December 27
On the Wednesday after Christmas, we sail 42 miles to Spanish
Cay to officially check into the Bahamas. We enjoy great sailing
conditions crossing the Little Bahama Bank to the Sea of Abaco.
A pod of dolphin surf on our bow wake for about 10 minutes.
It's always a thrill to interact with dolphin, but here in
the Bahamas, unlike back home, you can actually see them under
the water. Nick gets some great video footage.
Spanish Cay is a small island with a nice resort and marina.
As we walk through the ship's store, I see why our boat's
waterline is so low with heavy provisions. A can of soup is
$2; a $5 bottle of wine is $20; a 4-pack of toilet paper is
over $4; a bottle of vinegar is $7. I hope I packed enough
toilet paper!
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Taking down the yellow Quarantine flag and
raising the Bahamas courtesy flag
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December 28-31
On Thursday, we sail 15 miles south in the Sea of Abaco to
Green Turtle Cay. Once again, we have a lovely sail. We enter
White Sound on the high tide and anchor with our buddy boats
in the small harbor. We're thrilled to find FREE wi-fi in
the anchorage, allowing us to get e-mail and call our parents
on Skype.
On Friday, six of us rent a golf cart and drive to the main
town of New Providence. At one point as we ascend a hill,
the gas-powered cart comes to a groaning halt. All of us but
the driver bail out so the cart can make it up the hill. The
town is clean and quaint, with several well-stocked grocery
stores and hardware stores. For lunch, we have tender conch
fritters and a fish sandwich at the Wrecking Tree.
Nick spends most of Saturday under the boat cleaning the
hull. While in Lake Worth, the boat grew a heavy green fringe
along the water line and a thick slime on the bottom. We either
had to clean it off or start harvesting it. Thank you Pegasus
for loaning us the air compressor.
The two resorts on White Sound are charging $90+ a head for
their New Year's Eve parties. Vacationers may be willing to
shell out that kind of cash, but not cruisers. As an economical
alternative, the boaters hold an informal potluck on shore.
After taking one look at the food table, I understand what
Eileen Quinn means in the song "Piranha Potluck."
The potluck ends early (cruisers usually go to bed with the
chickens). At the nearby resort, the moneyed crowd are jamming
to a heavy island beat: "Shake it up, shake it up! Jelly
belly, jelly belly!" Sounds like fun. We play a DVD movie
and I take a nap.
At midnight, fireworks announce the arrival of 2007 and we
toast with a bottle of champagne. From the resort, "It's
a Wonderful World" plays over the loudspeaker. Yes it
is.
The Memorial Sculpture Garden. The statue
and busts honor the American loyalists who came to the Bahamas
after the American Revolution. These early settlers had supported
the British during the revolution and were ostracized in the
newly formed United States.
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Caribbean Soul under sail to Green
Turtle Cay (picture by Pegasus)
How many cruisers can you fit in a golf cart?
The town is suddenly buzzing when the island freighter arrives
with groceries, booze, and other supplies.
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