Publish Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Location: Emerald Rock, near Warderick Cay, Exumas, Bahamas
Coordinates: 24° 10.962′ N 76° 37.488′ W
How many names do you know for the color blue: azure, aqua, cerulean, cobalt, indigo, navy, royal, sapphire, sky, teal, turquoise? I have no doubt that each one of these colors has its home here in the waters of the Bahamas. Each day, when the sun is shining, I feel a catch in my breath when I look at these waters. Not only are
they awe-inspiring in their color, but also in their ability to tell a story. Learning to read the waters here has been one of my greatest joys, and I know I still have much to learn. They tell a story of shallow flats and unending depths; coral reefs teaming with life, and wide open expanses. The colors act as our guides when navigating; helping us through narrow cuts, often leading us 
far closer to shore than we’d think safe, and warning us of unexpected reefs in otherwise wide open deeper areas.
However, these colors only come to life when the sun comes out to play with them. Without the sun these waters become a uniform
Gray and hiding her secrets.
gray hiding their secrets, and leaving me anxious as to their hidden tales. Many charts in this area, use the abbreviation VPR, meaning Visual Pilot Rules (aka do not attempt without good light for assistance). I do not profess to truly comprehend the deepest meaning of yin and yang, but it seems to me this fluid balance is played out daily on these waters with the sun.
Our friends boat Nina under sail leaving Georgetown.
When the sun is shining, the colors are simultaneously soothing to my eyes and exciting for my soul. The experience is often the same on nights with a full moon, where you feel suspended in liquid air. If you love blue, you owe it to
yourself to come visit these incredible waters.
Even the tiniest bit of light brings the water alive.
Dilly loves looking at the water too.
Clear water lets you know what you are jumping into.
Water color helps you find prime anchorages.