After a bit more than five weeks here in Sand Dollar Beach, we feel the need to move on. The famous Georgetown Regatta is in full swing with all of the fun and games which would make any cruiser salivate. However, we've need to move. I've mused that other that at home I've never stayed in any place for this period f time. It's a testimonial to the comfort, camaraderie and variety of things to do.

The Regatta is in full swing but we see a good weather window and figure if we don't leave soon we'll stay here forever. So, Sea Sharp, along with Breeze Hunter, Audacious and Cattiva meandert out way out of Elizabeth Harbour headed for Exuma Sound and north. It's a bittersweet departure; we've had a wonderful time her at cruisers' "summer camp" but we have many more places to visit so we reluctantly but with offsetting anticipation weigh anchor to move on.

We have a short run planned today but for once the winds are favourable and we have a wonderful sail (yeah, we do sail sometimes) twenty five or so miles to Lea Stocking Island where we anchor for the night.

Sea Sharp almost feels like she's freed of the shackles of the anchor and enlivens to the wind and seas. We have a great day.

We drop anchor, our little rag/tag flotilla of four boats the only boats in this anchorage. We dinghy to yet another white sand beach for end-of-day stories and de -brief.

Next morning we get up to hear that our boat buddies have arranged for our flotilla to have a tour of the Caribbean Marine Research Centre located on Lee Stocking Island. This world-class centre provides researchers with the facilities to study marine ecosystems in the wider Caribbean. We are given a tour by a delightful graduate student. While this is not their busy time, it certainly struck me that the level of activity as well as upkeep was probably waning; the victim of tough economic times and the associated cutting back of government research funding. Too bad!