Rudder Cut Cay to Little Farmers Cay; Explore Darby Island, Bahamas

We cruised the inside route from Rudder Cut Cay to Little Farmers Cay. The charted depth seems to indicate our boat with 5’9” draft could not possibly make this trip. However, at this time of the tide cycles and season, the actual depth is two feet deeper than charted at low time. High tide adds another 2.5 feet or so. The charted depth of 5.2 feet is easily nearly 10 feet at high tide. Just for grins we decided to take the shallow route near 1534 on the picture below. Charted depth was 3.3 feet, we saw 6.5 feet on a rising tide. Next time we will go a bit out around the shallows. But it does show that a 6 foot draft boat can easily do this route. Everywhere along the route, minimum depth was 8.5 feet.

We have waited a few years to return to one of our favorite places to eat in the Bahamas on Farmer Cay (Ty’s) only to be disappointed. The bad thing about our visit there wasn’t the food. They no longer have a menu with prices on it. You have to ask for the price and the prices seem much more than before. I ordered the grouper and was disappointed. However, we met a group of guys and one girl from Italy. They rented 3 planes in Fort Lauderdale and were Island skipping through the Bahamas.

Little Farmers Cay

Our landing on Little Farmer Cay before our disappoint.

Sheila and I enjoying our view. The restaurant is right next to the runway of the airport.

We will call him our new friend from Italy, because I didn’t write down his name. Sorry He was such a pleasure to speak with. Full of life. He was one of the pilots.

A while later we went out to see them all off and of course to check out the planes.

Our new friend checking his luggage.

Here is Bryce gabbing with the guys about their expedition.

We waved our goodbyes as they took off..

Rudder Cut

What a Beautiful anchorage with awesome holding. The bottom was pure sand and our Dan Jr. Loves the sand (anchor). There was so much to explore we had an awesome time.

This cave at Rudder Cut was only 500 feet from us. You know we had to check her out.

This in the small inside that was turning into a sand bar as the tide was going out.

This appears to be a very old blow hole. Perhaps 1000s of years ago, when the tide was high and the winds are right you might have seen water shooting out of her top as if she was a steaming pot boiling on a stove.

Sheila and I enjoyed the view of this small cave.

Okay Sheila gave me a pair of wings for this photo… LOL

After leaving the first cave, we dinghied around the point and found another cave in the making.

This one also had a hole in the ceiling.

The waves rush against her hard ruff surface undercutting the rocky shore. Over time the undercutting weakens the base causing the rock to break from its rocky shore.

Latter we sat on the bow of Beauty and we could watch as this guy carried stone after stone from the water’s edge.. At first I thought he was building a fire pit. LOL But magically before our eyes this beautiful stone arch came into our view.

Time to rest and enjoy the view of his craft.

The following day we headed back to the beach. I love my floating chair.

Bryce took a walk along the shore and took an up close view of the arch.

I had a stomach ache so Bryce snorkeled by himself.

He headed around the cave to see the underwater world. He said it was amazing.

Darby Island

What a supper exploration. From our anchorage we could see far away a castle that set high above a ridge. Our journey took us up the bug infested over grown path. I was falling in love with the idea of being the Queen of this castle.

So I found out that “The Castle” and Island can be yours for $38 million dollars. Oh darn.. I am a bit short.

We docked our dinghy near the south side of this concrete wall and tied to a tree.

Bryce lead us girls through the well traveled path. He broke the spiderwebs for us. No joking Smile

First site of the castle through the thick trees.

And they call this “The Castle”. Not sure why or how it got the name; but I can see the castle resemblance from a fairy tale book. The building was constructed in 1938. The story we heard is that this area was used during WWII by a sympathizer to supply diesel to German u-boats. Not sure how true that is, just conveying what someone told us.