Getting into Nassau requires calling Harbor Control. Once inside we realized why! Yikes all kinds of freighters, pleasure boats, jet skis, and 7 cruise ships awaited, well the cruise ships were still, but all the rest were zipping about. Channel to the marinas is about the width of a football field right alongside the outermost cruise ships—they are hard to see around. Only slip we could get was at the fuel depot and it was rough, even by Bahamas standards. The next day we moved to a real marina and though it’s great, we’ve been pinned here by a front with high winds and now the seas are rocking us at the dock.
Nassau is I guess a typical Caribbean city, crowded with traffic, colorful buildings, ramshackle buildings, and the typical trappings of a cruise ship port. We did visit a church and attended Mass which was very crowded and a UN of cultures. Then we went to the National Art Museum. It was quite a walk, so we got to see some areas away from the waterfront . It was in a lovely old colonial home. The artwork was very contemporary and quite depressing. Mostly young artists were displaying and there is a lot of anger and frustration depicted. Finally got my conch salad for lunch—yum.
Right across from the marina is a regular US style shopping plaza. The Solomon’s food store has reinvented itself into a Fresh Market which rivals any store at home, of course with prices to match. Can never figure why fish is so expensive ($25/lb) when you are in the middle of the ocean. Next day we found a Save-a-Lot type store and stocked up a little more.
Most important news, Jeff was able to repair the mainsheet block. He bought a pin of the right size, but it had threads on it. He got out his drill and started filing the edges off but it was taking a lifetime. The dockmaster, Dudley, heard the noise and stopped over to see what was happening. He pocketed the part, saying, “I know a guy who can fix this”. Dudley was off on Sunday, but arrived on Monday with the perfect fit. Jeff put the mainsheet block back on the traveler and we are good to go.
So, now it is Tuesday morning, February 19th and we really need to get out of the marina. Will be interesting adventure with the high winds, choppy seas and the shallow coral bottom next to our slip. Our boat backs to port, which is just where the shallows are and how the wind is blowing. Will update you once we’re out.