Perseverance2

It has been quite a while since we updated our trip journal, but Internet access has not been readily available. We stayed in George Town until Feb. 8, moving our anchorage several more times, doing some of the activities arranged by the cruisers. Dance parties by Rockin’ Ron on SeaDancer are still quite fun. We did replace our dinghy outboard; the Nissan `spun a prop’ (the motor would rev higher but the prop moved only at one speed - slow). We could have ordered a replacement, but would have paid three times the stateside cost (duty, taxes, shipping) and then had to figure out how to install it or paid for that too. So we took one of the new Yamaha 15’s that were arriving a few days later. Yes, 15HP. We have to be careful and not open it all the way, because our dinghy is not rated for that much power. So a new dinghy is also on the horizon, but we hope (pray) that we can do that stateside.
On Feb. 8, we left George Town for Long Island. Great decision. First, we took a long route that took us over some deeper water and put us in great direction to the wind. We sailed! It was very pleasurable. Then we trolled with a fishing line. We caught a small skipjack tuna! And landed it (actually easily - we had drowned the little guy towing him behind the boat). Tuna for dinner!
Then, Long Island was a good visit. The anchorage is very large and well protected, except from the south-west quadrant. We and four other boats shared a vehicle rental (one van & one Suzuki auto) and drove to both ends of the island. Visited the churches in the Clarence Town (south end) area, snorkeled in a blue hole, and the next day trekked to the Columbus Monument at the north end. The monument commemorates the second landing of Christopher Columbus. The road to it has not improved since his visit; stones, ruts - at points we exited the cars and walked so that the cars could clear the ground.