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At 9 AM we pick up the anchors and prepare the dock lines and get a slip in the marina. We end up 2 spaces E of where we were before and an hour later the boat that was in our spot left, we should have waited and got our old place back. The slips at this dock are full and there are 4 sailboats on the other dock. Some of the sailors did not know that the electricity can be metered and were paying the flat $5 per day rate. We stayed 6 days and only paid $.35 for electricity. At the office while we are checking in, the manager tells us that the storm yesterday hit the island and knocked out the phone system. It hit the antenna just outside of the office and she could see blue flashes in the electrical boxes. After a nap and lunch I feel much better. Then Jill does the laundry while I take a much needed shower.
Jill cooks the grouper we got yesterday for dinner and we collapse for the first good sleep I have had in several days. Even a storm passing over does not disturb us except to close the hatches.
Spring!! We came into the marina and although it was windy, it was also sunny all day. We enjoyed the showers and ate our grouper for supper. It was great! We've met a lot of our sociable boating neighbors. Several we saw last week. They are back here from Nassau and several new ones on their way back to the States. When I was washing earlier a guy named 'Clyde' was their washing and he says he is from Ft. Worth TX. He has lived on his boat for 10 years around Seabrook, TX *Houston) but never really sailed until he struck out across the Gulf! The fellow with him knows nothing about sailing and they are both about 70.
It rains occasionally during the morning and threatens rain at other times.
The phones are still out except for one of the Batelco phones near the office. I
buy a $10 phone card and call my folks, it costs $1 a minute! We have lunch in
the cockpit and play RummyCub on the cockpit table. Around 3 PM Robin from Golden
Echo organizes a happy hour and invites us to come to the Tiki hut at the end of
the dock at 5 PM. This used to be a bar run by the guy who now runs the Flat
Shack Bar at the airport. It is just a 15’ circular bar with thatch roof and
some old bar equipment inside. About 25-30 people showed up with drinks and
snacks. We drank and passed the snacks around and talked about boating and the
weather. We watched a neat sunset with the sun going behind the clouds and
lighting up a orange rainbow shaped cloud from behind. It was cold with a NW
wind which got stronger when the sun went down and quite chilly by the time the
party broke up at 7 PM.
One older couple Stella and Jim (here again) have their grand daughter about 15 - 16 with them. She has a ring in her eyebrow and one in her nose - side. She is sweet anyway. When we had happy hour at the dock Tiki bar she took a picture for me. About 20 - 25 of us brought snacks and drinks to share. Nice bunch. A youngish Canadian is here with his girlfriend - a pastry chef Diane - She showed me all of the tropical fish under the dock near their boat :).
Most of the sailboats departed before noon today. The weather was cloudy with light NW winds. Some went to Nassau and the rest headed back to Florida. One older wooden boat with a 2 man crew got into a little trouble. They were the second boat from shore on the N side of the dock, we were the second boat on the S side. There is not much room to back up before the next dock to the N and not much room to swing the stern E before running aground on the concrete rubble at the side of the harbor there. He backed out but could not get the bow pointed out far enough to go foreword without hitting the next boat so we yelled and he turned back into the slip but scrapped his dingy motor and man overboard gear on the pole getting back in. On the second attempt one of the other guys held his bow line from the next boat W of his slip and managed to pull his bow around enough to get out. A little excitement to get the heart started in the morning. I don’t plan to leave until there is nobody left to watch me. Jill spotted a large colorful yellow angelfish swimming beneath the powerboat next to us, De Berries which has quite a lot of growth on the bottom. After lunch we walked around for a while. Wind Dancer was gone from the pass on the N side of the island, the boat that broke its rudders and lost their dingy and had their outboard engine swamped in the bad weather a week ago. Several fishermen were anchored out there and another was anchored next to the power plant. We walked along the canal that was dug from the harbor to the S side of the island to flush out the harbor and then E along the edge of the coral rock and Australian pines. Lots of the plants had flowers, probably because of the recent rains. After the exercise we took showers and had happy hour. The weather was overcast all day but only a few drops fell in the late afternoon. In the afternoon more boats came in and we were feeling less lonely. Quite a few sport fishing boats are arriving for a fishing contest that starts Tuesday. There is a large 120’ cruiser anchored out and a 90’ cruiser arrived from Nassau. In addition 3 sailboats are anchored on the S side of the island. Plenty of company. The boat to our W, a Hunter 31 was unoccupied since we arrived. The owner came back in the afternoon, he flew in and was leaving for Nassau tomorrow.
