Warderick Well Exuma Land & Sea Park

May 9-11, 2016 – Days 12-14   Warderick Wells – Exuma Land & Sea National Park

Marlin Striker, I’m Doin Alright, and Caliente spent 3 days on mooring #19 at the Exuma Land & Sea National Park.  Each of the days we toured the islands by both land and sea.  On the first day we traveled by tender up to the Hog Cay mooring field.  My brother, Bruce and sister-in-law, Lori also went along with their tender.  Along the way we saw beautiful scenery, water colors that are just indescribable, and explored Johnny Depp’s home from a distance.  Johnny Depp has done an incredibly great job of building out an entire island that is in keeping with the Bahamian architectures and very fitting. 

 

Johnny Depp Island Home

Each night we all joined together for dinner with each boat taking their turn at cooking.  It was great to get a night off from preparing a meal and all lots us had lots of fun and friendship.  On the night that it was Marlin Strikers turn to cook we finished dinner and then as in Marlin Striker fashion we enjoyed a night time fish/shark frenzy.  Even the non-fish people among the group seemed to have a good time watching the numerous sharks, big-eye jacks, and other fish in the underwater lights. 

 

 During our first night while taking Stewart to shore to do his business we discovered the Bahamian Hutia.  This was quite an experience in that there were many, many of them and they are not afraid of people or dogs.  In fact they were overly friendly from my perspective.   On our last night we decided to take a late night excursion ashore with the tender and my camera to get some pictures of the very rare (except on Warderick Wells) Bahama Hutia (Hoo-tea-ah).  The Hutia is a plump, brown, and rabbit-sized member of the rodent family.  Hutias are unique to the West Indies. The average Hutia weights just over one and a half pounds.  Hutias are nocturnal and are the only land mammal native to The Bahamas.  The Hutia is on the endangered species list and currently only exist on East Plana Cay, Little Wax Cay, and Warderick Wells.  These three locations now host the only known populations of this particular species in the whole world. 

 

Bahamian Hutia

Warderick Wells has got to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.  The water colors are fabulous and the environment is pristine!