Monday, April 19 - sailed to the southern edge of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, a 25 mile chain of islands within which fishing/hunting are prohibited, there's no trash disposal, no restaurants, etc. There are a few privately owned islands, Johnny Depp has one close to where we are now. In 1958 a group of conservationists dedicated themselves to preserving this particularly beautiful area. We snorkeled this afternoon at a bay called Coral Garden and a place called Rocky Dundas where there are a couple caves full of stalagmites and stalactites, lit by holes in the rocky ceiling. The fan coral was a brilliant blue. Again, many many fish. We swam with a school of 50 or so deep, deep purple fish (not sure what they were).

April 30 - arrived at Chub Cay yesterday, added several photos from stops along the way in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. We were at 4 different anchorages. These protected islands and waters were amazing. The Aquarium, near Bell's Cay, is the best reef I've ever seen, and I have snorkeled at Australia's Great Barrier Reef! The fish literally swim right up to your face and then swim along with you. Only one island, Warderick Wells, has any facilities. This is where the park headquarters is located. They have kayaks, paddleboards, lawn chairs and a shelter with a picnic table available for use. Mike and I kayaked one afternoon. We met many cruisers and went to a pot luck dinner there (many have been vaccinated like us and those who haven't had to go through testing and daily health checks for the first 14 days in the country).