Oh, Yes, we mailed letters and cards off the day we got into Chub Cay Marina. What a morning! One after the other of our docked neighbors left - for Nassau and Florida. We untied a line or held a boat stable here and there. One to leave with the group was Clyde from Texas. They were close to shore, the wind was strong - they had a boat at poles on either side. I can't describe how it went - but I would have laughed out loud as he crashed into the poles - almost hit both boats near him - Rich can explain it better in his log. ha ha. It was definitely touch and go! We took a nice long walk around the fishermen, look at a few grounded boat pieces :).Rich always loves that - then followed the marina drainage canal to the coral rocks and walked along the high rock woods - Every shrub along the water and all the grasses have blossomed. A few have sweet aroma. We showered. I met a 7 year old Canadian girl - so cute - speaks English and French. She ran me out of the shower so that she can shower :). Rich spoke with Rich who has "Fantasy" next to us. He left his boat for a week and just flew back. All watching the weather. Rich says by Tuesday we may leave... Time for Happy Hour with Cheetos! Ah, Rich invented "Chub Cay Punch". Tropical punch with Coconut rum 1:5 about :). Today I called Rich up to see a beautiful parrot fish about 8" long!
Our neighbor and several other boats were gone in the morning. After breakfast we walked to the office to check the airplane flights and the next one that the parents could send us something on is Thursday. We bought another phone card and called my parents. We found we could call the ATT operator and not be charged from the Batelco phone. We could also get a short weather report by dialing 915 for free but you do have to listen to a commercial first. After lunch we bought fuel and ice and filled the water tanks. Enough work for one day. Several sailboats entered in the afternoon and also several fishing boats and yachts. The place is filling up again. When we walked around today there were more mosquitoes than before, probably due to the rain. In the cockpit we also were assailed by no-see’ems.
We figured out how to call the parents collect with AT+T! :) Only the phone card ENTEL phone (!!) works. We walked along to the beach and out to the light point. There were several purple and white sea fans and some sticks with purple and white coral on them. Many tall (30 - 40 ft) pines that grew up on the soil on the old coral rocks pulled up coral rocks when wind toppled them (Andrew?). It's interesting to explore. The ocean is calm. We checked for cable wires at the store - none! Rich is listening to the wide band weather report. It rained a lot last night. The electricity went off for a while - twice. We were on battery :). I finished reading Red Tide Rising - Rich started it now. Very good. Next week starts a fishing tournament here. Lots of boats in and out now. Fishermen stay in motel rooms - Fancy setups. We told Rich's parents to hold our mail - It would take till Friday (maybe longer) to get it here and we hope to be gone. I will try to call my folks later.
A quiet day.
We walked around where the fishermen are - I needed to take a picture of one of those conch boats. Rich's folks are going to send the mail because we'll be here till the weekend. I called my Mom and Dad - just talked a couple of minutes. My Mon's knee is swollen. I'll send here my tx :). She and Daddy sounded fine. I also called Rusty + Trisha collect :). They are going to write to me. I can't call Nanc and Liz because they have L/D blocked.
We packed a lunch and at 11 we started out on a walk. We went E past Point
Nirvana and then took the next path to the beach. The path lead over a very high
dune and down to the beach. We had lunch there and walked further E to the inlet
we had visited previously on the bikes. Jill collected lots of nice shells. On
the way back we went by the airport and called my parents from the phone there.
The Flat Shack was closed so we could not get liquid refreshment there but we
made it home anyway, quite dusty and tired. After a nice rest in the cockpit we
took showers and felt much better.
