Mindy & Carl's Visit

They hated to leave, but the real world was calling them back.  We had a great time and got them to places they didn't get to see last trip.  A week seems like a long time, but it passes by pretty fast!

Mindy & Carl flew in early Saturday morning of the Barefoot Man Weekend.  We took a long walk on the 'world famous' Treasure Cay beach, got them a frozen 'beverage' and then hotfooted it over to Guana Cay to see if we could shoehorn our way into the anchorage.  It wasn't soooo bad................ a number of boats left before we got there.  I guess they'd had enough barefootin'.  There were only about 35 - 40 boats left in the anchorage.  We had a date with 'The Barefoot Man' at 6:30 for dinner, drinkin' & dancin' (@ Nipper's) - which we did plenty of!!! 

Dancin' to Sea -n- B band



Nipper's

 A couple of posts ago I told you about the walk to Nipper's.  We walk everywhere we go down here, at least once we take a ride in the dinghy to shore, which can be quite a ways sometimes............. so we don't think too much about how far things are, within reason.  We walk to the grocery store and lug our groceries back the same way.  It's just part of the cruising life.  So, Mindy & Carl get out of the dinghy at Guana and we start the trip to Nipper's from there.  We got about half way to Nipper's and we started hearing commentary like 'how much farther is it??', 'are we almost there??'.  We did make it and we didn't have to drag them, at least not too far.  But, they were parched when we got there!!!  Had a great meal, and the concert was great!  The Saturday night concert is not a free one like Friday's concert, so not near as many people.  I think Mindy & Carl felt it was worth the trip to see this.  Went back in again on Sunday to do an afternoon of Grabber's and Nipper's.  Brown Tip was at Grabber's doing Rake & Scrape and The Sea n B band was at Nipper's.

Another gathering w/ friends from s/v 'Gail Force' and s/v 'Sojourner'

Let's see...................where did we go next?  Hopetown, Tahiti Beach, Lubbers Quarters and Man o War.

@ Hopetown

Relaxing & rehydrating @ Abaco Inn after a long walk on the beach

Man O War path

Carl got in quite a bit of fishing while he was here, but the only thing big enough to keep was a Cero Mackerel, which we had for dinner along with the Mahi Mahi that I caught on the way across the gulf stream and had been saving in the freezer.  The fish was excellent!!!!  I want more!  Carl caught numerous barracudas, but we weren't feeling that daring, even though they were small.

Carl's Cero Mackerel - we got two good sized filets from it!

We did some beach walking, although didn't find many shells or very much sea glass.  Mindy decided she could relax quite well in the hammock we have on the front of the boat.

Curly Tail Lizard -- they are everywhere!!!!!

Does she look relaxed?

And then it was time to go into the dreaded Marsh Harbour to meet their taxi to the airport.

Last night in the Abacos @ Curly Tails, appropriately named for the curly tail lizards that are everywhere!

Just after sunset in Marsh Harbour

And the Wind, She did blow, and blow and blow!!

We had about a week of high winds. Took refuge in Marsh Harbour. We actually got there before the winds piped up and got a good spot. For the second time this season, another boat came in late and anchored too close. Needless to say, it was not pleasant dealing with the other boat owner ---- he knew it all and wouldn't listen until almost too late. Justice was done however; he later ran aground and thinking it was low tide when in fact was high tide, did not take appropriate action. Angels watch over these folks; a power boat came to his rescue.

After the blow we eased over to Man-O-War Cay and hooked up with Mike and Harriet of m/v Dual Dreams. We first met Mike and Harriet four years ago on our first cruise to the Abacos. In the summer of 2010, Dual Dreams visited  Chattanooga by water -- we met them on the waterfront downtown and also at  Island Cove Marina. Unfortunately, Island Cove Marina was damaged by the same storm that recently drove the high winds here in the Bahamas. We walked the Atlantic beach on Man-o-War with Mike, Harriet, and their new puppy Bama Belle -- later had lunch with them at Dock and Dine Restuarant on the Man-O-War harbour.     

Mike, Harriet & Bama Belle of
m/v Dual Dreams

At Marsh Harbour and then at Man-O-War, we met Tom and Jan on m/v Laughter. We rafted the dinghys up at low tide and enjoyed the afternoon.

After several days at Man O War Cay and having had quite a nice time there, we moved on to Elbow Cay where we met up with Rick & Linda on s/v 'Sojourner', Lynn & Beth on s/v 'Coyote', Bob & Lorraine on s/v 'Scarmouche', Jerry on s/v 'Free Spirit' and Alan & Geri of s/v 'Civil Twilight'.  Although Civil Twilight only cruises every other year (because they take their boat back to Maine and God knows it's a long way up there), they were aboard 'Free Spirit as guests.  Had a great time with everyone.

This weekend is Barefoot Man weekend on Guana Cay.  Today was the first concert, which we opted out on.  Barefoot Man is the Bahamian version of Jimmy Buffett.  Wild time to be had by all!!  Nipper's Bar hosts this weekend event.  We are picking up my sister Mindy and Jeff's brother Carl, early tomorrow morning in Treasure Cay and will head over to Guana for the evening concert, along with Rake & Scrape, by Brown Tip & the Boys @ Grabber's.  Then we will do what's know as 'The Abaco Shuffle', where you move practically everyday to a new location, so you can show off the Abacos to your guests and make sure they see as much as they can.  That is provided the weather and wind cooperates, which is always iffy.

The view from the front of our boat @ Man O War Cay -
That little piece of land is the only thing between us and the great
Atlantic Ocean - at high tide we can se the spray from the
waves breaking over it!

Ok - you are up to date now.  No complaining.