Paddling the Exumas - Challenges and mysteries of navigation

[Lbeale]

Karen G and I recently spent a week at the glorious, warm and friendly Exumas. We rented a small cottage from an English woman, Valerie, who has lived on Great Exuma for 50 years. The cottages located between Great and Little Exuma were clean, close to the water, not fancy and very reasonably priced. If its nightlife,cruise ships, casinos, booze, hangovers, and off-key renditions of Jimmy Buffet songs you want, then skip the Exumas.

I paddled every day except for one day to go snorkeling. My trip lengths were any were from 10-15 miles a day. For those of you who are not familiar with the Exuma landscape, the waters are shallow and then drop dramatically, especially on the north or ocean side of the islands (key clue). Given the shallow waters, no cruise ships anchor in the harbor. Sail boats and motor boats are limited in the direction they can navigate resulting in little or no boat traffic where we launched. Tides run from west to east not north to south.

There are more than 30 different cays or keys that surround the larger islands (clue # 2).

Before leaving on this trip, I ordered and failed to get charts of the Great and Little Exuma Islands. The only charts available in the US for these islands are the Chandler Books - which means you have to buy an expensive large chart book designed for sailors. Most of the charts in this book did not apply to my trip plans.

Karen G contacted Carl Ladd (Osprey) who has taken people on trips to to this destination and was very helpful. His advice was buy charts on the Islands -- cheaper and more practical.

I brought my IPad that has all the latest navigation tools including Windpro plus, Navionics, Tide App, several different weather apps, tide graph, sunrise & sunset, and a half a dozen other apps not mentioned. I also had several different types of nav equipment (including a deck compass, hand-held, bearing, nav aid, waterproof pencils, distance/time aid, etc.).

Upon request and arrival, the outfitter that rented us kayaks (plastic Looksha-no fiberglass boats on the Island due to strong UV rays) did give each of us a Chandler Chart Book of the area.

Before leaving on this trip, I prepped by spending hours on the web reading accounts of sailing in the Exumas as well as making notes of Nigel D's two accounts (he paddled the Exuams last year).

At night, I prepared for the next day trip by going over the charts, plotting the course and then double-checking with Navionics. Windpro plus was used as a reference for wind, tide, currents, wave heights/time, and weather. Estimated time for different bearings for each trip was noted. In the morning, I double-checked my work from the night before and made any necessary corrections to the trip plan.

We brought along our VHFs and coded those for international waters making them accessible for local weather and emergencies.

Before I left on a paddle, I talked to Valerie, told her where I was going and asked for local knowledge. Valerie was my nav guru - experienced sailor/boat person. She knew the waters, knew what to look for and where not to go given the day's weather conditions. Based on her assessment and advice, I would again adjust my plans.

Summary of individual trip plans: I knew tides and direction of tides, wind direction, weather, nav information (compass directions, distance, time, land markers, sunset, etc) and, local knowledge.

Okay, sounds good, right? I also stayed close to shore in shallower waters and limited my crossings. If anything happened, the quickest exit was get to shore asap, tie up my boat, climb over the brush, make my way to the one major road on the island and hitch my way back to Valerie. Otherwise, use my VHF to notify Exuma Coast Guard.

Outcome:

Little of my prep mattered. The tides never or just barely matched the forecast. I rarely knew when it was going to be slack or flood at a given location. The weather forecast on the VHF was from Nassau not Exuma. The telecommunication systems were completely shut down for two days due to some reason no one knew (no phone, no internet, no GPS).

The tide would supposedly be slack and I'd paddle along at a leisure pace only to be swept into a race that resembled something out of Cobscook (sp) (whirlpools and all). I also paddled in slack currents and then suddenly be be pushed so fast I did not even need to paddle and, vice versa.

It was recommended that we paddle on the ocean side to Pelican Cay to go snorkeling only to be told by Valerie that three people have been lost over the years at this Cay -- bodies never found again.

Depending on where I was paddling, weather was suppose to be clear, little to no winds, calm seas only to be heavy showers, strong winds and swells. The charts would show an island to have a cut or a place to land only to find upon arrival no cut or place to land.

There are days when I thought I was doing a short 10 mile jaunt only to feel like I just did 25 miles. Based on the chart, I would stay close to shore during low tide to follow a deeper channel only to find the channel run dry.

Any guess as to what was going on?

What could I done differently?

Les

(And yes, the Swearing Ferret did have her moments of free-flowing expression when grounded on a sand bar and lugging a heavy, bulky plastic boat to the next flowing waterway).

