Day 4: SCUBA and Beaches
The next morning I woke up early with serious business on my mind, SCUBA diving. Although my wife Juliet isn't into diving she is kind enough to allow me this excursion to get my fix of compressed air and close up fish action. I had set up a trip with Blue Water Divers based out of Nanny Cay and just a few minutes drive from Fort Recovery. I hadn't dove since getting my advanced certification in January so I was very excited. The dive boat is nicely equipped with all the basics and we've got a nice, small group of ten divers. We head out around 9AM and make a quick stop to pick up a couple of folks on a charter boat off Norman Island. The weather is pleasant near the boat but rain threatens in the distance and the wind is picking up. Our first dive is at an area called wreck reef where there are three sunken tug boats. As soon as we get to depth, I see a decent size stingray on the bottom that makes a quick move. About a minute later the divemaster locates another, much larger ray on the bottom. He tries to coax the ray off the ocean floor but the ray is so large that it doesn't feel like moving. We spend the next forty minutes or so exploring the tug boats, two of which are very close together. It's alway interesting to see a sunken ship of any size. I swim by the toilet room on the port side, explore the bow then do a swim through in the dark and creepy cargo bay.
After the first dive the wind kicks up even more and it starts to rain. Luckily we're aready soaking wait. The crew is very helpful with all the gear and gives us plenty of surface time before heading to the next dive spot. We head over to Thumb Rock where the current is a bit strong so we go to a second spot called Vanishing Rock near Cooper Island. The second dive goes smoothly and although I don't see anything I haven't seen in other dives I really enjoy myself. I lose my watch on the descent, and just when I had written it off I get it back from a nice Irish guy in my dive group who snagged it on the way down. It's all an adventure to me when I'm lucky enough to explore a new place. We start heading back around 1:30PM and I'm thinking of Juliet waiting for me to start the afternoon.
I return to Fort Recovery around 3PM and after many apologies we load up the car intent on exploring Brewers Bay. The drive over to Brewers Bay takes us through gorgeous Cane Garden Bay once again and we stop at Quito's Gazebo for a bite to eat. We stare at the bay and watch the pelicans fish as the blazing sun gets lower in the sky. Quito's Gazebo is also known for live music as Quito Rhymer and his band play there on most nights. WE can't stay for music as we're looking forward to finding a new bay. The road to Brewers bay is typically steep and we're pleasantly surprised as we approach to see that Brewers Bay has a totally different feel than the other bays we've seen so far. A lush forest comes right up to the beach and the curved bay is protected by large cliffs on both ends so the water is very calm. We drive along the bay, through the thick vegetation and there's not much more than a campground along the road. Evidently there's an eastern road that accesses the few guest houses on the far side of the bay. We turn back to the start of the bay and park next to the obligatory cafe locate at the west end of the beach.
Juliet and I immediately begin to frolick in the ocean. The bay is lovely, huge and we're the only people in the thing. It really feels like paradise. After about thirty minutes it starts to pour outside and we take refuge in the car. Chickens and cats alike run for cover under the cafe. We decide to head back after the rain lets up, but Juliet stops to take a few pictures of the chickens before we go. Driving back on the rain slicked roads requires use of the 4WD along with very slow speed. I'm not sure how the locals can drive so much without getting into frequent accidents. Luckily we won't have to find out about that.
