Eleuthera--Hatchet Bay

Well, this stop has become a bit anti-climatic! We came to Hatchet Bay to get some protection from southerly winds and to continue COVID watch. The caves, the seahorse pond, the parks...closed. We came in just as a nation-wide curfew was put in place limiting movement in the islands and shutting down businesses. The holding is good, the anchorage offers protection from all directions, and the water is warm and clear so we can get plenty of exercise swimming around the boat. We can't explore anything on land that we had wanted to and the snorkeling outside of the bay is so-so, but we are safe! We've definitely fallen into a routine of school in the morning, afternoon workout/swim, dinner, then Netflix as a family. It's not a bad way to quarantine!

Snorkeling, cooking, fitness, relaxing, making masks, counting upside-down jellyfish...all in a day at Hatchet Bay.

 Peaceful quarantine.

But we think the writing is on the wall. The country is, understandably, beginning to tighten down non-essential activities and turn there attention to their citizens. They aren't kicking boaters out, and some places are trying to help boaters get fuel, food, medicine, etc., but when you see a country whose economy is dependent on tourism shut down major tourism activities, you know it's serious. While we aren't super excited about heading to Florida right now with all the virus cases there, we understand that the Bahamian healthcare services can barely support their own population without having to worry about visitors. And while food and fuel shipments are still happening now, there's no telling if or when they may get disrupted. At this point, we are going to look for a weather window to head to Florida.