A Plethora of Opportunity

My conch shell acquisition mission to the Bahamas was a success - I have twenty-something blank canvases waiting to become mermaid shell lights. Each shell takes about 8 hours from start to finish, so they will keep me busy for a while. I can't wait to see how each develops into a unique mermaid. I am only responsible for starting the process. Before painting, each shell is cleaned, dremmelled, grindered and then chiseled (to make room for the light). When the shell is ready to paint, I stare at it for a while - then I start to see a mermaid. She tells me where to put the paint and before you know it, there she is. Magic!

Double Taking

Hmmmm, does anyone else see a similarity here?
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Yellow and Red drinks by day; Red and Yellow drinks by night. ****************************
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Will the real barracuda please step forward?

Funky Chicken

If chickens are not the Bahamian State bird, they should be! This is especially true in Green Turtle and the Islands north/west thereof. One afternoon as we were seated at a picnic table enjoying a just-made conch burger in New Plymouth, we watched a chicken cross the road right in front of us. My daughter commented “Well I guess the reason really is ‘to get to the other side.’”




Every morning while anchored out in this area I was heralded from my slumber by the crow of a distant “cock-a-doodle-dooooo!” the phonetic interpretation of which is “errrrrrr er errrrrr er-errrrrrrrrrrr!”



It appears that the locals are very protective of their foul. I think there are more beware / caution of chicken signs posted on the streets then there are signs for pedestrians.



If you need further proof of the popularity of the chicken in the Bahamas, then you must go to the Green Turtle Club on a Wednesday night at about 9:00 pm. The Gulley Roosters will be playing outside under the oak tree that night. There you will find all the locals and tourists, young and old, outside on the deck shaking like Southern Baptist converts.



If you go, and you really should, just make sure you put out a stern anchor on your dingy or, when the tide comes in, your ride will be hopelessly trapped under the dock. If that happens, you will have no choice but to find a bench to rest on until the tide goes back out – which coincidentally, is just about the time that the roosters start their morning concert.

A Few of My Favorite Things

10. Playing 'tag' with the frothy edge of the ocean.

9. The smell of a baby’s head.

8. Dancing like nobody is watching.

7. A warm, drenching rain on a hot summer day.

6. Skimming along on a beam reach with my rail dipping to the water.



5. Finding $20 bill in a pocket of freshly laundered jeans.

4. Crystal blue water so clear that it is without perceptible depth.

3. Looking at a digital clock just when it reads 5:55.

2. An enormously large harvest moon, so full it just looms on the horizon.

1. And most of all, being in the arms of the one who loves me.

Snappas!

Here's the first installment of the Bahamas 2010 trip report. Nope, I'm not starting it at the beginning - that is still too painful for me to re-live. Not quite ready to relay the story of the big boat breakdown/tow and dingy sinking. Sooo, instead I will start this off on a happier note - Snappa's in Marsh Harbor.



We got a slip in Conch Inn and Marina in Marsh Harbor. The marina is very nice and the marina guests are allowed to use the marina/hotel facilities including showers, restrooms and pool. Amber and Michael arrived shortly after we docked. The kids set off to explore the surrounding area and reported back to me that a bar next to the marina was to have live music that evening. Accordingly, the whole gang headed on over to Snappa's. Park tried out her new look sans glasses - some wacky guy who must have been 30 years old hit on her, sang to her and told her she was "sexy." Consequently, she is now never allowed out in public without her glasses.



I beleive that this was the night that Micheal and Brandon first discovered the Bahamas version of the Rum Runner, which must be made with about 99% alchohol, red food coloring and a spritz of lime juice. After just a few sips, Sarah was able to convince Brandon to dance. The band played oldies and we all had fun shaking our booties.



On the day that Brandon and Sarah flew out of Marsh Harbor, we again visited Snappa's. On that night there was a regatta party so again, it was packed. The music that night had more of an island flavor. It was a bit harder to dance to, but I didn't let that stop me.



On both visits we had a great time at Snappa's. I will definately make Marsh Harbor - Conch Inn Marina a stop on future visits.

Looking for the Big Picture

On my way to work this morning, I rescued a turtle. He was trying to cross a four lane road during the height of the morning rush hour. I noticed the cars in front of me were swerving around to avoid hitting him. I stopped my car, put on my hazards, and amidst the honking of angry drivers, picked up Mr. Turtle and ran him across the road to the banks of the nearby retention pond. To show his gratitude at being "rescued" he peed on me. I guess he did not perceive that he was being rescued. Perhaps, in his micro view of things, it just seemed like some big monster had rudely yanked him up off the ground as he was peacefully going about his morning stroll and then had the audacity to drop him off at some foreign location.

Later in the day I went out to the park across from my office to eat my lunch. As I was munching on my chips, I noticed that an ant had found its way into the Frito bag. As I squished him between the layers of foil wrapper I thought "poor guy, just prior to his untimely demise he was probably thinking how lucky he was to have made such a big score." Another case of failing to see the big picture.

Despite how much I fight it, life is a persistent teacher. How often, I wondered, have I been guilty of forming a perception without seeing the whole picture? How often have I formed a conclusion while looking through blinders? With any luck, I will be reminded of the turtle and the ant next time I am tempted to judge.

Just a Quickie

A quick update on our adventure: we have spent the last few days exploring the Islands south of the whale. Yesterday we left Hope Town and came back to Marsh Harbor so that Brandon and Sarah could make their exit. I received an email from them last night that they had arrived home safely. The email said they were in bed - and bed was a good thing. I replied that beds are for wimps. For much of our trip they slept in the cockpit b/c their cabin, nicknamed the cigar tube, was too hot. Sleeping is over-rated. This afternoon we are headed to Green Turtle and hope to do some dancing under the oak tree to the tunes of the Gulley Roosters tonight. After that, we'll anchor over at one of the outislands - probably Manjack - then it's homeward bound.

Bahamas!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....Oh yea, I know that one has already been used but it sure would be a fitting way to tell the story of the trip so far. I am sitting here in Marsh Harbor with a fairly crappy internet connection so I won't tell the whole story yet. The pocket version goes like this: we left one morning, got towed back 25 miles that day with engine issues, got them fixed and left the next morning with a new crew member (who saved the day more then once). Crossing was beautiful. Cleared in Spanish, anchored in New plymouth Green Turtle. Dingy sunk with motor on it - got it revived, went to Marsh Harbor, Amber and Michael arrived, new crew member left and here we are - ready for the next adventure.

Details and photos to follow.

Cheers from Bahamas