The 5-F’s
08 February 2014 | At Anchor-Little Farmers Cay
There is nothing like falling asleep under an open hatch looking at billions of stars. Listening to the wind gently blow through the rigging and the ripples it brings lap against the hull. That is until it starts to rain!
We have been getting a morning sprinkle for the past few days so when it started it really didn’t seem like a big deal. However, at 0600 Friday morning we got a lot more than a sprinkle. As we scurried around closing ports Jeff went into the cockpit with the tea kettle and grabbed enough water for coffee. It might be taking water conservation to the extreme but we enjoy the challenge.
Going ashore our first priority was to deliver our final load of school supplies. Jeff called Ocean Cabins, on the VHF to see if the school would be open. Terry, owner and festival organizer, was very appreciative and told us that teachers would definitely be in today.
The all age’s school at Little Farmers Cay currently covers grades 1-9. When we arrived the 10 students at the school were hard at work. The school had two classrooms with grade levels divided inside the rooms. Students in their school uniforms were working hard on their studies but we noticed the occasional glancing eye to see what we brought. They were expecting us as the cocoanut telegraph had made them aware of our arrival.
Besides setting high expectations for student behavior and appearance, this high energy teaching couple is helping to develop the student’s sense of community. As you might expect, on an island with 55 permanent residents there is already a strong community bond.
These teachers go one step farther by involving students in projects like painting a house for an elderly man or building the settlements directory sign for guests. Next Friday students are putting on a Valentine’s Day Lunch to help raise money for a school trip to Miami. That will be quite the experience for these children who would otherwise not leave this island until they were much older, if ever.
Farmer’s Cay First Friday in February (5-F’s) started in 1986. Originally started as a Bahamian Sloop Regatta between nearby islands it has gained a reputation as a great party. The boats still race and often enlist the help of cruisers to fill crew member spots on shorthanded boats. There are also several organized contests, dancing, music, and food.
There were several activities with prizes for cruisers to participate in while the regatta race boats were getting rigged and ready. Jeff tried to win a bottle of rum by participating in the Best Legs and Bum contest. He and the 15 other contestants all insist that they would have won if it had not been for the young 20-something in a speedo.
Another contest we participated in was the egg toss, were we made it into the semi-finals. The final contest was called, “The Plunger”. It was a very adult contest that we will just leave the description and rules to your imagination.
We waddled back to the dinghy beach after a late lunch of Curried Goat, Rice & Peas, Mac & Cheese, and Cole Slaw. Once back on CALYPSO we discovered that we were in the middle of the race course. No worries, the Sloop Captains maneuvered their 20’ boats along the course and among the 50 plus cruising boats, giving us a front row seat!
More Later,
US