John and Joe enjoying the day

Heather and John serving the enchilladas

Mexican Train dominos

the catamaran being patched

Tida Wave with its bow damage

the girlies with our tender driver

working on the puzzle

Dec 25 - Jan 6

Our friends Joe and Kathy, who used to cruise down here for years on their sailboat, came for a week of fun and laughter. 

The minute our friends arrived, they insisted we go to Staniel Cay Yacht Club for fish sandwiches! They absolutely love them and remembered them fondly. They were not disappointed. I have been trying to get Joe to be more of a vegetarian so I served him kale which he had never had and he loved the way I cooked it. One night, we were all having pasta with tomato sauce and veges and I put my plate of basil pesto and peas in front of his place. He looked at it and looked at everyone else’s plates and frowned. He had a green dinner and was not pleased. I switched the plates back and he was happy again but the joke got a good laugh.

On the 31st, John and Joe went in the tender to watch the Bahamian sailboat races off Staniel. It was windier than usual and during the race, one of the boats tipped over and sank! There were several injuries to the crew but luckily no broken bones. That night, we had a New Years Mexican dinner and Mexican train dominoes and Mexican music party with some of our friends. Everyone had a good time and we all were able to stay up till after midnight! That is quite a feat for old farts like us.

On the 1st, there is always a cruisers race and there was more excitement again. The other Bahamian sailboat was racing with the cruiser boats and T boned a large catamaran! It was no one’s fault but the catamaran had bad damage and after being patched up and pumped out, was towed to Florida by a local salvage boat. What a way to start the new year.

For the rest of their stay, Kathy and I worked on a 2000 piece puzzle which I was finally able to finish after she left. We swam, shelled, snorkeled, and visited the iguanas. One night, we even had dinner at Taste and Sea which was delicious. After they left, one of the local charter yachts set fireworks off on our beach and it was a spectacular show! We all had front row seats.

Bob and Penny- Santa and elf

Susan and Ray on No Agenda- our hosts

carver and hungry me

polishing

sunset in the Big Majors anchorage

raking seaweed

the supervisors

Mike the fire pit digger

Susan from Exodus- worker bee

lugging the seaweed to the burn pile

the mighty fisherman

dinner at Footprints

Kevork on Boo Boo Hill

really high tide in the cave by Big Majors, Exumas

Nov. 25-28 We stayed in Ft. Lauderdale and took our dinghy around the area and up the New River to have lunch and see a movie. One day, our friend Robin picked us up and took us to Boca Raton to have lunch at her house and she was a great help with getting some errands done as well. Our final day, Virginia and Richard, friends from Barrington, took us out to lunch too.

Nov. 29 Time to move down the few miles to Miami Beach and to the anchorage we enjoyed so much last year. After anchoring, we went into the Sunset Harbor marina and reconnected with our friends Mile and Laureen on Ariel. They rent a slip there for several months before going over to the Bahamas for the rest of the winter. 

Nov. 30-Dec. 5 We went to the movies twice, enjoyed several of the wonderful restaurants in the area with Ariel, and made almost daily trips to the supermarket trying to get all of the last minute provisions. Ariel also showed us where all of the useful stores were located. At night, we loved looking at the Miami skyline across Biscayne Bay. 

Dec. 6 Our friend and neighbor from Mystic, Kevork, arrived in the afternoon driven by Robin. We had cocktails on the top deck enjoying the views. Dinner was stirfry and decadent gingerbread. 

Dec. 7 Robin came back down to play and we had a rousing game of biriba before going out to lunch with our friends from Ariel. Back to the Mexican place we loved so much and it didn’t disappoint us! Afterwards, more errands. They are habit forming when you are about to leave civilization. Back on the boat for more cards and a pasta dinner. Robin drove home after the rush hour traffic.

