We’re finally in the Bahamas again! I say finally because we left Canada at the end of October, narrowly dodging Hurricane Sandy on our way south, and spent the rest of the fall trying to get out of Florida. Two months and two engine repairs later, the old Iron Genny is running like silk and a host of those “I’ve been meaning to get to it jobs” are done. Altona has a new sailcover and dodger (that’s the last dodger I’ll ever try to make!) and Ralph found and fixed the smelly head issue (1 little vent hose that wasn’t proper sanitation grade), hurray! Engine repair #1 completed, we scuttled south from Green Cove Springs to Lake Worth and had a calm and uneventful crossing of the Gulf Stream, if you count the engine unexpectedly spewing fluids from a variety of orifices uneventful. Darned if we didn’t have to shut down the Beast and actually sail, of all things. This slowed us down considerably and led to a bout of seasickness and a night spent dodging freighters outside Freeport. Once again, we blessed the AIS which enables us to identify ships, their speed, direction, and how likely they are to run us down. Ain’t technology grand! Finally: sleepless, brainless, groggy, soggy and minus the contents of my stomach, we staggered up the wharf at Grand Lucaya Marina and checked back in to the Bahamas. Lordy, but terra firma seemed anything but firm, and when I closed my eyes I’d swear the earth was moving!

On the advice of locals, we moved to Flamingo Bay Marina, where we’re stuck quite happily and voluntarily. Engine Repair #2 is done, the weather, and hopefully our luck with all things mechanical, has changed for the better, and we’re back on Bahamian time… no rush, no problem, mon. Ralph starts his days dinghying down to Unexso for coffee with the boys, a friend has loaned us a 25 year old jeep with a lot of character to get groceries and pick up guests at the airport, and our days present us with nothing more pressing than exploring the beach, pool, or hot tub at the resort across the road where we have full guest privileges. Life sure is sweet in the islands.