Today is Sunday, April 5th. It is a beautiful day after a week of howling winds and heavy seas. Yesterday was the first day in several that the wind didn't blow with a fury. Luckily we were able to save the outboard motor. And John didn't have to row through these winds for many days. We took the motor to the repair shop here in Hope Town on Monday morning and they were able to get it running without too much expense. However it almost became the Bahamas newest reef. John was ready to toss it overboard. We have paid more for repairs than what we paid for the motor new. After spending so many years on a fresh water lake, we forgot how hard the salt water and salt air can be on things.
We have met some really neat people and have made many new friendships. Whether you are from Canada, England, or the US or anywhere else in this wide world, it doesn't matter down here in the Bahamas. Everyone is friendly and everyone is welcome with open arms.
Thursday we took our boat over to Man O War Cay for a few days to see our friends Harvey and Mary Helen, who have our sister ship. Our boat is hull #3 and theirs is Hull #12. There boat is the one that ran up on the reef. It is slowly getting repaired and should be back in the water in May for the trip home. They flew back to Virginia today and we wanted to visit with them for a couple of days before they left. They will be back in May. Also our Canadian friends, David and Catherin, from Montreal on SV Solitaire came over. They are starting their trip back to Savannah where they leave their boat for the summer. We had a great time together. We had met Harvey and Mary Helen last summer while cruising on the Bay and our Canadian friends met them when they first arrived here in the Bahamas in December.
While in Man O War, the island had their first Heritage Day Festival. It is called Sojer Day because the early natives to this island called themselves Sojers. They are named after the Soldier crabs but it is spelled sojer because that is how it sounds when they speak. Because they have an accent the words tend to sound different than originally spelled so now they spell it the way it sounds. Anyway we spent a few hours at the ceremony, had lunch with our friends, and then said our goodbyes and headed back to Hope Town. We hope to see them all again this summer sometime and maybe again next year here in Hope Town.
The trip back to Hope Town was uneventful but the one over was choppy because of the winds. It took us three tries to pick up the mooring line. I can usually grab them the first try but the wind kept blowing the bow off. John was ready to give up but I grabbed it on the third try. However a trawler that came in the next day didn't fare so well. He caught a mooring line in his propeller and got the chain tangled around his prop. He had to get a diver to get him untangled and I guess his prop is chewed up a bit. Luckily he had two engines and two propellers so he could still run the boat. The wind was blowing about 25 knots or more and he didn't see the mooring ball and ran right over it. Jerrie

Palm Sunday
We were blessed to spend our morning in church here in Hope Town. Mr. Vernon Malone gave a wonderful sermon and the choir sang beautiful hymns. This was Jerrie's last Sunday to sing with the choir and also the choir directors last Sunday. Many of the people who winter here in homes and boats are heading home. We have one more week here before we head north. We will be gradually working our way back to North Carolina. We still have islands we want to visit along the way. But we may not have internet access as readily. So there may be several days between our entries. We have enjoyed our stay here especially the islands of Hope Town and Man O War where we will be leaving part of our heart.

A 9-year old blind girl is learning the piano & organ from Rosemary, who is from Canada & gives of herself to all. They were going to the choir director's house after lunch today & Anna was asked if she needed help getting in the whaler. She said "of course not" & climbed down the ladder and into the boat. Her mom & dad own the scuba shop in Hope Town so she is quite used to boats & the water. So off they went, 3-adult women & Anna. No life jackets in the boat because "This is the Bahamas mon". Can anyone imagine this in the states? Here they drive down the road (on the wrong side) drinking beverages we would never dream of having in a car at home. And of course any dinghy trip needs a beverage for the 5-minute ride to town. Police are not interested in people that do no harm & it is quite refreshing to be FREE from "Big Brother" here. God is involved in all schools, government & businesses. The people are as the US was a hundred or so years ago when everyone helped those in need & even if they were not needy, but needed a helping hand building a home or repairing after a storm. We could not be more impressed & at peace. John