We’ve talked about Spanish Wells, but we really haven’t talked about the little uninhabited island where we anchored. Humble Meeks Patch and its story that we won’t soon forget.
It really starts with returning to the boat from our first trip into Spanish Wells. We took a swim, during which Todd used his mask, fins and snorkel to check out our surroundings and our anchor (well set, yeah!), after which, he left his mask and snorkel on the swim platform. Remember that… The next day with the wind shifting, we moved from the west side of Meeks Patch to the east side. That sets up the story – now back to Meeks Patch. Advantages on the east side are less wind and the unobscured sunrise!
No people live on Meeks, but there are chickens and supposedly pigs. We heard the roosters all day and night but have not seen the pigs. After the move from one side of the island to the other Friday, our little group (Chanceaux and Karios), looking for something fun to do, decided to snorkel around the area on the southern end (orange arrow on the chart below). In preparation, we had to dig for some equipment for Susie, and here is where the real story begins.
This shows Meeks Patch (lower left) and its relation to Spanish Wells. The big arrowhead represents our boat in its 2nd location.
Make mental note of three spots: the yellow dot, orange arrow, and finally the red arrow.
After finding gear for Susie, we were ready. Wait, where’s Todd’s mask and snorkel?? Criminy! They must have fallen off the boat when we were on the other side! (Someone should put his toys away properly…)
Remember when we said we still use old-school, low-tech methods? Well, yep, Susie logs our Lat and Long at each anchorage (the big yellow dot being the first anchorage). Double yeah! So, let’s hop in the dinghy and go back over to the other side, find the Lat/Long, and Todd can snorkel around with a spare mask to hopefully retrieve his favorite mask from Davy Jones’ locker. Shot in the dark but worth it.
Well, when we were almost at the coordinates, trying to slowly maneuver into the right Lat/Long position where we’d been anchored, the dinghy stalled. She would go into reverse but only stall in forward. Just great. So, we backed (only direction it would go) over to the right spot, and threw the anchor and Todd into the water. Susie tried the VHF and finally email to contact John and Madeline for help. After about 20 minutes of searching and while coming back to the dink as the “rescue party” pulled up, lo and behold, about 30 feet off the back of the dink was the lost mask and snorkel! Yeah! And oh, it was about then that Todd noticed that the painter (the forward line on the dink) had slipped under the boat and wrapped around the prop! No rescue party needed. Geez, should have checked that first. Oh well, martinis later on us! First to the snorkeling!
Now with all the equipment acquired, we went snorkeling and it was fun – no reef but lots to see.
Sea fans and sponges (Susie spotted one with tube worms flowering), lots of live branch coral, a few conch and sea biscuits, a big whelk shell with resident large hermit crab and Lizardfish (inshore variety, we had to look it up), and Todd saw a Filefish just before the end of our swim. They’re odd because they tend to hang vertically down hiding in fans and coral. Next, we went beachcombing on the beach right above the point, and Susie, actually within 10 minutes on the beach, found a sizeable bluey (blue beach glass)! Alas, a closer look determined it needed more “cooking.” A toss sent it back in. We did find a nice sand dollar, our first. Fortunately, it was dead and starting to bleach.
Sorry, but the story goes on…
Rather than going back around the bottom of the island, our group decided to cut through (the red arrow on the chart). Well, a technical aside might be in order.
The little numbers all over the chart are depth readings in feet, they represent “mean lower low tide.” As the moon affects the tides on earth, the level of each tide is different. MLLW is the average of the last 19 lowest of low tides. Whew, complicated! The actual depth is almost always greater than what’s on the chart, which is a good thing. We draw 6.5 feet!
You can’t see it in the above chart but the numbers for that little cut between the island are low, so low, they don’t exist. But there is water there, very shallow water. For those older folks that might remember a classic scene from a classic movie, think The African Queen.
Enough said. Per Humphrey, I mean Todd, the grass was a bit gooey, but the water was about 77 degrees, definitely refreshing but not cold. And no leeches.
We will always remember our first stay at Meeks Patch!
Our Travels 
Great story!! Sometimes we don’t always practice what we preach!! I’m glad you found the mask! My most favorite memory is snorkeling with dad in the Bahamas!!! More pictures of local areas food, stores!! Love you guys 🥰
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Ha! Right-o. 😉 We used the tools we had to puzzle out that needle in a haystack, but it was a miracle we found the mask. When we were living in Roswell, I lost a favorite earring during a trek to the grocery store in the snow. We grabbed flashlights to retrace our way to the store in the waning light with little hope of finding it. I mean, come on. An earring? In the snow?? We looked as we walked and then searched the store, finally giving up and telling someone in customer service, on the off chance someone turned it in. She enthusiastically said we needed to ask the patron saint of lost things, St. Anthony, for help. Who? Not being Catholic, we were unfamiliar with this one. Right then and there, she kindly said a little prayer of sorts to invoke his help: “St. Anthony, please look around. Something’s lost and must be found.” Okay. Prayers are always appreciated. Time to walk back home. In the dark. In the snow. Without the earring. Sigh. But wait, as we exited the grocery store, there it was, laying right outside the threshold. Wow! So, yes, I even asked St. Anthony for help finding the mask off Meeks Patch. Never stop believing in miracles!
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