It has been a mostly lazy week since Andrew left last Saturday and my wife Laura arrived yesterday, spent:

- on boat projects, such as repairing a rip in the genoa, and finding a mechanic to work on my dinghy outboard, which on Thursday decided to no longer start. Through multiple referrals, I got in touch with 'Trinnie', who now has the outboard. Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get it back early this next week.

- getting a haircut and my laundry done in Georgetown. The barber was a young guy named Shaun who loved to discuss politics and life in the Bahamas. He gave me a good haircut, even if he was a bit too enthusiastic about cutting. It will grow back. Also, in Georgetown, you don't do your laundry - you give it to the ladies at the laundromat, and then come back 2 hours later to find it all washed and folded neatly - all for $10.

- exploring. Monument Beach on Stocking Island, is a very nice beach, with trails to the top of a hill where the monument is (the monument was put there as a navigational aid 200 years ago), and then down to the Exuma Sound beaches. These beaches in some ways resemble Cape Cod beaches with their straight stretches fronted by dunes - see picture in the Gallery. Unfortunately, they have coral within feet of the beaches, and so there isn't much room to swim with the seas breaking. I also made a short trip down the islands to spend a night anchored off of Elizabeth Island, which is in a protected sea preserve and so has very nice coral heads.

The cruiser community anchored off Stocking Island really is a community. Every morning on VHF channel 72 there is the 'Cruisers Net' - which resembles my memory of small town AM radio shows in the 1970s. It starts with a volunteer cruiser giving the weather forecast, and then moves to community announcements. These announcements range from local businesses to cruiser activities such as morning yoga on the beach, a naturalist-led snorkeling expedition, Texas Hold-em matches, bake sales and raffles to raise money for Exuma Island charities, etc. Then there is a section where cruisers ask for help from other cruisers (I asked for help finding an outboard engine mechanic). This is followed by 'new arrivals', where boats that have come here in the previous day tell a little about themselves, where they are from and what their plans are, and announcements from folks who are leaving. Finally, as the Cruisers Regatta will be held here in two weeks (I will be gone by then), announcements and requests for volunteers for this Regatta.

Another impression: Every evening as the sun sets, you here the sound of people blowing conch horns - made from conch shells. The sound reminds me of the blowing of shofars - the ram's horn which Jewish people blow at the start of Passover.

This next week will be a repeat of last week, with fewer boat projects and more exploring and lazying around with Laura. Hopefully, I'll get my outboard back, as until then I have to row the dinghy when I want to get to shore.