We anchor just off pig beach at Big Majors Spot here in the Exumas. Before we head ashore, I slice up what’s left of our cabbage—my boys are super excited to give their share of this loathsome veggie to the pigs. Tristan wonders if the pigs will even like this stuff… and it’s a total hit.

 

As we get close, the biggest pig swims out to greet us with his mouth wide open. They boys start throwing in cabbage and he snorts in delight. We hear all the skinny piglets squealing on the beach and try to save some for them. But this big pig is pushy and knocks Bodin right over when he get’s off the dinghy.

We’re also here to snorkel the famous Thunderball Grotto from the James Bond movie. It’s between this anchorage and Staniel Cay. So in preparation for our big cave dive tomorrow, we watch Sean Connery at his best in 1965.

Next day at slack tide, we meet our friends aboard sv Keltia and enter the grotto together. Light shines through holes above and below the water. Sounds echo. The underwater caves are filled with fish. It’s dark in some areas, bright in others and just a magical experience. Tristan and Phill swim through some of the tunnels and back outside. There’s elk horn coral, purple fans and enormous brain coral boulders. Much to Bodin’s delight, we didn’t see any of the “golden grotto sharks” that ate all the bad guys in the movie.

In fact, we didn’t see any sharks at all. I think all these friendly sharks are still hanging out over at Staniel Cay Yacht Club next to the fish cleaning station. That’s where we saw them yesterday…eating very well!