Edited March 26, 2014 by Lbeale

[Phil Allen]

Hi Les-

I'll bite and make a guess. Given your prep, I'll assume things like operator error, clock changes, etc have been excluded. If so, what comes to mind is wind moving water more than "average". Since the islands and reef around them work as barriers to water flow, all the water moving from shallow to deep and back with the tide must squeeze through the cuts. If a persistent wind either encouraged, or slowed, the amount of water moving with the changing tide through the cuts then the times of slack and max current would be off. This could also explain the lack of water in what was supposed to be a deeper channel at low tide. For Exuma, a persistent westerly would reduce the amount of water that could get through the gaps during the rising tide, lowering the water depth on the shallow side.

Sounds like it was fun if a bit frustrating.

Phil

[Doug]

I can just imagine the dialog between you and Karen when all attempts to navigate resulted in such a daunting experience.

I'm sure the fishies and crustations were well entertained!

Glad you both returned safely.

Doug

[prudenceb]

Perhaps you had just found yourself in the Bermuda Triangle, Exuma branch.....? Glad you discovered the way out!

pru

[rick stoehrer]

huh...i don't know that i'd be so hard on myself in regards to the nav....you got back. mission accomplished.

lots of cuts will fill in, disappear, appear, move...depends on storms, how sandy it is and the age of your charts i'd guess. look down to Monomoy and even in PI sound - we've seen plenty of changes in short spans.

for the current and tide differences you experienced...huh, that sounds like something! i'd suppose that all just follows the changing countours of the sandy shallow areas you were paddling and any differences you experienced vs the expectation had something to do with the depth and channels where you were vs the predictions made for the deeper water where the boats navigate. that's all made for them and not for little ole us.

sounds like a blast - i think i'd have spent all my time under the water and not on top though - the snorkeling and diving in the caribbean is fantastic! you get a chance to do any night dives or anything like that? anyone tell you about the dog food in a baggie routine? you bring it with and feed the little reef fish with it...soon enough you'll be in a ball of little fish nibbling out of your hands...it's very cool.

[EEL]

So Rick, do bigger fish follow the little fish and then sharks follow the bigger fish? You're down there emulating prey at night?

And you're are afraid of cuddly bears?

As to original topic; sounds like a fun adventure was had so why worry about things not going according to plans.

Ed Lawson

[leong]

Dear Les (and Karen),

I think most of your navigational problems occurred due to the tidal variations that are caused by the constantly changing sandbars that arise in the shallow waters of the Exuma chain of islands.

Everybody,

It’s not a good idea to feed fish on a reef. That's because it might attract sharks and, at best, you’re soon feeding sharks. Even if the sharks don’t bother you it’s still not a good idea. In fact, feeding sharks is illegal here in Florida (and I hope everywhere). Fish and Wildlife officials say it's a matter of public safety -- feeding sharks is illegal because it makes them more aggressive near people. A few dive boat operators just a few miles north of my location were charged for doing just that.

Sunday there was a related shark incident also near here. A college student was fishing in his "kayak" (actually a short and wide plastic SOT) near Boynton Beach, Fla., when he hooked 11-foot hammerhead shark, which took him on a two-hour, 12-mile sleigh ride. This guy is really foolish. Almost certainly the shark has suffered significant trauma and will probably soon perish. But, more important, the injured shark may be unable to chase its normal food supply and may resort to attacking slow moving bait such as people.

Ironically, the student “is aiming for a career with the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission”! You can bet I’m writing a letter to the newspaper to point out what a non-hero this guy is. Perhaps he should ditch the floating plastic bathtub and master the skills necessary for sea kayaking. That would be a lot more wholesome and exciting than killing sharks.

Note the Bahama Islands are not in the Caribbean Sea. The Bahamas are a little east of the Florida Straits and north of the Caribbean.

PS

I've hooked sharks several times while trolling the ocean in FLA. Normally I just pull hard and break the line. Just two weeks ago I hooked a small bull shark. It was out to my side and I couldn't break the line without capsizing. So I threw the rod overboard and paddled away. Hopefully, the hook on the spoon lure will rust away fast so the shark won't be embarrassed by towing around my cheap fishing tackle.

[djlewis]

Wow -- sounds like a fun trip -- unhooked from all the certainty we try so hard to cultivate but that never quite happens, thank goodness.

[Lbeale]

Thanks everyone for your insight to the Exuma navigational challenge quiz.

It was a fun trip -- would go back tomorrow if I had time and cash. If anyone is looking for a place to go during the cold winter months - I highly recommend the Exumas. I located a great place to stay that is reasonably-priced. Blaine told me that when visiting these islands, bring some food staples because it can get expensive. Thank you Blaine --helpful for a vegetarian.

