3/25/14

I'm writing this post from my vacation spot - Newfield, NY where I'm visiting my parents and preparing to drive together to Maine for a late Christmas with  my sister and her family.  Looking out the window here - a cold contrast from the blue skies and sunshine of the Bahamas.  Last Wednesday I swam in the 80 degree water admiring the palm trees and sun before flying out in the afternoon.  Friday I swam in 80 degree water at the local fitness club's pool in Ithaca with a view of the snow covered pine trees.  I left Jerry and Gerald with a list of all the food in the freezer and storage bins.  I'm sure they will do fine for the next few weeks.  As a matter of fact, I know they caught a fish just the other day on a sail from Georgetown, Bahamas north to the Black Point area.  Perfect complement for the bags of rice onboard!
When I last wrote we had just arrived in Georgetown from the Ragged Islands.  Here's a picture of Hog Cay Cut, a short cut for shallow-draft sailboats to travel to Georgetown without going all the way around Little Exuma.  "Carina" and "Destiny" are in front of us.

A view of Hog Cay Cut - we follow the dark (deeper) water around the rocks through the cut.

 Georgetown is a big settlement - they even have a grocery store!  There are around 200 boats anchored throughout the harbor.  We spend the days going to shore, visiting old friends and new, spending time on the beaches.

Patti arrives aboard Lutra with Myriah in her favorite sailing spot.

New friends this year included Ren, Ashley, and Ani of "Nila Girl".  What an amazing family!  They operate a business called Evolve Freediving and travel with baby Ani (5 months old in March). 
Freediving is underwater diving that relies on a person's ability to hold his or her breath until resurfacing.  They teach classes and compete as well.  Ashley has national and world records in different classes of freediving.  Can you imagine a 220' freedive?  That's one of Ashley's records.  Read more about Evolve Freediving at http://evolvefreediving.com.  Jerry signed up for a course they held in Georgetown and learned how to improve his diving techniques.  Watch out fish and lobster!

Ashley, Ani, and Ren preparing for a seminar at the beach in Georgetown.

 From one of our anchor spots we watched the local youth learn to sail in traditional Bahamian boats.  These are the small E class boats.

E class boats in Georgetown

Another team of Bahamian kids in an E Class sailboat.

One of our lifesavers from last year, Erich of Darby Island Research Center, was the coach for the kids.  He stopped by to visit and catch up.  Sure was nice to see him again and I imagine for him to see Gerald doing so well.

A full moon over the beach at Chat-N-Chill's conch salad hut.

Jerry and Gerald plan to continue north through the Exumas to Spanish Wells and the Abacos.  I'll fly back and meet them there.  At that point we'll be waiting for a weather window for the maybe-4-day-depending-on-wind passage straight to North Carolina.  By mid-April the cold fronts that race off the east coast and make for lousy sailing north should be winding down.  On a sailboat it's all about waiting for the right weather!