I wish I could blame Batelco on bad connections but truth is I have been neglecting my blogging duties. lol!

February 18, 2014

Lynn arrived safely this afternoon. Jorge met him at the airport while I stayed in town and shopped (mainly groceries!) They arrived in town around 1700 and we dinghied back to CS'ta Time, had dinner and a wonderful evening catching up on things with Lynn.

George Town, Bahamas airport.

 

Our arriving guest, Lynn Means.

 

February 19, 2014

We spent a lazy morning aboard CS'ta Time. Unfortunately for Lynn, he revealed that he was a diver so it was agreed that he would put a new zinc on the shaft for us. Nothing like making your guests earn their stay!

At noon we had a meeting on the beach outside Chat and Chill with other cruisers planning on heading south. It was decided that there were two main groups, those doing the Mona Passage and those doing the Windward Passage. It was informative but maybe not as much as we had hoped.

Chat and Chill bar and deck.

Jorge and Lynn went looking for a huka machine from a fellow cruiser later in the afternoon while I prepared appetizers for happy hour on the beach at Chat and Chill at 1630. Back to CS'ta Time for dinner and conversation.

February 20, 2014

Jorge and Lynn were able to pick up the huka machine this morning and also went to town. After lunch, Lynn doned the mask and fins along with the huka and down he went. By the way, a huka is a machine with a long tube and regulator, attached to an air pump, enabling a diver to breathe underwater without scuba tanks. Not only did he put a new zinc on the shaft for us but also inspected the prop and the hull, getting scraped by a few barnicles!

Aquaman!

 

Cockpit showers followed for all of us after the work and then appetizers and cold beers on the deck.

After a job well done.

We spent the night on the boat enjoying dinner after a good day's work.

February 21, 2014

I dropped Lynn off at the beach around 0930. He wanted to see about crewing on a boat in this weekend's regatta. Jorge stayed on CS'ta Time waiting for the pump out and trash boat. Annie and I went to town in our dinghy to catch a ride to the butcher shop where they had "recognizable" cuts of meat! I must admit my driving to town was great - we hardly got wet. After visiting the butcher shop, Annie got some fuel and I filled up the water container. Unfortunately the ride across the harbour to the big boats was not so dry. We were soaked about 3 minutes outside of the dinghy dock.

The ride to the butcher shop, in the back of a pickup truck.

Sign in the pickup truck to the butcher shop.

 

After arriving back to the boat, I made lunch and then Lynn, Jorge and I visited Cloud 9, a boat we had first met in Sandy Hook. Lynn dove for them and changed their zinc. We enjoyed cold beers with them and then back to CS'ta Time where we cleaned up to get ready for the opening of regatta. We dinghied to Chat and Chill and waited 1.5 hours for Elvis' water taxis to take us to town for dinner and regatta opening evening (including a variety show). We caught the taxi back around 2200 - staying dry going across the harbour.

Waiting for the water taxi. (l - r: Dave and Rose (Cloud 9), Jorge and Kim.

Dock boarding the water taxi.

The water taxi (life jackets for 4.)

 

Regatta Park, site of the regatta variety show and dinner.

February 22, 2014

After breakfast Lynn and Jorge went snorkeling with Cloud 9 in one of the hurricane holes next to our anchorage. I stayed on the boat, caught up with dishes and made lunch for when the hungry snorkelers returned. After lunch we dinghied into town and wandered around showing Lynn the town. He had not really had a chance to just wander as when with Jorge, they were always on a mission! We did some shopping and stopped for a cold beer at Two Turtles then back to CS'ta Time after getting fuel and water. (Yes, we are always getting water, every trip to town involves filling up the water container.)

The Straw Market.

 

Flower beside the library.

Jorge "chilling out" while Lynn and I shopped.

Peace and Plenty Hotel (Johnny Deep apparently received an award here.)

 

After dinner there was an emergency call on the VHF radio by a female cruiser immediately behind us. It seemed there was dinghy rage on the water. Another cruiser was threatening her and her husband. Within 3 to 4 minutes about half a dozen dinghies were on the scene to assist. Jorge had our spotlight on the suspect dinghy but after the dinghy approached CS'ta Time and was surrounded by the concerned dinghies, he took off towards another anchorage. He was identified by some cruisers and I imagine will be held accountable for his actions tomorrow. It was nice to know that the cruising community pulled together so fast to help out!