Rudder Cut Cay

Oven Rock, Farmers Cay in the distance

Manana and Sea Vu Play leave at 8:30 for an intermediate stop at just north of Farmers Cay, to hike to Oven Rock Cave. Linda and I went there on our first trip to the Bahamas, Mark and Karen have not been there before. We anchor just north of Oven Rock around 10 am and head ashore in Mark & Karens dinghy to hike to the Cave. There is a large pool of water and divers do bring tanks to dive in the cave.







 

Cave entrance

We are back on our way south by noontime. We are trying to pass over some shallow areas close to high tide. Not a problem for our 4’-8” draft, but Sea Vu Play at 5’-8’ has Mark a little nervous.Linda and I have done this route before with lower water and am not too concerned. Sea Vu Play follows up closely at the shallowest areas, as I read out the lowest depths. We never see less that 7 feet, as we pass Musha Cay, owned by David Copperfield. As we pass close to his island we pass the stern of a small ferry off loading some trailers of supplies. Copperfield lives here about 10 weeks a year and rents out the island the rest of the time. $20,000 a week. He also bought Rudder Cut Cay to the south for its runway. Rudder Cut Cay is a much larger island, but has never been developed much beyond the runway.

Musha Cay

Musha Cay delivery

As we approach Rudder Cut Cay, I am quite surprised to see more than 15 boats anchored there. Last time we pretty much had it to ourselves. Fortunately most of the boats are anchored north of our favorite anchorage in front of a sea cave. After we confirm our anchor is set, we dinghy over to the next little cove to see the Mermaid and the Piano, a stainless steel structure that Copperfield commissioned and placed in about 15 feet of water. 

 

We visit a pond with a man made cut to open water on the island. Very protected anchorage, except the holding is poor, so not a good place to be in a blow. Most cruisers know this, but we find a large Moorings Catamaran in there.

Rudder Cut Cay Cave

That evening while reading her iPad Linda finds this little Gecko climbing up her leg. It disappears under our storage basket. We will probably find him dried and flattened at some point.