You are all correct including Pru -- supposedly the Bermuda Triangle is nearby.

What I learned about navigation was worth the trip alone. Number # 1 big lesson --when in doubt, WATCH THE WATER. If you're not sure what direction the water is flowing, let the boat drift. The drifting may take time to accurately determine if its winds or water that is moving the boat. That's how I got caught in the shallows -- I could of swore (literally) it was the water moving the boat but it was the winds - the water was actually moving in the opposite direction and it was the winds pushing the boat. It wasn't until the third day of paddling that I got this trick and it is how I avoided shallow waters in the future. When in doubt, let go of the expectations (charts, weather and tide predictions, etc) and just watch and feel (hands in water) the water flow.

# 2. When getting local knowledge, make sure the person who is giving the information has actually been on the water in that specific area. The person who told us about the Pelican Cay was a local kayaker but never did the trip only "heard" it was a good trip on a calm day. They also did not live on the Island full-time. Luckily, we listened to a more knowledgeable local source who strongly advised against the trip given the death toll.

# 3 Paddling the Exumas is not paddling the Northeast - duh. Variations in tide predictions can happen in short distances. We only had access to predictions for Exuma Harbor which was 18 miles away. The daily variation was more or less an hour off from our launch site and did not consider local shoreline changes (shifting sands) that affected tidal predictions.

# 4 Weather predictions could only be accessed for Nassau not the Exumas. What happens in Nassau weather-wise does not necessarily apply to the Exumas - minor detail. Windpro did have more accurate local weather predictions but it could not be accessed when the internet was down.

# 5 Don't depend on a sea rescue happening anytime soon given the erratic nature of telecommunication services and an Island nuance called "Bahama Time" meaning no need to rush. Also, if you get caught in a ripping current on the ocean side -- your next stop could be the Cape Verde Islands. Better to have a Plan B: paddle close to shore line and hustle on up to the road when in need.

The snorkeling in the Exumas is highly recommended. There is a way where you tie the boat to your pdf, hold on to the cockpit and lay as flat as possible in the water without splashing. The boat drifts along and the fish are not distracted with the splashing vibe so they forget you're there. Unfortunately did not do night snorkeling -- next time.

There is a place on the Islands where a cook feeds wild sting rays conch. The rays are so tame that they come and glide their wings over your legs thinking you have conch to feed them. They feel like a wet dog nose. You do not want however, to pet wild sting rays elsewhere. Globally, critical injuries from sting rays surpass sharks - more people are hurt by sting rays than sharks. If you get stung by one of these babies they can cause severe neurological and muscle damage. So be careful where you stand in the water.

Les

Edited March 28, 2014 by Lbeale

[glad]

I'm with Phil on the difficulty of predicting the tides. I think its a very complex interplay of water moving in and around multiple and changing "ocean floor and wall" obstructions and in some cases fairly enclosed bodies of water. I would bet that there are also multiple currents running in layers in the column of water as well.

I was scratching my head when I looked at the published predicted highs and lows for George Town - about 12 miles away. Over the course of 5 days, the high tide changed by about 15 mins per day and the low by anywhere from 50-70 minutes per day. Go figure!? I copied them down on my waterproof paper as a reference and once reviewed, figured I must have made an error only to find that I had copied it down correctly.

I was very impressed by the genuine friendliness of the locals, everyone wanting to know if you were having a good visit.

Our location was ideal; quiet, a 4 min walk to the water. It had a floor to ceiling screened in porch from which you could drink your coffee or wine and watch the tropical birds and listen to their symphony in the morning or early evening. Kudos for Leslie for finding this property.

A major plus was the knowledgeable owner of the property: very "boaty" as my niece would say. We'd review our plans before departing and get a load of important information that helped to keep us out of trouble and prevent her from coming to find us in her skiff when we didn't show up at the end of the day.

I knew there were lots of different sharks in the area ranging from completely benign to moderately aggressive. Most locals don't think much of any of them. But early in the trip I had not done my homework about who was who. And in the northeast, I regularly visit the land of Great White Shark on the outer cape. And who can forget "Jaws"?

One late afternoon, I was doing my swim on the incoming tide and was visited at uncomfortably close range by a shark I later identified as a nurse shark. Nothing like playing the "worse case scenario game" for real!

He (or she) was definitely curious but cruised past me. What a, ahhh… thrill! I couldn't help thinking he might return for a taste so I aborted my swim as calmly as possible.

