Glass Window Bridge, Moving down the coast of Eleuthera

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Glass Window Bridge, Moving down the coast of Eleuthera

Wednesday night we were anchored in Goulding Cay. Thursday Morning wind was less than 10 kts, and no waves to speak we decided to take a ride and photograph Glass Window Bridge. Today it's a man made bridged breach at the Eleuthera Islands narrowest point. On the Ocean side, where the reef is not continuous, waves gnawed at this point and finally broke the natural bridge in two. A rogue wave in 1991 knocked the bridge seven feet to the west but it was finally repaired. You can see where there is stress around the base of the bridge.

Eleuthera is miles of rugged imposing bluffs, pock marked with caves and deep crevasses craved into the weeping limestone. These bluffs offer shelter from wind, but make landing a dingy rather a daunting affair. We admired the bridge from afar watching waves crash in from the Atlantic side. Motoring back towards Cool Hand we did spy a beach and landed there for me to gather some shells and marvel at the worn rock formations. Tom disappeared, coming back to lead the way to the other side, just a short hike and a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean. Back in the dingy we arrived at Cool Hand just as the wind started to pick up. By the time we weighed anchor the winds were topping 15kts and the waves were right on our nose. Tom had taken some of the weight out of our bow but riding a bucking rocking horse boat for 7 hours at 3.5kts was neither comfortable nor enjoyable. We finally decided to duck into Alabaster Bay, a wide cove that could give us some protection from the wind. We also were interested in the Coca di Mama resort which Active Captain gave good reviews. Unfortunately no one was around, but the site was quiet and around mid- night the wind die back so we both slept fairly well.