STANIEL CAY - THUNDERBALL CAVE

The next morning after breakfasting on freshly baked cranberry scones, we launched our dinghy and headed off to Thunderball Island to snorkel into its famous cavern. In 1964, a Hollywood film crew arrived here along with Sean Connery to tape scenes for the James Bond movie “Thunderball” and we thought it would be fun to see this place. We arrived just after low tide when the caves opening was still visible. And although the water had begun rising again, it was possible to snorkel into the cavern without having to dive underwater. So we decided to give it a try.

After tying the dinghy to a mooring ball Vince went over the side, wanting to check it out first before letting me go too. As he approached the caves entrance, he was surrounded by hundreds of colourful fish used to being fed by snorkellers here. The oceans floor inside the entrance was lined with a variety of lovely young corals but Vince had to be careful as he made his way into the cavern in order to avoid being stung by the fire coral lining its walls. Once inside he found himself floating in a small pool of water enclosed within a spacious cavern. Shafts of light shone through large holes in the rocky “ceiling” high above, bathing the water below with bright beams of turquoise. And it was fun to imagine camera crews and movie stars crowding this space to shoot scenes in the very place he was swimming in now.

While Vince was gone, I seriously considered donning my own snorkeling gear and joining him inside the cave but at the last minute changed my mind. When he returned and realized how difficult it was to pull himself out of the water and back into the dinghy he questioned whether I’d actually be able to do it. I couldn’t imagine how it could be a problem and said I would try it when we returned to the safety of Fortnight’s swim ladder. But when I did, I realized Vince was right and, after several failed efforts, was finally forced to abandon the attempt. Lacking Vince’s upper body strength, what looked like a simple manoeuvre was a physical impossibility for me and I shudder to think what would’ve happened had I followed my impulse to join him in Thunderball Cavern. We were several miles from Fortnight at the time with no sandy beaches in sight. The local landforms were composed of sharp jagged walls of rocks and the current was strengthening. Unable to get back into the dinghy, what would we have done? I could just imagine Vince trying to “tow” me back! Talk about shark bait!! Once again, you can’t be too careful out here and you have to double-think everything you do. After that near disaster, Vince spent the rest of the morning constructing a simple ladder of rope and dowelling that can be thrown over the side of the dinghy should the need ever arise. We have yet to actually try out this apparatus, but are confident it should work.

Later Salty Goose invited us to join them for lunch at the marina restaurant. And afterwards we found comfortable chairs on the porch where we spent the better part of the afternoon reading, writing and watching the world pass by. Just as we were packing up to leave, two familiar red-heads began walking up the dock towards us. It was Bill and Suz from “Highlander” who we hadn’t seen in almost a month! There were hugs and kisses all round and we had a good chat. Unfortunately, engine trouble is forcing them to return to the states so we won’t see them again this trip and will have to pass on the lobster fishing. But they’ve promised to drop in to Weekswood on their way to Temagami this summer so hopefully we’ll be able to spend some time with them again then. We headed back to the boat, prepared dinner, and enjoyed a spectacular sunset as we sipped drinks out on the deck—another perfect ending to another perfect day.