I must apologize for the lapse in blog frequency and also content over the past month. It was not because of a lack of Internet as we found more ways to "hook up" in George Town than anywhere else in the Exuma chain. While we were in George Town I rarely felt in the mood to write any blog entries. It was strange because up until we arrived there I was always seeing things and wanting to put our experiences down on paper. Whether I was sitting on the bow along the ICW on watch for floating logs or relaxing in the cockpit enjoying a rare but much welcomed rain passing through the Exumas, I am always compelled to share the simple beauty.

This morning I sit aboard Anastasia enjoying my much-missed inspiration all around me. We are anchored along the South coast of Rum Cay. Well protected from the NE winds forecasted for the next day or so. Yesterday we ventured ashore to explore this tiny town. And it is just that...tiny, roughly sixty people in the island! The mail boat arrived two days ago bringing the island a week's supply of fresh food and other necessities. We stocked up on bananas, eggs and some limes. We also filled our five-gallon gas can needed for the outboard engine at $6 per GALLON! GASP! Good thing we only needed the five gallons.

One very sad and devastating thing we came across upon anchoring here in the harbor was a sailboat on the reef. Upon further inspection we found it to be a French-Canadian friend we met while in George Town. He had engine problems while navigating the tricky channel lined with dangerous coral reefs and found himself hard aground and sinking. He lost control of the boat when the rudder broke off but thankfully he is safe. It is a sobering sight to see his boat lying sideways, now a new part of the reef. I imagine the island will have a salvage company remove it and drag it out to sink properly in the Atlantic waters not even a mile away but thousands of feet deep. It cannot be a good advertisement for the local marina.

It is also here in Rum Cay that we waved tearful goodbyes to our friends aboard Foxglove. They are headed farther South for Cuba, Costa Rica & Panama. We met them in Nassau and became fast friends as we hopped down the Exuma Chain, popping up unplanned in the same anchorages. Two days ago, sailing East from George Town to Rum was the first time we sailed side by side. Our boats match well with similar displacement and hull speed.

Saying goodbye has to be one of the hardest parts of cruising. So far we have met some great friends that would be lifelong companions under normal circumstances. However, our floating lifestyle takes us all in different directions bringing farewell sentiments so much earlier than we care for.

Yesterday, Maxwell decided to go for a short fishing trip on the nearby reef. With the random dinghy traffic in the harbor I decided to stay in the dinghy as a look out for safety. While still in Florida we picked up a Hawaiian Sling (spear) that has turned out to be a great tool in reef fishing. He has gotten quite good at the technique and speared a Yellow Jack in the first fifteen minutes yesterday. He tells me that it is definitely a sport as the fish see you and scram into their protected crevices very quickly. If I hadn't called him in, he would have been out there for hours.

To keep me occupied, I have picked up basket weaving as a pastime. It is a technique that the local Bahamian women developed using palms to make the baskets they sell in the straw markets. It is time consuming and at first I did not enjoy it but after a few attempts, I have really mastered the method and developed my own variations.

We are really not sure where we will go from here. Our original plan was to head East to San Salvador but we may show up in Clarence Town, Long Island or even the Acklins Group of islands. At this point, our only commitment is to be back in the George Town area for my parent's visit mid-March. Right now we are enjoying the serenity of this small oasis and will push off when the either the spirit or weather moves us.