It was helpful to bring down food that you needed. I visited one large market that had a decent amount of organic produce and some gourmet foods but you had to hit the market on the right day which was also unpredictable. It didn't really matter, we were on vacation.

[glad]

I'm with Phil on the difficulty of predicting the tides. I think its a very complex interplay of water moving in and around multiple and changing "ocean floor and wall" obstructions and in some cases fairly enclosed bodies of water. I would bet that there are also multiple currents running in layers in the column of water as well.

I was scratching my head when I looked at the published predicted highs and lows for George Town - about 12 miles away. Over the course of 5 days, the high tide changed by about 15 mins per day and the low by anywhere from 50-70 minutes per day. Go figure!? I copied them down on my waterproof paper as a reference and once reviewed, figured I must have made an error only to find that I had copied it down correctly.

I was very impressed by the genuine friendliness of the locals, everyone wanting to know if you were having a good visit.

Our location was ideal; quiet, a 4 min walk to the water. It had a floor to ceiling screened in porch from which you could drink your coffee or wine and watch the tropical birds and listen to their symphony in the morning or early evening. Kudos to Leslie for finding this property.

A major plus was the knowledgeable owner of the property: very "boaty" as my niece would say. We'd review our plans before departing and get a load of important information that helped to keep us out of trouble and prevent her from coming to find us in her skiff when we didn't show up at the end of the day.

I knew there were lots of different sharks in the area ranging from completely benign to moderately aggressive. Most locals don't think much of any of them. But early in the trip I had not done my homework about who was who. And in the northeast, I regularly visit the land of Great White Shark on the outer cape. And who can forget "Jaws"?

One late afternoon, I was doing my swim on the incoming tide and was visited at uncomfortably close range by a shark I later identified as a nurse shark. Nothing like playing the "worse case scenario game" for real!

He (or she) was definitely curious but cruised past me. What a, ahhh… thrill! I couldn't help thinking he might return for a taste so I aborted my swim as calmly as possible.

It was helpful to bring down food that you needed. I visited one large market that had a decent amount of organic produce and some gourmet foods but you had to hit the market on the right day which was also unpredictable. It didn't really matter, we were on vacation.

Edited March 30, 2014 by glad

[gyork]

Any more photos to warm me up????

[John Martinsen]

"What I learned about navigation was worth the trip alone. Number # 1 big lesson --when in doubt, WATCH THE WATER. If you're not sure what direction the water is flowing, let the boat drift. The drifting may take time to accurately determine if its winds or water that is moving the boat. That's how I got caught in the shallows -- I could of swore (literally) it was the water moving the boat but it was the winds - the water was actually moving in the opposite direction and it was the winds pushing the boat. It wasn't until the third day of paddling that I got this trick and it is how I avoided shallow waters in the future. When in doubt, let go of the expectations (charts, weather and tide predictions, etc) and just watch and feel (hands in water) the water flow."

That's awesome advice!

[rick stoehrer]

Ed -

yes, big fish follow little fish. a long time ago i was free diving after work at coki beach in st thomas...there was this awesome barrel sponge out in about 50ish feet of water and i'd go after work and swim a bit and dive down to the sponge, stick my head/shoulders in and look around...it was very large. i carried a little light to look at anything i thought cool.

anyway, i get in the water and am swimming on the surface and some guys were taking some students out for a shakedown night dive....and between us were an enormous school of little bait fish. crazy amount...like the opening footage of the old jacque cousteau show on tv on sundays...just ludicrous. so they had lots of lights down on the bottom, fish between and me up about 50 feet....the school was backlit and it was amazing to see....and i saw a flash through the school. i wasn't sure what it was it was so fast and the fish so thick....and then another and another and a really big tarpon with a mouth like a bucket went shooting past me. i was apparently in the middle of the tarpon bait fish buffet. oh cool! little fish come in, bigger fish come in to eat them....and then i thought about the tarpon being about 4 footish and thought wait a tick, those aren't the really big fish, are they? what eats them?

then i swam to shore.

for all i know it's bears that eat them but i sure didn't stick around to see who was dining on fresh fish!

[leong]

In general a shark is not fast enough or smart enough to attack a tarpon. But if the tarpon is wounded or being reeled in by a fisherman that’s another story. It happened to me a few times while fishing from my kayak; bull sharks attacked a grouper once and several times attacked tarpons. I purposely broke the line every time. The time I hooked a shark directly I threw the fishing rod at him/her and paddled away as fast as I could.

Here are a couple of videos (not of me). Bull and hammerhead sharks.