The water was a sheet of glass when we exited the Rat Cut onto the Sound that cloudy morning. Motoring toward the Conch Cut for access into the deep water of Elizabeth Harbor, there was nothing more than small rollers off the stern pushing us along. Arriving around noon on the first day of the Island Regatta, the anchorages were packed with cruisers. We had heard on the daily 8am Cruiser’s Net on the VHF radio that approximately 325 boats had now arrived for the festivities. The Cruiser’s Net was an ingenious idea…at 8am one of the cruisers lead an informative talk which announced the events for the day, weather, arrivals and departures, asked if anyone needed help or parts, if anyone had items for trade and basically answered any question a fellow boater had.
After searching for awhile, we found the perfect area to park ourselves off Stocking Island near Volleyball Beach…which, coincidentally, was the location of the popular gathering spot-Chat ‘N’ Chill. Passing by Two Loons anchored near Monument Beach, we honked the horn as we were anxious to see Chris and Catherine after all this time. They were not at home so we proceeded to dinghy over to Lake Victoria and into Georgetown. Duane’s mom and Lisa would not be arriving for 4 days so we had time to explore and scope out the hot spots that we could take them to once they landed.
There was a water spigot on the dinghy dock which was utilized by cruisers to fill our jugs as often as we needed to. Garbage disposal in the whole town was in the form of a small pick-up truck where you threw your trash in the back and slipped $3 through the driver’s side window. We had now become accustomed to the simplicity of such every day tasks. Needing more data on his BTC card, we walked through town to locate the pink building just beyond the basketball courts. Directions to any location on the islands were never more explicit than landmarks to get you where you needed to be. A pleasant older gentleman was selling fresh produce on the side of the road and we scooped up some tomatoes, onions and peppers. He ended up being our “go to” grocer over the next two weeks of our stay. We hadn’t seen a liquor store since Nassau, so our last stop on the way back to the dock was to replenish our beer and rum supplies.
As we organized the boat, we heard familiar voices outside. Catherine and Chris had stopped by to say Hello on their way back from participating in the Poker Run that afternoon. I was heartbroken to have missed the one event I actually wanted to participate in as a bar crawl/poker game/dinghy race on the water was right up my alley. Making plans to meet at Chat ‘N’ Chill for the Variety Show the next day, Catherine and Chris took off and we decided to go ashore to see what the Chat ‘N’ Chill bar dubbed “day camp for adults” was all about. Located on Stocking Island and only accessible by water, the small shack on the sand was the quintessential island beach bar right down to the sandy floors, memorabilia hanging from the rafters and the thirty minutes it took to get a beer. The “island time” mentality still eludes me.
Coming ashore the next day for the Variety Show, we brought our seating which conveniently had space for some beverages to avoid the long wait at the bar empty-handed, which everyone, not only us, seemed to loathe. Catherine and Chris introduced us to some other boaters and our group congregated on the beach watching and laughing at the various acts ranging from musical numbers to comedy sketches to magic acts. Even the island Junkanoo band made an appearance.
The next morning we rallied early to come ashore to witness the Coconut Challenge. We had wanted to participate, but were not able to find two other boaters at such short notice who needed teammates. In the end, that was a blessing. As we watched the participants maneuver their motor-less dinghy with only one flipper for navigation and gather filthy coconuts while banging off each other, we were happy not to have subjected Baby Belle to that torture. It was hysterical to watch the antics from shore.
Before going over for drinks on Two Loons that evening, we took a short ride over to the Piece and Plenty Beach Bar at the far end of Stocking Island. The crystal clear water off the beach was an array of turquoise and aqua enhanced by the sand bar which stretched well out from the shore. Our bartender, Chocolate, made us hefty frozen rum drinks which hit the spot on such a hot day and we decided to split a turkey burger. Good thing too since it was a whooping $20…I made sure to load up on condiments and score an extra bag of chips to get my money’s worth. We had a pleasant evening catching up on Two Loons and forgot how comfortable and spacious their power catamaran was. They too were having an unforgettable adventure and we talked for hours about all we had been through since that fateful day on the rivers.
In anticipation of our family’s arrival that evening, we moved the boat to Flamingo Bay into an area called the Litter Box on the Georgetown side of the Harbor. It was perfect timing too as the Regatta softball game against the Bahamian locals was that evening and the event would now be an easy walk from where we were able to land the dinghy. Before we left to cheer on the cruisers while enjoying conch fritters and rum punch, we received a message from Lisa that they were having issues with their travel arrangements and would not be on the flight to Georgetown for two more days. We were disappointed, but it was just a delay and we would still have five days together. On the plus side for us, we were able to stay at the condo they rented off the beach awaiting their arrival since the property was already reserved. The owner, Eric, was more than accommodating allowing us to tie the dinghy to the private dock near the beach cottage, gave us access to a fresh water hose to full our jugs for the tank on the boat and even welcomed us to use coin operated laundry facility steps from the front door. Add in the comfy bed, hot shower and air conditioning, we were in heaven. To boot, the boat was anchored in a perfect spot for us to check on her swaying around as we sat and relaxed on the back deck.
