Excerpts and original pictures from Chapter 17 of Sailing Escape.
Ellie cleaned away the dinner dishes. Ross and Ewan studied the chart.
“I’d like to make Staniel Cay tomorrow.”
“Looks doable to me, Boss. There’s still lots of light. Mind if I take the dinghy to Leaf Cay?”
“What’s on Leaf Cay?”
“Iguanas. Thousands of ‘em.”
“I want to go.”
“Take Ellie and don’t stay after dark.”
Iguanas mob the beach upon arrival.
Iguanas rushed from the brush near the beach on Leaf Cay as soon as the dinghy pulled ashore. There were tons of them in all shapes and sizes. Years of tourist boats stopping to offer food and take pictures had made them insatiable. It was creepy. Ellie snapped photos, while Ross held his ground, faced down a giant specimen and tried not to run away in a panic.
Capt. Ross Ryan stares down a bold iguana on Leaf Cay, Exumas.
Looking back at this photo, I’m pretty sure that iguana was thinking, “Did I make you wet yourself Big Boy, or was that dinghy ride a rough one?”