Half Moon Cay

Half  Moon Cay

Turquoise Sea

We ride the sea

us

            We have found paradise. Half moon Cay is a small island 75 miles from Nassau with a one and a half mile long, curved “half moon” shaped beach. The water is a brilliant turquoise and throws gentle waves up on the softest brilliant white sand I have ever seen. There is nothing here, no towns, no one lives here. It’s just a place for us to come and enjoy. We went to shore very early. The beach, hours later to be teaming with 3000 of our fellow cruisers, was empty. We walked a mile in the shallow turquoise water, the waves lapping at our feet. An hour of quietness between water and the mangrove like trees that cover the island and we head for our trip. A tram takes us to the other end of the island and the horses. It’s been a while for me, but it feels wonderful to bounce, sorry, Sandy posts, I bounce. We rode along the shore on the beach and then into the thick trees, wending higher and higher, until we could see whole beach and most of the island. Back at the stable, they took the saddles off the horses and we remounted. Bare feet and riding bareback. The horses love the water; I mean really love the water. On the trail I had to prod my horse to go, now he pushed to get ahead of anyone in front of him as we ran into the deep water. They ran and swam as fast as they could and it was all I could do to stay on. I felt myself going over many times. It seems a miracle I didn’t keel over and into the water churning with charging horses. At one point, my horse decided to head toward Florida and deepest water. I pulled hard and back with the others. It was the coolest thing I had done since leaving Iowa, but I was glad to make it back to shore in one piece. For Sandy it was the fulfillment of a life time dream, riding a horse in the surf on this fabulous white sand beach. A memory from a child of 6, watching “Black Beauty” and wanting to ride there herself. She was there running through the water on spirited horse, never in her wildest imagining did she ever think it would ever come to pass.  

Two hours on the beach, swimming or lounging, chairs in the shallow water and it was time for me to go snorkeling. I could have done without more exercise, I was beat and happy to chill on the beach, man. But I signed up for it. My relief out shadowed my disappointment when I learned it was canceled due to rough seas. Today was the high point of the whole time away for both of us. An island paradise and excitement to boot.