Dec. 8-9 Today is finally the day! The weather gods were cooperating for a passage across the gulf stream and on to Nassau.There were 4 cruise ships in the Government Cut Channel so we had to use the secondary one. Kevork put a line off the stern to try to catch a mahi mahi and landed two bonitos! I made him throw them back because I really wanted a mahi. He had fun catching them anyway. The wind was basically on the nose but light and the seas were 2-3 ft. No problem for us. Around 5 am we converged with a small armada of sail and power boats all trying to go through a narrow pass in the reef on the eastern end of the Bahama bank called North West Channel light. Of course the tall pole that is supposed to mark the way wasn’t lit! By noon we were just about at Albany marina on the south western side of New Providence island. We came in and tied up and cleared customs. Kevork and I went for a late afternoon swim. For dinner, we went to the informal restaurant in the Albany complex. It is called Footprints and the floor of the central dining area is covered with a thin layer of sand! there is a wonderful pool with fake rock formations that form some grottos and a slide for the kids. Our dinners were delicious and it was fun to celebrate our arrival in the Bahamas.

Dec. 10 We were eager to get going to the Exumas so we took off efficiently. The wind and waves were not a problem so Kevork and I spent the morning cooking up our Moroccan dinner. We had quesadillas for lunch and Kevork even whipped up a blueberry pie for dessert! Once we were anchored at Shroud Cay, we went for a quick swim in the lusciously clear water. 

Dec. 11 Down the chain to Warderick Wells we went and anchored in the bay by Emerald Rock. After launching the dinghy, we motored in to the ranger station and climbed up to BooBoo Hill. On our way back to the boat, we stopped to snorkel on one of the little reefs near Emerald Rock. The wind was medium but not from a good direction for our next planned destination so we decided to go all the way to Staniel Cay. The anchorage was almost empty so we were able to get our favorite “parking place.”

The men took the picnic table into pirate beach and put it together while the “no-see-ums” bit their legs. Dinner was leftovers and cards were very competitive.

Dec. 12 A beautiful day and time to get into the water and clean the bottom of Windermere a bit before swimming to shore. I took Kevork to see the famous swimming pigs and there were 5 big ones this time.  John had invited some French Canadian friends for lunch al fresco. I made a rice salad with tuna and the wife made a great apple pie. Exodus arrived later with a captain on board helping them for the crossing. 

Dec.13 There was no wind so we decided to go around Staniel Cay on the ocean side to show Kevork the reefs out there and all the new houses. Afterwards, we all had lunch at the SCYC and i took him into thunderball grotto for a swim. He really liked that. 

Dec. 14 It was windy but we took Kevork north in the dinghy to show him some of the islands beyond where we were sitting. We finished the card tournament and John won this one. There will be a rematch!

Dec. 15 Kevork left early in the morning on the Flamingo flight and we used the rest of the day to clean up and do laundry. We did manage to stop for lunch at SCYC with Exodus and i had a quick kayak paddle with Susan from Exodus.

Nov. 25-28 We stayed in Ft. Lauderdale and took our dinghy around the area and up the New River to have lunch and see a movie. One day, our friend Robin picked us up and took us to Boca Raton to have lunch at her house and she was a great help with getting some errands done as well. Our final day, Virginia and Richard, friends from Barrington, took us out to lunch too.

Nov. 29 Time to move down the few miles to Miami Beach and to the anchorage we enjoyed so much last year. After anchoring, we went into the Sunset Harbor marina and reconnected with our friends Mile and Laureen on Ariel. They rent a slip there for several months before going over to the Bahamas for the rest of the winter. 

Nov. 30-Dec. 5 We went to the movies twice, enjoyed several of the wonderful restaurants in the area with Ariel, and made almost daily trips to the supermarket trying to get all of the last minute provisions. Ariel also showed us where all of the useful stores were located. At night, we loved looking at the Miami skyline across Biscayne Bay. 

Dec. 6 our friend and neighbor from Mystic, Kevork, arrived in the afternoon driven by Robin. We had cocktails on the top deck enjoying the views. Dinner was stirfry and decadent gingerbread. Tomorrow, we will leave after lunch and cross over to the Bahamas, Yeah!! finally off to paradise!