The Bluffs to Current Settlement

The winds laid down just in time for a nice sunset on Wednesday. However, it wasn’t long before they picked up again.

After spending 2 nights anchored off the Bluff Settlement, we decided to move on down the peninsula to the settlement at the Current Cut. We plan to traverse the cut Saturday and needed a day to check our timing to make sure we would be crossing at the right time. More on that later.

Though the wind and waves during our 10-mile trip to the Current Settlement were pretty sporty, it was lovely and calm in the shelter of the land at the settlement.

We counted 10 other boats anchored there when we arrived. Likely, they will be trying to move through the Cut when we do - - Ughhh.

After getting settled, Jim went to work on our anchor chain roller which was squealing every time we raised or lowered the anchor. A little interesting to get apart, he was able to grease it and re-install it - - all without losing any tools over the side – yay!

After lunch, we headed into the settlement to check it out and do a preliminary look-see of the notorious “Cut”.

There was only 1 very small variety store in town and it was closed. No gas station, bar or restaurant.

Their post office is the building with the blue sign on the side.

This is mainly a fishing village. You can see some of the small fishing boats anchored in the bay.

It was maybe a mile out of town to the Current Cut.

The Cut is a narrow opening in a very long land mass that the ocean must get through as the tides change.  It’s deep, narrow and not for the faint-hearted. At full flow, it runs 8 to 10 knots with treacherous rocks on either side and 2 foot deep shallows bordering it.

If you traverse it going against the current, you not only must overpower the flow, you can’t allow the bow of the boat to veer off course or the current will push you into the rocks.

If you go with the current, you have to travel faster than the current in order to maintain any steerage.

Here’s a short video that shows you how quickly it is moving. Our goal will be to time our passage to coincide with the slack tide which is about 20 minutes between outgoing and incoming tides.

Half way through the cut was a concrete dock where an old, wooden island supply boat was offloading supplies. Once finished, he did a masterful job leaving the dock and heading into the current!

Friday, we plan to go back to the cut to confirm the timing of the slack tide. Weather permitting, we plan to go through the Cut Saturday morning and head on down the Eleuthera peninsula.

Wish us luck!