Hanging Around George Town

      Dan and I spent a week in George Town, re-familiarizing ourselves with the area.  Not much has changed in seven years.  We snorkeled all the surrounding reefs, hiked over Stocking Island to walk the ocean side beach, had dinner at Chat ’n Chill, and attended Beach Church.  Dan sat down with his sewing machine and made an awning for the foredeck to keep the fo'c'sl cool and to allow the hatch to stay open during light rains.  And every morning we listened to the daily broadcast on VHF channel 68.  

Dan's awning.

The cruisers’ net is still at 8 am every morning, run pretty much by the same people, and there is still a lively swap of goods and services going on. One boat will put out the call for help with their refrigerator, at least two people will come over to troubleshoot, and someone from another vessel will just happen to have the exact part they need.  Dan put the word out that he was looking to borrow a particular size hole saw and the people on the boat a few hundred yards away told him to come on over.  Someone needed a new outboard, and low and behold someone else was looking to get rid of one.  It’s a great network of people working together and helping each other.  

Someone's inflatable Hobie Cat! 

One evening we had dinner with our friends Tim and Tawnia, aboard their trawler Knot Quitters.  We brought food, they provided food, and we set up for a lovely meal on their back deck around sunset.  I take responsibility for the cloud of mosquitoes and midges that immediately descended upon us, driving us inside where we still spent the next fifteen minutes swatting the unwanted guests.  I am a bug magnet.  They love me.  If any mosquitoes or other biting insects are within range of me, they will come and find me.  The meal and the camaraderie were excellent, but the bugs made the evening unforgettable.  

Our first guests - cousins Veronica and Maddie - are coming in Saturday (Jan 28) and we slowly found new places for all the things we stored in the forward cabin, planned out some meals, and thought about activities.  We went through all our snorkel gear and partially inflated our stand-up paddle boards.  We’re ready and waiting to share our boat and the Bahamas!  

Squid hanging out with us.

I know this blog is several weeks overdue.  Maddie is going to write about their week with us.  Our son Joe and his wife Joanna are with us now and I will write about their visit later.  ~Kathy