Monday, March 30, 2009

The radio chatter started earlier than usual. A lot of those that didn't leave yesterday, are leaving today - going north, south and where ever they are ultimately headed for... Ports called home; New Ports; Old ones. A lot are staying but the harbor is emptying out faster with each good weather window that presents itself. The goodbyes on the radio and watching everyone waving to each other from boat to boat and yelling their farewells into the wind are heartrending. I could hear the tears and the voices choking up and it made me realize how much of a community this really does become. While we came very late into the season, I got a taste of the camaraderie that builds up with time here. It's comforting that a group of wandering souls can find each other and build itself into a far-reaching family where ever they wander. Everyone seems ready to help everyone else out. Broken generator? Hey I know how to fix that, or I have the part you need... Dinghy escaped? Duchess to the rescue! Yoga lessons? Duchess again - 8 am Monday through Friday on Honeymoon Beach. On and on...

It was a beautiful travel day and we joined in the parade of boats leaving the harbor (second shift) after the announcements and weather. I watched the first shift leave at daybreak when everything is between darkness and light. No color, only gray tones but sailing ships going down the channel their moods probably as colorless as the images becoming visible in dawns twilight. We followed the zig zag through the coral heads and sandbars and Wayne put out a fishing line hoping to catch something as we left the cut or entered the one going into Little Farmers Cay. No luck in either one.

I'd like to return to George Town. It's a unique community. It's definitely a unique community. I'd like to be here during the regatta when it's at full capacity just to see what it's like.

It was a pretty uneventful sailing day. We had all the sails up to catch as much wind as possible and motored to maintain 6 knots to get into Little Farmers before the light got to low and we couldn't see the rocks and sandbars. The last time we were here anchoring on the west side of the island we bump, bump, bumped all the way in and the same thing leaving. It wasn't to bad because it was the sand bars, but coming in this time we had to see in order to avoid the many coral heads on the east side of the island. We came through the cut around 4 pm and I took the bow - rock watch while Wayne took the helm. I'd ask every so often what his depth was as the color of the water changed beneath me and we had no problem finding our way to the south east corner of the island where it said you could anchor. We got there and were greeted with mooring balls and decided to pick one up since the winds were light (hey not much stress on the line so we should stay put). It looked like it was attached to a large cement block on the bottom.

I made sloppy joes for dinner and we're enjoying some gin and tonics with ICE! We're now making ice as the freezer is emptying and I'd forgotten how nice gin and tonics are... Ahhh another sundowner... never miss a sundowner. I do miss hearing the conch horns usher in sunset though...