The cloudy skies above us begin to dissipate as we slowly start the day anchored at Oven Rock, on Great Guana Cay, Exumas. Our new buds, Evan and Jackie on S/V Dacia and Ron and Cindy on S/V Reef’n It, have invited us to join them on a short hike to an underwater cave named Gemstone Cave. We hear it is filled with flesh-eating shrimp, so naturally, I’m intrigued. We get dressed, grab our snorkel gear, and take Scout to shore to meet up.
We zigzag up the limestone trail peering at the low, dense vegetation lining the path with wiry orange love vine (Cassytha filiformis) sunbathing on top.
We arrive at the cave entrance, and it’s much larger than I imagined! The classic musky cave smell hits my nose and air become cool on my skin. An array of beautiful cave formations (speleothems) surrounds the walls, floor, and ceiling. Stalactites and drapery hang from above as thin straws gently drip. Damp columns stand proudly welcoming us inside.
I look at the cave waters – and it hits me – the water is pitch black! Total darkness. After visiting underwater caves like Thunderball and Rocky Dundas, (which have beams of sunlight leaking through natural openings in the porous limestone ceiling), we didn’t even think about bringing a light! *Ugh, palm to forehead* Thankfully, Cindy and Ron graciously give us one of their dive lights to borrow, and I slowly slip into the eerie water.
Immediately, I see nearly a dozen shrimp! Their transparent little bodies glide away from the flashlight’s beams. Whoa, I can see their insides, I think to myself. I float in the shallows for a moment, waiting for Brendan to get in, gradually working my way to the deeper and darker side around a large, gorgeous flowstone. Then, I feel the lightest little pinch on the back of my heel…
I spin around to find a shrimp latched to my foot! “Eeww hahaha the shrimp are going after the dead skin on my feet!” It’s easily shooed away, but I have to say, if having a free, natural pedicure by cute little shrimp means “flesh eating,” it’s ok by me! I giggle at the lightheartedness of it, but not for long before a bit of nerves creep up my spine as I round the corner, hovering above a drop off of pure darkness in the chilly clear water beneath me.
After a quick shine around to appease my inner child, double checking no Bahamian Kraken or Caribbean Nessie is approaching me from the dark, I shine the light beam toward a long thin column cave formation that reaches from the top ledge about 6 inches above the water’s surface, to a submerged layer, maybe 30 feet below me. The underwater speleothems are exquisite. Admittedly, it’s a bit creepy, but I feel brave with a group, so I dive down to see what lurks on the other side of the suspended limestone ledge.
A huge chamber! I equalize my ears and peer into a large room with multiple doorways to additional rooms and tunnels. (Don’t worry, I said “brave” not “stupid”) I don’t dare round any corners. As trained divers, we know all too well the sad stories of accidents and risks surrounding these settings…
However, there’s nothing wrong with taking a w’ittle peek’sies!
I shine the light into the chamber, examining the curves, timelessness, and stillness here. How long has this been here? Millions of years? I be sure not to touch anything, as it’s terribly bad for these ancient speleothems. The only residents I find are the shrimp, lingering in their transparent bodies like little ghosts haunting the chilly waters.
However, my childish imagination kicks in again, and I feel like some deep-sea monster is going to pop into my single ray of vision beaming through the underwater flashlight amongst the pitch-black darkness.
At this point we are all gathered around in the frigid water, taking turns diving down to get a closer look at the formations and chambers below. How many divers have explored these back tunnels, I wonder. How big is this cave system?
Then we hear a little chirp… oh look a bat! Several small bats zip across the cave’s stone dripped ceiling as a colony quietly watches us passersby below. Going from dripping sweat when we entered the cave, to toes beginning to tingle from the chilly water, it’s time to depart. Exiting the water, we feel thrilled, cold, and mystified.
We make a pit stop at a secluded beach at the end of the trial. Unfortunately, thousands of plastic bits line the entrance, to an otherwise beautiful stop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. We head back to the dinghies dodging mosquitoes, poisonwood, and ankle-twister holes in the limestone trail. We meet another young cruiser couple, Kristen and Greg on S/V Granite Chief and their sweet red heeler pup named Brooks. We all meet up later than night for a beach bonfire, exchanging tales of sailing adventures, reminiscence of “home,” past lives, and future wishes. We discuss the upcoming Regatta in Georgetown and Easter plans.
“Well, nobody’s sailing out of here tomorrow with the dead wind, let’s go spearfishing,” someone suggests. “Maybe we can catch something for Easter dinner?” Sounds like a plan to me!
~ Day 51
Sailing la Cosmica 
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