March 16, 2015 Warderick Wells

March 16, 2015

Monday:  Warderick Wells

After a good night's rest securely on the mooring ball, we checked in at the park office after it opened at 9 a.m.  There are artifacts, and shells on display on the deck surrounding the park office as well as inside.  The park staff was very helpful in giving us trail maps and snorkeling guides and answering all the questions.  They have a small gift shop as well as a book exchange and DVD rental. 

We put on our good shoes to hike up to Boo Boo Hill. The hike is over spiky rock/coral that is not something to be done in flip flops.  It is said that Warderick Wells is haunted and that hymns may be heard on a moon lit evenings.  There are three shipwrecks off the island.   Local lore tells the story that a boat load of missionaries who wrecked off of Warderick Wells are buried on Boo Boo Hill.  It is also thought that their cries can be heard throughout the night.  A cairn has been erected in remembrance of these lost souls.  The hill can be seen easily in the North Mooring field.  At the top of the hill is a pile of wood scraps each with a boat name or other message painted or carved into the wood.   Next to t he pile is a bench with two placards with quotes. One said "Do not regret getting old, it is a privilege denied of many."  The other is "People will forget what you did, but they will not forget how you made them feel."

We headed north from Boo Boo Hill to the trail leading us to the Blow Holes.  When the wind is high and the waves are high, the water is pushed up through these holes like a geyser.  There was no water shooting out of the holes, but as we stuck our heads over the hole to look down, a burst of wind sent our hats flying. Later in the day we went to Tabebuia Beach and hiked across to the Exuma Sound side of the island following Hutia Hill Trail and the Hutia Highway Trail.  We did not see any Hutia, but we saw lots of evidence of Hutia.  After this hike, we tried to cool off by going snorkeling, but the current was too swift for us--so we toured around in the dinghy and discovered the burned hull of a 44' fiberglass sailboat.  It is at mooring ball #9.  There is at least 9 feet of depth over the sailboat, so there are no worries of hitting it by boat.  The boat sank after an electric fire burned it while the owners were at dinner aboard another boat. 

Around dinner time, the reef sharks appeared again.  It was nice to watch them safely from the cockpit.

Joy