We're on the downhill slide - not much time left here!

Our time here is quickly winding down.  We only have a few weeks left before we will be heading back to Florida.  It's been a short cruising season for us this year since we didn't get over here til after the first of February and we haven't gotten to spend nearly as much time in the places we like and with the people we enjoy so well.  But.....we always find time to meet new people and we've met many new friends this season!  We always love to hear their stories of where they've been and where they're going, as well as what they've done on their boats to manage energy, water consumption, and other things we all must deal with in one form or other.

We haven't done much for the last few weeks, but then we really don't do much the entire time we're down here.  But, I think that's the whole point!  We've done a little snorkeling, swimming, beach walking and scavenging, although we're not finding much worth picking up this year.  I think Kathi on s/v 'Makani' beat us to all the treasures!!  Especially the sea glass! 

We see these Rays often, some are really huge and some are the spotted kind



A school of Blue Tangs - picture is courtesy of s/v 'Scarmouche'
Ours don't ever seem to turn out right.



Beach time!

We spent the better part of a week in Hopetown because of the weather.  I think we finally were there long enough to see what a lot of cruisers like about it.  We're not ready to spend the entire season in there, but we really did enjoy our stay.  Once a month (usually on full moon evening) they have a 'dinghy drift'.  We've heard of this and even been part of a small one, with maybe 3 or 4 dinghies, but nothing of this size.  It was the coolest thing!!!  There were about 30 - 35 dinghies rafted together and the Hopetown harbour is not that big, and there were boats on moorings all over the place.  The idea is you bring your drinks and a snack, appetizer, etc. to share, dinghies are tied together, you pass food around until the plate, bowl, whatever, is empty and float around the anchorage, trying not to hit boats at anchor or moored, while you move from one boat to the other meeting and talking to other cruisers. Believe it or not, we did not hit another boat!!!  Bob from s/v 'Scaramouche' was in the middle and choreographed the entire event perfectly.  He'd point to someone on the outside of the drift and tell them to start their engine and steer a particular direction.  Incredible!

Hopetown Dinghy Drift

The people at Hopetown are pretty trusting!

At the moment Jeff is in Florida working for the week. He flew out Sunday morning and will be back Friday. The boat is in Green Turtle now, so to get to the airport in Treasure Cay, (which is on a different island), he had to take the Ferry across the Sea of Abaco. It's quite a different way of life down here. Lots of people live on one island and work on another, so they get back and forth by way of passenger ferry. They drop you off on the dock at the other end and if you're a regular traveler you might have a vehicle on the other side, or like most, you either walk or take a cab to your destination. Ferry's are part of everyday life here. And as one line in a Barefoot Man song says, 'you don't have to be gay to ride a ferry'!!

The bag is packed and Chloe doesn't want to get left behind!

Green Turtle Ferry

Speaking of phrases and sayings, here are a few we've picked up:

• If you can't tie a knot, tie a lot!
• A rum front came through - (meaning you may have had too much to drink last night)
• We are going to have a Chamber of Commerce day!!

We've been asked if we meet anybody famous or notorious while we're cruising and we always say no, we don't go to the places they go.  A couple of evenings ago I (cindy) had the occasion to have drinks and dinner with a number of other couples from other boats that I'd not met before - they all knew each other though.  I think they took pity on me since I was by myself. Lots of talking and swapping stories and sometimes it's hard to keep up with all the conversations since there are always several in a group like this.  But...............low and behold one of the guys is probably as famous or perhaps it's notorious as we'll run into.  He was one of the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3.  What hoot he is!!  The first three movies were filmed in Grand Bahama and he got the part because most of the Hollywood people they brought with them got seasick and they needed more pirates and this guy happens to keep his boat at Grand Bahama.  It was interesting to listen to him talk about how they did certain scenes.  So, there is my encounter with 'famous' people!

It's the time of year when lots of the cruisers we've seen while here are heading back to the states, but we are also starting to see boats arrive that come over for spring and summer.  There is a crossing window back to Florida that opened yesterday and goes through Thursday (hopefully) and the chatter on the radio is endless.

A waterspout very near our anchorage several days ago at Manjack Cay
Picture courtesy of m/v 'Dual Dreams'

I am in a marina while Jeff is gone and it pretty much emptied out yesterday morning with everyone wanting to get back to Florida.  They have a pretty good deal here.  They call it Dock & Dine.  What that means is that you get credit in the restaurant & bar for the amount of your dockage every day, not including electric and water.  So if your dockage is $50 you have $50 to spend eating & drinking at their place.  Pretty sweet, if you watch what your spending.  The first night we went over by $30 and that's really what they count on.

til the next time........................