Windjammer - Movie

Reporters watching the action.

One of kids dumped his boat. I'm sure I couldn't do this.

A family rated movie was filmed in Nassau a short time ago and they decided, as a fundraiser for the sailing club here, that they would have a Preview. Not too often you get to view a movie sitting behind one of the stars and then go out on the water with them the next day at the sailing club for a fundraiser BBQ. Movie is about a 14 year old girl and her dad who moved to the Bahamas where she didn't fit in. Her Dad is white, her mother was black. They joined the yacht club where she learns to sail, and the villain tries to get them thrown out. Lots of Bahamian humour throughout. Justice the star of the show actually did learn to sail when she moved to the Bahamas when she was 10,

Kayak Adventure

We borrowed Ken and Johanne's kayaks and set off from Gold Rock Creek to the National Park. This time we managed the entire trip (last time with Richard we didn't quite make it). Weather was perfect and Gerry timed the tide just right so there was no paddling against the current. Made it the park and had time for a snack and some silliness before heading back down the creek.

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An ever-so-graceful exit. Truthfully, we were waiting
for her to fall in.

Horrors - the beach is not ours alone, damn tourists!

Look closely, Ellen is laughing and Rudy is in
the water (again).

3 of us braved the ocean.
 Looks like Rudy lost his boat. And he did,  a short time later.

Tourists Catch Crabs in the Bahamas

Rudy & Ellen endured a time share presentation to get the use of some scooters for 2 days but they generously gave us one and off we went to Fishing Hole Road and Miriam's Seafood shack. Service is typically slow and we settled in for a long wait. Seems Miriam was short handed AND her grill didn't work so the guy in the neighbouring shack (which we thought was deserted) would do the cooking for her. Our red snapper disappeared over to his shack for cleaning and cooking and didn't seem it would ever come back.

Miriam's

Next door - looks a lot worse
in real life.

Miriam was running back and forth - getting beer out of her van to put in the cooler for us (it's a serve yourself honour system for drinks) and grumbling about no one to help her, Uncle John (coming soon with lobster), and coming over to our table apologizing for the long wait, and then announced there's crabs in the back and that's where she'll be. I followed her back there and she's tossing 2 lines (baited with conch) into the water. There be crabs in there alright - blue ones. They grab hold of the bait and since they're greedy (or hungry, or both) they will not let go. Sometimes there are 2 of them fighting over it. If you slowly draw the line in someone can net them when they get close enough. Ellen and I had it down pat after only a few minutes and we were easily pulling them in. The boys then had a go at it too. We caught maybe 6 and Miriam said we could take them home (we declined).

Now that's a mean looking fish.

blue crab

When we were here with Les and Chris we had a mixture of things cooked in foil (pronounced ferl) and it was quite reasonably priced. This time we didn't get off so lucky. Just like Outriggers the menu reads Fish $8 and up. Of course the "and up" is in tiny tiny faint print. Our fish was on the large size and cost $10. What we weren't told is that there is a "cooking" fee today ($5 each), Ellen & Rudy got a conch salad as well, so, 3 beers, 2 sodas, 4 raw conch to go (for tomorrow) and the total came to $86!!!! She threw in a large jar of guava jam and another apology for the delay. I guess when you count the crabbing, the ambiance it was worth it. I especially thought so - it was one of those rare occasions where they actually listened to me and the fish was cooked to my liking (absolutely no spices).

Fish Fry Wednesday at the Outrigger

One has to go to the local fish fry at least once when they're here. Getting your dinner is usually a long wait. You stand in line on one side and then you have to walk all the way around to the other side where they fill your plate and tell you your $8 fish is now considerably more. They claim it's because it's so big, but I often wonder if it has anything to do with being a tourist.

Gerry is in the middle of this trying to
buy conch fritters, which is in the
middle of the other 2 lines.

The Outrigger was open the next night as well for the Grand Bahama Defence Force Marching Band. They installed 3 huge lights on the lamp posts and a small crowd watched them marching 300 feet in one direction, turning, and marching back. Was on a slight grade and we noticed they marched quicker down hill. They were actually quite good, thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of work for such a short event (special lighting, special busses), don't know why they did it here, or why they did it at all.

Work

There's no such thing as a free ride so we like to put our guests to work.

Putting holes (so we don't sink?) in the dinghy.

Getting her ready to sail.

Gary, Gerry, Rudy relocating the
water tap so we don't have to lay on the
gangway to reach it.

Ellen placing sea life on the net
we found on the beach.

The glamorous side of boating - hey,
shouldn't someone else be doing this?

Working on the MacGregor's rudder,
Ellen supervising.

Sailing to the Sand Bar

No, not a sand bar in the water - Sand Bar restaurant, easily reached by boat. We left the big boats behind and took off on the MacGregor.

Removing the rudder so it doesn't
get damaged.

hmmm, think maybe we parked
a wee bit too close to shore?

Small island, look who was at the Sand Bar
- Gary and Bill

Resetting the anchor

Reef fish

Fan coral

Going home.

January 25 - The beach

Next day was sunny, but still a might chilly and sooooo windy. Not to be deterred we were off to our favourite beach, down the old Freeport Road.

Brief stop in the swamp

Valet Parking

Got to get one of these of my own.

Mother Nature at work - we have never
 seen this rock uncovered.

We call it Truck Beach - this truck has
seen better days.

road

January 24, 2011 - Rudy & Ellen

Rudy and Ellen arrived for a 3 week visit and the very next day we show them a derelict building (looking for a piece of pipe for horseshoes). Great start to a vacation n'est pas? Actually we were on our way to Banana Bay for lunch - too bad the sign is just a joke. On our way back we dropped into the Awarak hotel. Weather was chilly but OK in the sun. Hope it gets better.

Lunch at Banana Bay

Arawak Hotel

Hotel California

There is a very long list of people who came to Grand Bahama for just a visit and have never really left, coming back time after time.  Leslie and Mitch ( front right and front left) may soon join their ranks. They've recently retired and live on their boat Absolutely (a power boat but we've forgiven them for that). They dropped anchor in our bay and one day Chris decided that they needed to be invited ashore. It is indeed a small world - they both grew up in Stratford! They motored all the way down here, intending to cruise through the Abacos before returning north. Despite our warnings that this place is like the song Hotel California ("you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave") they changed their plans and are staying here (marina just down the canal from us) until they go back home in the spring.

Absolutely at Grand Bahama Yacht Club

PS: A short time later a sailboat anchored in our bay and onboard was??? You guessed it, more people from Stratford.