We spent Christmas at Green Turtle Club Marina on Green Turtle Cay. We had kind of a sweet deal, you could dine at the Green Turtle Club Resort and deduct the cost of the meal from your dockage. So we dressed up pretty and dined out every night - got to be too much food after spending the day in the sun and sand. We had a Christmas Pot Luck - picnic style with about 100 other cruisers.

We then waited for a window to go around "Whale Cay," the course takes you out into the Atlantic and some nasty breakers (or white horses) unless you have a good weather window. We crawled out at high tide, much like the Hermit Crab and headed for Elbow Cay.

New Year Eve at midnight amidst celebrations which included a firework display lasting 22 minutes followed by our much anticipated "Junkernoo", a parade of wonderful colorful men beating on drums, blowing whistles and shaking instruments to make the most fantastic beat. A great way to usher in 2009.

We celebrated earlier on "Sunset" with giant lobster/crayfish tails - so big that we made a lobster chowder the next day after being lazy and sleeping in.

We've been swimming, the water temp is in the 70's and snorkeling and looking forward to more now that we are in Marsh harbor and can easily access "Mermaid Reef."

Snorkeling on Thursday, january 7 was incredible, not only did we see multi-colored Parrotfish, and so many others, but Rod spotted a "Lionfish," new to the area and absolutely breathingtaking. We are now staying at harbor View Marina in Marsh harbour, Abaco Bahamas.