We had a beautiful sail from Guana Cay to Man-O-War Cay. The cut going into the harbor at Man-O-War is very narrow with rocks lining the sides, so we planned our entry at high tide. In rough seas, it could be a little tricky, but we had a calm entry and were greeted with beautiful green waters inside the harbor. There were many turtles swimming around and I imagine it’s what Green Turtle Cay once looked like.
We moored at the south end of the harbour and were greeted by Mike who rode up in his dinghy to help us hook up to the mooring ball. He lives on his monohull in the harbor and helps manage the mooring field. We became friends with him and appreciated all the information he provided about the island, the people, and the happenings.
We were also greeted by shark suckers, aka remoras. They attach themselves to sharks and other large marine animals and eat parasitic crustaceans on their host. We were glad we weren’t swimming when they appeared. However, I did read that if they were to attach themselves to a human, the suctioning ability would cause no harm and it wouldn’t even leave a lasting impression on the skin tissue. Still, we’ll stay away from those creatures!
Man-O-War Cay was one of our favorite destinations in the Abacos. It is a very small island, only 2.5 miles long with the harbor side of the island facing Marsh Harbour, and the beach side running the length of the opposite shore facing the Atlantic Ocean. The people on this quaint island were some of the nicest we met on our journey. They welcomed us in their small community as not only friends, but family as well.
We were grateful to be at Man-O-War on Easter. We were invited by the locals to attend a sunrise service on the beach early Resurrection morn. There are three churches on the island, and they all come together to worship and fellowship together every Easter. You could tell these folks love each other, and their graciousness extended to us. After the sunrise service, we enjoyed a potluck at one of the fellowship halls, and good conversations with the locals and fellow sailers who happened to be traveling through like us.
We stayed anchored at Man-O-War for over a week and enjoyed beautiful sunny days exploring the beach and the town, and hunkering down inside the boat on other days as we waited out a storm. The island had everything we needed—one small, but well-stocked, grocery store, a boat yard, gift shop, a snack shop, and a coffee shop where we enjoyed fresh pastries and engaged with the neighbors. Inside the coffee shop is also a small history museum housing artifacts from the early settlers, the families who grew up there, and the remnants of a thriving shipbuilding operation.
The island is known for its boat building history, with William H. Albury charging the way. He is renown in the country for his boat building skills. He built his first schooner at the age of 14 and never stopped building until he died in 1972. Boat building operations still continue on the Cay to this day.
Most everyone on the island drives gold carts since it is so small and easy to get around. This island was badly damaged during the category 5 Hurricane Dorian, and many of her residents died during this powerful storm. Today, the locals are rebuilding their community with a new marina and restaurant coming soon. It is a dry island, meaning no alcohol is sold, and their faith in Jesus Christ is what keeps them persevering. It was a joy to be a part of this sweet community of people over the course of our visit.
We visited this island a second time towards the end of our trip with our good friends Rick and Maryalice on catamaran Sea Breeze. We made great memories on this little gem of an island and will definitely return, if the Lord wills.
