March 16, 2011: Georgetown
Our excuse this week (or two) for not writing to the blog is that Kea, Sean, Ethan, and Hunter arrived to spend 7 full days with us. No matter how big a boat one may have, adding four more people to the mix makes it much more difficult to move around and plan efficiently. Add to that the fact that two are young boys who are always planning new attacks, games, and other undertakings, and thereby are not so focused on what the adults want to do, and you can understand how it takes a lot of time to get much accomplished. We had a good time nonetheless, even though we did not get very far from here.
The day after they all arrived, the winds were forecast to be calming and to hold fairly steady for a few days. We decided if we were going to get to Conception Island (a part of the Bahamas park system that we have been told is wonderful with crystal clear water and delightful beaches), we needed to make the attempt. The winds were on our nose and, as we departed the south entrance to Georgetown, we encountered fairly significant seas. Because we had gotten a late start (blueberry pancakes with bacon and maple syrup all take time, you know), because the boys were feeling – and looking – a bit green, and because our projected ETA was getting later and later, we decided to drop that plan and head north along the outside of Stocking Island, come back into the north entrance to Georgetown, pass all the beaches along the way exploring the anchored boats, and head to an area behind Crab Cay called Red Shanks. (Lauren and I had dinghied in there a few days earlier to scope it out and to make sure we could find deep enough water for Gratitude.) We spent the next couple of days in Red Shanks in a protected anchorage with lovely little beaches, a blue hole, some snorkeling grounds, and reefs to fish.
We returned to Georgetown harbor proper, and anchored off Honeymoon Beach so we could go either to Hamburger Beach to the north or to Volley Ball Beach to the south and go hiking, enjoy some of Alvin’s wonderful rum concoctions, or just play on one beach or another. The boys especially liked Volley Ball Beach as there were many families in attendance. (Some were staying at nearby resorts and either came over by rented boat or water taxi. Others were staying on boats and came ashore in the afternoon after home schooling.) Ethan and Hunter progressed from swimming in life jackets to jumping off Gratitude without them (provided adults were in the water), snorkeling, and generally behaving like fish when they were not playing hide-and-seek, swinging on rope swings, or playing in the sand. They were exhausted at the end of each day. Kea and Sean helped a large crowd celebrate the end of regatta week and close down Alvin’s Sand Bar – he ran out of food, snacks, mixers, and rum; now that was an attentive group. While there, Kea and Sean got to experience some of the open friendliness we have experienced among cruisers.
One day, we rented a 17’ Boston Whaler so Sean and Kea could go fishing in places we cannot get with Gratitude or in the dinghy (because that is too small for the open waters and long time spent fishing). Sean had caught a Spanish Mackerel when we were in Red Shanks, so he was hoping to try his hand at bigger fish. Unfortunately, despite ballyhoo and squid (for real bait), a variety of lures, and infinite patience, they were not successful, except that Sean now has reached 50% of Van’s record for Great Barracuda, which we cannot eat.
The final day on the beach (today) was spent with other children, swimming, eating a delicious Shrimp Caesar Salad, all washed down with Bahama Mamas and Margueritas (not the kids, they had fruit juices). After a final swim, a wash-off, and a clean change of clothes, they were picked up by Elvis on his water taxi to meet the cab to the airport and fly home. It was bittersweet to see them off (as Elvis said while he was loading them and their gear “now you can have the boat back to yourselves”) and we watched them all the way across the harbor.
In the midst of picking up our gear from shore, we packed the bright yellow towel of Delano, a delightful 6 year-old Bahamian, the son of the owner of Chat ‘N Chill, the restaurant and bar on Volley Ball Beach. Van ran it into shore and found Delano, who promptly asked when he would see Ethan and Hunter again. He seemed satisfied with the explanation that at least one season would pass and ran off to join some others. The fluidity of youthful friendships!
Now, we not only have Gratitude to ourselves, but we need to start the trek back north. We may try to go over to Conception Island, then to Cat Cay and on to Eleuthera before going to Nassau and across the Bahama Bank and the Gulf Stream to Florida. We need to listen to the weather to see if we should go that route, or back up the Exuma chain, stopping at places we skipped on the way down. From the most recent forecast, it looks like the latter is the preferred route, which will save us the other, out islands for another trip. So many choices and decisions!