and-moving-to-black-point-exuma-islands-bahamas\/\">Thunderbolt Grotto<\/a>, we&#8217;ve seen few bigger fish in the Bahamas. The other cruisers regularly complained about how few fish there were to catch. The waters around here seemed to be fished out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since Keith wasn&#8217;t feeling good, we had quiet night onboard. This was the sunset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_1267-sunset-compass-cay-exumas-bahamas.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dawn on Tuesday, January 13 Normally, in an anchorage, boats faced the wind and took any wind waves on the nose. Yesterday morning, the wind was hitting Kosmos on her port side instead of on the bow, which meant the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/2026\/05\/15\/moving-to-the-south-side-of-compass-cay-exuma-islands-the-bahamas\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[402,52,16,9,1,398,399],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bahamas-caribbean","category-caribbean","category-cruising-guide","category-cruising-life","category-general","category-tourist-activities","category-wildlife"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22362"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22412,"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22362\/revisions\/22412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kosmos.liveflux.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}