The area we chose to anchor when we arrived was chosen only because it was the closest point to anchor and also safe to enter in the dark. After exploring the old settlement there was really nothing else to see, so we moved the boat up to a little spot in between the islands known as french wells. We anchored the boat in 3′ of water off to the side of a deep inlet.
After studying the charts and maps for the area we saw there was an old well on one of the little islands, so we set out to find it.
The islands here were untouched and spectacular.
So the most interesting thing that happened to us here is that we got like… 65% kidnapped. We decide with the other boaters to take the dingies up the little mangrove river because there’s a settlement at the end of it and after exploring around we stop by this tiny dock that presumably is for a small bonefishing lodge. We get out and a car pulls up. The guy is just showing some people around and leaves so we start walking up the road towards town. There’s absolutely nothing here it’s just a paved road and scrub trees when suddenly a white suv pulls up, the guy says that he’s the first guy’s nephew and that he was sent to give us a ride into town because it’s a lot further than it looks. Ok cool, so we all get into this car which is…. a giant pile of shit. Jason ripped the door handle off trying to open the door, one seat is permanently reclined, one seat is mounted on a chunk of 2×4, and we’re really not sure how it’s even still running. The guy, whose name we know is Buddy (named after his grandfather we later learn) uses the entire surface of the road while he veers around potholes and gestures wildly as he tells us all about the island and every building we pass (there are only a few). The area was kind of interesting because instead of one major population center where everyone lives, there are multiple tiny settlements with a few homes and maybe a bar located just far enough away from each other that you’d have to drive or bike between them. Presumably the island used to have a lot more people living on it. He took us to the airport to show us the plane. The plane only comes a few times a week and it was already gone… bummer. We also had a drink at the little bar Buddy dropped us off at. He comes back to pick us up and take us back to our boats but goes the opposite direction so Jason asked him where we were going and he responds with “there are good people and bad people in the world and you’re just going to have to trust that I’m a good person.” Ok great, so we’re all sitting in this dilapidated hoopty wondering if we’re all about to be murdered or not. Eventually we arrive at a nice little overlook of a bay and the ocean that Buddy wanted to show us. (We literally live on boats…. on the water…) Conversation at this point gets a little awkward but we did make it back to the dinghies delighfully un-murdered.
