Come Sail Away

Approximately two years ago, our friend Lars told us about his plan to leave his job and spend a year sailing around the world. John and I left that conversation thinking how awesome that would be, although sailing wasn’t our ideal vacation. The seed of inspiration was planted and within a month it grew into the idea of driving around the US in a van. Considering what a large role his trip played in our lives, it was only fitting that we joined him for a portion of his. And so we *drove the van to the Bahamas.

*OK, we actually flew…

The obligatory romantic Caribbean shot.

Unfortunately, I am clearly not meant to be a sailor. Seasickness hit me hard every time we left the harbors and sailed more than a few hours. In fact, my stomach took such a beating that I flew back a few days early; the last leg was going to be a 28 hour straight sail in stormy weather producing waves over twice the size of ones that had previously made me sick. John stayed aboard and two-handed the boat through constant 33 knot winds and 10 foot waves, while the monstrous waves occasionally splashed into their laps. I’m glad I wasn’t there.

Fortunately, while I was aboard we only had two full day sails, so I was able to enjoy most of the trip nausea-free. It’s rare that one gets the opportunity to explore empty Caribbean islands at your own pace, away from tourists. The water was a surreal shade of turquoise, the weather was fantastic, the fish were beautiful, and the company was a blast.

So much happened over the course of the trip that I will try to keep it to some highlights:

• At Staniel Cay, we saw some giant wild swimming pigs. When we started approaching the shore via dinghy, a few of the pigs perked up at the possibility of food and swam out to greet us. They would run right into our boat, holding their mouths open expectantly. On the beach, there were ~15 piglets suckling their mothers, and one giant pig even bit Lars in the ass.


Piglets!



And giant pigs!

• On the other side of Staniel Cay, there was a dock where about 20 nurse sharks would gather. We stumbled across it by chance and actually got in the water and touched them.


The nurse sharks that we hopped in the water with.

• One deserted island we visited was full of giant iguanas that actually encircled and chased a few of our travel companions.


Iguana time!

• Lars has a quad copter that was used to capture the beauty from the skies… I swear that cover photo is real!


A view of the boat using the quad copter. It looks like a toy boat, but I swear it’s us!

• We visited a grotto that is only accessible at low tide and is famous for being featured in the 007 movie Thunderball. John and Lars even had the guts to climb up to the top and jump through a hole in the roof.


Inside the thunderbolt grotto, where I am attempting to climb a little. The ball of light at the top is the hole that John and Lars jumped through.

• Lars owns a paramotor, which is basically like a paraglider powered by a motor. He started from the beach at sea level, and then motored around the skies for hours.


Lars paramotoring close to the rocks (and me watching enviously).

• We set up a bonfire on a deserted beach one evening.


Enjoying a bonfire on the beach.

• There were some fantastic snorkeling spots, with beautiful fish, coral, sting rays, lobster, and more.


An underwater shot of the coral.