Boy, did we have a long walk - + picnic down at the east beach. We walked all the way to that long road end! We saw about an 8" curly tail lizard and got a picture. I picked up a few bright pink shells. We then walked to the airport - called Rich's parents. They were out earlier playing Bridge. Taking lessons!? We walked the back sandy road back. My knees were weak as a noodle! Oh, I also found a big sand dollar and we took a picture of it by some coral rocks at the beach. We got back to the beach and collapsed. It's windy, about 80°F. After sniffing all those flowers I have a stuffy nose...
Somebody mentioned that there were a lot of boats anchored out so we walked to the beach by the anchorage and saw 16 boats sailboats anchored there along with 3 native fishing boats and the 150’ yacht that has been there for the last 3 or 4 days. I have never seen the anchorage that full. The wind is strong from the E and I guess everybody is waiting there for better weather. Jill got several conch for supper and I beat them again with the monkey wrench. It was a little easier the second time but we still need professional conch tools. Jill fried the conch with rice noodles, peas and soy sauce, yum, yum.
Big day - We got our mail from the parents - lots of great magazines - insurance paper - I washed - met "Sadelia" who works here. We met 2 doctors who sailed in yesterday. We bought 7 conch - cleaned for $4 :). Rich beat them with his wrench :) and we had a feast for super - Good with soy sauce! and Chinese rice noodles. During our peaceful, relaxing happy hour Rich suddenly realized that the stern line was loose and we were drifting toward the next boat - We jumped up - he held us by the opposite stern pole - I got the boat pole for him and then "lassoed" the rope over the opposite pole - We saved the day! I took a picture of Rich using his wrench on the conchs. I took Rose Mary's blood pressure (at the store). Then she called me back to do her husbands and a friend. The friends blood pressure was up. She reports that she doesn't always take her blood pressure medicine. I told her she should and also to see her MD ASAP.
We decided to open the package Keith Gulley gave us at the bon voyage party.
The tubular package showed a few marks as if something inside was leaking. We
put it in the cockpit and after lunch opened it over the bucket. We carefully
extracted all the makings for Goombay smash along with a pack of cards and a set
of dice and a bunch of candy. Everything was covered with plastic confetti and
grenadine which had leaked from a small plastic hip flash type bottle. I took
everything in the bucket to the wash room and cleaned the grenadine and confetti
off. We put the smash mixings on ice for tonight. After reading some of our new
magazines we went below to escape the sun and play a few games. First Jill won 2
games of Quarto, then a game of spite and malice and then beat me at RummyCub.
Just not my day. At happy hour we mixed up the Goombay Smash and some nuts and
chex mix and took it to the old bar at the head of the pier. About 15 people
showed up and we drank and talked till 7:30.
We read and enjoyed Happy Hour with our neighbors - I washed a few cloths. Continued reading books from parents and traded the Jeff MacDonald story for another novel. Windy still. Temp up.
Our neighbors on a Westsail, Chester and Sylvia had to leave there boat here and return to the States. They invited us to dinner to consume their perishable foods. They have had the boat for many years and have fixed it up nicely.
We bought grouper and lobster from the fishermen today ($15 for both). Sylvia (speech therapist) and Chester (Psychiatrist from N.J.) invited us to their sailboat for supper - Pork tenderloin and red potatoes and cookies for desert :). It was nice. They have a great bar arrangement with some unbreakable plastic "lab" bottles for liquor. Yesterday we opened our "Surprise Package" from Keith Gulley and Reggie. It was the makings for Goombay Smash and some candy - even a whole bottle of coconut rum! Oh Yes, lots of confetti :). We will send them a thank you via Jim Lafferty.
We took a short walk to the beach and back. It was very hot and we were glad to get back and take showers.
Sylvia and Chester left today and gave us their condiments :). We took a long walk to the beach before lunch - then played RummyCub - Yesterday I won every game :) - today nada!
We cooked our lobster for supper - it was a huge tail - about 8" long and real fat - It was more meat than the 5 we had before :). We relaxed - planning to leave tomorrow :).
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