We had a great day on Tuesday to head out to our next port, but not without a stop at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, and saying farewell to the pigs.
We sailed close hauled 12 miles to Black Point, a charming little settlement on Great Guana Cay. We found everything we needed in this quiet little village - the best laundromat we've seen since leaving Connecticut (Maggie reverted back to the electric washing machines!), restaurants with homemade bread, 3 bars, 2 grocery stores (one even smaller than the Pink Store), and a tourist attraction. Since both grocery stores were closed, we were told to ask the lady at the Post Office to unlock one, or knock at the house next door for it to be opened. We find everything to be relaxed here and people happy to help.
We toured the Garden of Eden, filled with wood sculptures retrieved in the woods by Willie Rolle, a legend here. Willie has a great imagination and can see natural sculptures in the woods that mimic animals and humans, Willie guided us through the garden, and explained the hundred or more varieties of plants he grows, including tomatoes, banana, papaya, (good of indigestion he tells us), almonds and so many more. Considering there is no soil and everything is bare rock, it is remarkable to see how even the smallest hole in the rock can support living trees and fruits. Willie has a true green thumb!
Lorraine's Cafe is the place to gather, both for the company of other boaters, and the legendary coconut bread made by her mother. Lorraine is quite an entrepreneur and runs multiple businesses on the island.
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Bob donated his Linksys router to Lorraine, hoping to provide wi-fi internet connection for cruisers. She has dialup service and a desktop, but did not have the ethernet card necessary. Look for it, if you cruise to Black Point.
Here you'll recognize a familiar sight, though not usually along side the street stringing electric wires!
We have been trying to communicate with Anne & John on Seahorse via SSB for two weeks, finally Wednesday morning we made contact. It was great talking to them in the Grenadines, they seem to be doing very well and enjoying the islands. We will try to raise them weekly if propagation cooperates.
We dinghied around the point and snorkeled some of the coral heads along the coast. On the way back to the boat we stopped and swam on our own private beach.
Back in town we watched the Black Point School (enrollment about 40 students) marching band of about 20 practicing for the big 5F's Festival coming up in Little Farmer's Cay. After watching their hard work at practice, we decided to be at Little Farmer's for the big event.
With the weather shifting, we moved to Little Bay, around the corner, for better protection. It was a beautiful beach with soft white sand. The cruisers (8 boats anchored around us) radioed for happy hour on the beach which of course we attended.
Then, with the weather shifting again, we moved back to Black Point, before leaving on Tuesday for Little Farmer's Cay.
While hanging out at Lorraine's we met a number of French Canadian cruisers. Ever since we have been hanging out with two of them, Denis and Marie on Honah Lee II . They have been with us from Black point to George Town. Both Bob and Denis commented on their similar physiques and determined they would have a lot in common. We do!
Arriving a few days before the Festival, we had time to enjoy the island and just hang out and watch Maggie's birthday-present plant grow (thank you, Chelsey); we had Happy Hour at Ocean Cabin and then at Little Farmer's Cay Yacht Club. We went on a tour of a cave deep in the woods; our guide Don was gracious in offering us a sip of his quart of rum which he had started only an hour or two before and was almost gone (fortunately he got another quart of rum when he got back).
Then is was time to prepare for the big
festival. We volunteered for Ocean Cabin owner and festival
organizer, Terry Bain; it felt like old times for Maggie, sitting at a
long table with others, taking notes at a business meeting. One thing that
was different, though, was the free 5 gallon container of rum punch that
was available to the volunteers.
Bob offered to judge the wet t-shirt contest, and got busy recruiting women.
Maggie and Marie took dancing lessons from a local woman.
Maggie was tasked with taking bets for the hermit crab races and chicken run. With her family history, being the bookie came naturally! She is thinking about going back into the business when she returns!
The festival was great - we had fresh conch salad made by a local fisherman (all natural, using salt water and fresh conch), saw the Black Point School marching band in action (complete with cheering mothers), danced, ate and drank. Exhausted after the full day, we went back to the boat for our 9:00p bedtime, and listened to the party going on till about 3:30a.
With yet another front predicted, we decided to leave Saturday to head to George Town. Although Bob was disappointed that he wouldn't judge the wet t-shirt contest (and Maggie was relieved she wouldn't have to participate!), we knew our anchorage was not good for the 20 kt NW winds.
Going through the Farmer's Cay Cut at slack tide, we made our 40-mile beat (yes, another beat) to George Town outside in Exuma Sound. We left with 4 other boats, including our buddies, Denis and Marie.
We are now sitting at anchor just south of volleyball beach in George Town, getting accustomed to all the events happening daily. This is more like a camp or Club Med than the true Bahamas, but fun and nice to catch up with other cruisers we've met along the way. We will be here until Feb 17 at which time Pat & Larry come to visit for a week.
Well its time to sign off and go over to town to WI-FI heaven.