On Wednesday we crossed the Exuma Sound to Eleuthera. It was an all day journey with the mizzen and staysail up mostly just to steady the boat. There wasn't much to see but I did spot a white-tailed tropicbird sitting in the water. I thought it was a lobster pot at first because the tail is so long it was sticking up like a float pendant but when we got closer the bird flew away. They are very cool birds - it was my first!

We headed for Rock Sound because there is a lot of protection there from the front that is coming. We hadn't planned on Eleuthera yet but our destinations are much more dictated by weather than desire these days. We anchored near the town's dinghy dock and even though the water was choppy we took the dinghy over and checked out the town. This is the first Bahamian town we've been in that has a paved road big enough for two cars to pass.

Everyplace we go we say we wonder if they drive on the left or the right but it never has mattered because there haven't been that many cars and they really just drive in the middle. Well, now we know, they drive on the left, and they drive fast! We talked to the guy in the gas station/lumber store and he gave us a good run down on places to go and things to see. On our way back to the boat on Wednesday evening there were locals selling fresh fish on the dock our dinghy was tied to so we bought some Grouper and had it for dinner.

On Thursday we went out for breakfast even though the water was choppier than it had been the day before. We decided to try and pay for Internet again even though it hasn't really worked out for us yet this trip. We paid $10 cash for it. We forgot something at the boat though so we had to go back to get it. Turns out we didn't realize what else we forgot...

Bill knew there was a cave here and we had gotten directions to it. It was near the deep blue hole where people go swimming. We walked there and checked it out and decided that we weren't ever likely to swim there, or try and go in that cave. Instead we decided to walk the mile/mile and a half that we had been told was where the ocean was. That is when the adventure begins. It was a very long walk. Not a hard one, just a long one. We thought we were going to find Rosie's restaurant but the sign at the end of the very long road said Northside Inn. We followed it anyhow down another very long road. Bill had already decided by this point that we were getting a ride back somehow. There wasn't much to see on the road and no cars came by so I wasn't sure how that was going to work but we kept walking. Then we finally got to the Northside Inn. It looked like someone was there, but we were greeted by a very aggressive barking dog at the top of the driveway. Bill and I aren't much for barking dogs, we stood there for a few minutes and the dog kept barking, so we turned around and left.... What now?? Well luck was really with us. After just a few minutes a Dodge Caravan with an American woman drove up and asked us if Rosie's was open. We told her our story and she said oh those dogs are fine. Of course she had a dog in her car with her. She told us to jump in and we'd all have lunch at Rosie's. Peggy is just wonderful. She and her husband are living here on Eleuthera, he comes and goes for business, and they are building a house. Before lunch we took a quick walk down to the beach, shown in the picture above. When lunch was over we realized what else we forgot! Cash!! This is a cash island. There are some places you can use a credit card but we used most of our cash for breakfast and the crappy Internet we bought. Luckily Peggy covered for us and, after another wonderful walk down the beach, took us to an ATM so we could pay her back. The ATM was next to all the shopping, the hardware store, the supermarket, the liquor store, the gas station and the auto repair store. Unfortunately Peggy's car would not start after she filled it up with gas. Bill tried to help her but it seemed that the battery was dead. The manager of the supermarket jump started her and it worked but he told her she could go right to the auto store and buy a new battery. She did, it was outrageously expensive, and it didn't even fix the problem! Unfortunately it was her starter. Bill feels bad he didn't figure that out. She was able to start it again though and head home. We are so lucky to have found Peggy.

Today we had to get our propane tank refilled. The hardware store told us we could just call them and they would pick us up and drop us off. We did and they came in a little pickup truck that seats two. I got to ride in the front and Bill got in the back. On the way there he sat on the truck bed, but on the way back he rode Bahamian style, standing up and holding onto the cab. Wish we had the camera then!

Tomorrow we will head deeper into Rock Sound to get protection from the strong winds that are coming. Then we will sit on the boat and relax for a couple of days before heading north on Eleuthera. I see a movie in our future!!