After a great night sleep, we took a ride in Baby Belle under the Crab Cay Bridge and went to explore the ruins on the Cay and abandoned luxury resort project. It was surreal to see the construction supplies laying in neat piles along the road, as well as the infrastructure of what would have been the main building of the Resort and the surrounding landscape meticulously groomed. Whether it was politics, lack of money, or indifference, the situation was a tragedy. What could have brought much needed revenue to the island, now just sat rotting by the wayside. It was stifling on land so we headed back to the beach condo to cool off at the beach and rinse the layer of dust off.
Lisa and Jean’s flight was arriving late in the afternoon so we headed into town to get Jerk chicken from the local stand which was closed when we were there last. It was hot and dusty on the road and an older man who lived in the area took pity on us and drove us into town. Duane had been saying hitchhiking was a way of life on the islands and, after my first experience, my feet and sweaty brow were fine with putting my thumb out. It turned out the Jerk chicken stand was a three-in-one jackpot being attached to not only a Daiquiri Shack but a Conch and Seafood stand. Sampling each one to see what they had to offer, we definitely had to make a plan to revisit with our guests.
We were elated to see that Lisa and Jean had arrived when we got back from town. Once they unpacked, we all sat on the deck until the sun set chatting and catching up. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen them in almost six months. Duane more than made up for it by peppering them with stories of our travels some of which resulted in a few chuckles at my expense. Taking a few minutes from his re-enactments of boating life accompanied by the First Mate (me), the Captain fired up the barbecue and we had a lavish spread of steaks and ribs and toasted to their safe arrival and our continued safe travels. Watching the news for the first time in weeks, we heard reports of a possible pandemic, Covid-19, spreading around the world. At this point, we had received sporadic reports of an illness surfacing in the United States more contagious than the flu, but did not have an inkling as to the ultimate gravity of the situation.
Breaking out the kayaks in the morning, the four off us took off toward Crab Cay to see the sunken boats half submerged that had been long abandoned. It was a pleasant few hours paddling around under the blazing sun between the rocks and over the reefs. The Regatta Gala was that afternoon so we all boarded Bella Donna and took her across the Harbor for the event. Chat ‘N’ Chill was overflowing with revelers and contestants decked out in elaborate and comical costumes for the competition. Catherine and Chris were departing the next day for Long Island further South on their way to Grenada and it was great to have one last afternoon with them since we were uncertain when our paths will cross again. They are such an amazing couple always making us feel welcome and making the day a little brighter every time we see them ever since we first met back in Michigan. We wished them well on their travels and toasted to many more adventures on the horizon.
After a few rum punches, we boarded Bella Donna and went back across the Harbor anchoring near Bacchus Rock closer to town and the dingy dock. Safely ashore, we settled in at Island Boy for some drinks and Lisa wanted to try conch fritters. The waiter advised us they would be closing the kitchen shortly so we needed to locate another restaurant for dinner. Just by coincidence, we passed one of organizers of the Regatta events and she pointed us in the direction of Choppy Waters. There was a local Rake-and-Scrape band playing native Bahamian music and, although the menu was minimal, the food was delicious. It was late in the evening so we decided to lock the dinghy and leave it in town and take a cab back to the cottage to play a lively game of LCR. The next morning we were up bright and early to hitchhike into town to collect Baby Belle.
Right back in town that afternoon, we sat outside of Driftwood Cafe waiting for the BBQ buffet to start at the Piece and Plenty Hotel. Driftwood was a cute cafe with white washed tables on the inside and beachy picnic tables and umbrellas scattered about the outside courtyard. Flowers and shrubbery intermingled along the fence successfully walling off the street on the other side giving the space a true secluded and relaxing feel. It didn’t hurt that the pizza was super crispy and delectable. Each one of us wanted to sample all the delicacies at the BBQ that evening so we purchased our tickets for different main courses to share amongst the table. Good thing I was wearing a loose sundress.
After Jean cooked us breakfast, Duane suggested that he shuttle us back to Bella Donna and we go enjoy the afternoon on the sand bar off Piece and Plenty beach. Spending the day floating on the noodles with Strawberry Daiquiris in hand and collecting shells along the white sand beach, I wished there were a few more hours in the day. Jean had also purchased some focaccia from Driftwood waiting for Duane to pick them up so we had a delicious lunch on the back of the boat. That night we anchored the boat in Red Shanks to protect her from the gale force winds arriving the next day before having a barbecue and a rematch of LCR during which I gave up my previous winnings to Duane’s mom, Jean.
