Game Day on Earendil
05 March 2011 | Black Point, Great Guana Cay
Jill
Another windy day today. We took Fuzzy to the shallow beach at high tide in the morning and didn't get too wet, but there was no chance of taking the computer ashore. It actually rained for a few minutes in the afternoon.
We heard on the radio this morning that one of the boats here lost their dingy overnight. The woman who does the weather from the next island up (Staniel) told them it would most likely blow clear across the Exuma Banks and the Tongue of the Ocean and end up against the east shore of Andros Island, about 60 miles away. We didn't hear that anyone found it. Later we heard our first May Day call. A woman called, but then we heard her say that her son had tried to swim after their dinghy and was having trouble, but someone helped him, so hopefully all and the dinghy are safe. After all that, we made sure the lines on our dinghy weren't chafing, we decided to switch the bow lines (we have two) end for end, as the end tied to the dinghy takes the most abuse.
Later in the afternoon a couple we met from Texas came over. They are Michael (her) and Marty (him) from Solace. They brought their kitten with them. Fuzzy was not thrilled to have the kitten aboard, but tolerated her.
Michael and I played a game of Backgammon while Bud started steaming some pork buns he and I made. The recipe called for Chinese sausages, which we didn't have, so Bud cooked and marinated some Italian sausage, and cut it small enough to be rolled in the steamed bun dough that I made.
After the Backgammon, I taught them to play Texas Rummy. Being from Texas, they thought it only proper that they learn to play it. We had a nice time.
Once they left, Bud and I had to take Fuzzy ashore again. This time we had to go the longer distance to the town dock, but the wind was down a bit and we didn't get too wet. The mail boat, the Lady Frances, was at the government dock. She had two small cars on her foredeck. Bud said he'd talked to one of the boatmen and they told him they lifted the cars off with slings and the deck-mounted crane. There was a pretty decrepit fishing boat next to the Lady Frances, who isn't too spiffy herself. Both of them were leaving for Nassau. The man on Lady Frances said they had no more stops to make and would run straight for Nassau from here. They were both leaving at dusk, again I marvel at how well these local sailors must know these waters to run at night as they do. It also makes me glad we heed the warning to always set an anchor light in the Bahamas. The local boats usually have to thread through the anchorages. Anyone without an anchor light on a dark night is taking chances.