The winds had really stirred up the next day so we were glad to have had the opportunity to spend the last few days on the water with the two of them. That afternoon we took them to the three-in-one shacks and indulged on BBQ ribs, conch fritters and had a few painkillers to wash it all down. The view from Choppy Waters was spectacular so we planned to go back to enjoy the scenery one last time. On the walk over, we were stopped by a gentleman selling fresh breads out of his car…which was not unusual on the islands, so Jean purchased a few loaves still warm from the oven. Further down the street was the hair salon which also sold lobster and shrimp out of a cooler at the counter. Duane was able to get a much needed haircut and Jean purchased lobster tails for dinner all in one stop. We spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening on the top deck of Choppy Waters enjoying our last full day together and watched boats bounce around from the high winds which had kicked up. To round out the day, we made a quick stop to check out the palatial February Point and grab a drink at the Rusty Anchor overlooking the infinity pool. Tom, a gentleman renting the neighboring cottage, was nice enough to drive us back so we invited him over for dinner as a way to say Thank You. Jean whipped together a scrumptious pasta lobster Alfredo enjoyed by all. Sitting on the deck under the stars which lit up the sky, we were sad that their trip was coming to a close.
Their flight wasn’t until late the next afternoon so Tom was nice enough to drive us out toward the airport. We wanted to squeeze in as much quality time as we could and had a nice lunch on the water at Splash BBQ at the Hideaway Resort. We played some ping pong, Connect Four and soaked up the sun on the deck until the cab showed up to collect them and whisk them off to the airport. It was a great few days and it was disappointing to see them go as we waved goodbye and started to make our way back to Georgetown. Passing the Fish Fry shacks along the way, we grabbed a drink and meandered through the collection of establishments offering a wide range of authentic cuisines.
Once back at the cottage, we thanked Eric for his hospitality, packed up our things and filled the jugs with water one last time. The dinghy was weighed down and there were white caps on the water so Duane took a wet ride back to Bella Donna as I walked over the Crab Cay bridge to nowhere and made my way to the beach so he could pick me up once he unloaded. I was elated and so relieved to see Bella Donna safe and sound on the other side of the ridge when I descended from the road. We had been so nervous leaving her alone the last two days in the extremely high winds.
The winds continued to blow for the next 48 hours. Howling at a constant 25 knots, there were gale force gusts of 40+ at times and we heard reports of boats dragging and crashing into one another overnight. We made one last exploration of Crab Cay and had lunch at Driftwood before we moved the boat back to Stocking Island off the sandbar once the winds subsided two day later. The weather had cleared up enough for the closing ceremonies to be held and announce the Regatta winners. The races took place while we were tucked safely in Red Shanks so we could only hear the colorful commentary on the VHF the two days before as the sailors battled for the first place prize.
As we walked the beach, we bumped into Chris and Debi who were sailing on Believe. We had met them in Black Point at Lorraine’s Cafe BBQ. We invited them over to the boat that night to have some cocktails and see what they had been up to since we saw them a few weeks ago. We were having a great time when a tragic call came over the radio that a water taxi coming from Piece and Plenty had hit a couple on a dinghy just leaving dinner and that the man had perished. We couldn’t believe what we were hearing having just been in that area less than two hours ago. The water taxis were relentlessly running at high speeds around the anchorages… that is one reason we moved the boat across the Harbor when we first arrived. Duane had become frustrated with the early morning wakes and loud music as the taxis barreled through. This tragedy was definitely going to have repercussions and we could only pray for the people involved. To add to the horror of the occurrence, once the name of the boat was released, we realized that we had also met this couple at Black Point and sat next to them at dinner with Debi and Chris.
We had decided to leave in two days and head back North up the Exuma chain. Duane had a job scheduled so we planned to be in Florida and fly home at the end of the month. On the last day in Georgetown, Duane gave away some excess items we had no use for on the boat (which I think was good therapy for him), helped Chris fix his air conditioning and got us ready to motor on. Later in the afternoon, Chris and Debi picked us up to attend the first day of the Bahamian Music and Heritage Festival. Sampling local dishes, listening to the bands and enjoying a few rum punches, we had a thoroughly pleasant last afternoon. That evening the four of us hung out on the back of Bella Donna and the boys tried to launch a Chinese lantern. Not going quite as they had planned, the flaming object almost crashed into Baby Belle as it took a quick header into the water. Duane has never had any luck with the airborne sky lanterns, or flying kites for that matter, but I have come to accept that he will never stop trying until he succeeds.
We fell asleep to the sounds of the water slapping the hull and looked forward to moving on the next day back out onto the sparkling blue waters…plus we needed to pump the poop tank 😌
