We left Marsh Harbour at about 8:30 this morning. There is a front that is supposed to be coming here later today bringing winds up to 20 knots so we thought it would be best to leave early. We also wanted to time our arrival at Man-O-War Harbour for close to high tide, as it's pretty shallow here. There was no wind at all when we left, so it was a pretty easy trip. We followed Passages again, so that made it even easier. The whole trip was just under 5 and-a-half nautical miles. We arrived around 10 AM.

As we came in the entrance to the harbor we were glad for high tide and we were glad we were following Ed. The entrance had hard rock bars on either side and was only about 40 feet across between the bars. The water was 9 feet at high tide. Low tide is not as low as normal right now, so at low tide now we would still have had about almost 7 feet. Come the full moon later this month that would be closer to 6 feet. We had no trouble. We had made reservations at the marina, so I called them. They let me know on which side to set up the dock lines, and then as we entered the harbor gave us directions to the slip. The dockmaster was waiting to help so we got into the slip and got tied up with no problems. Ed and Karin had more trouble with the mooring. The moorings are really tight here. They'd gone on one but were told they might be aground at low tide there. There was another one just outside of that they were told they could take. Unfortunately, another boat had anchored right there, despite being asked by the dockmaster not to anchor so close to the moorings. He was leaving, but in leaving he almost hit Passages and may have hit a trawler. Eventually they were set with their mooring, also.

After Ed and Bud both bought diesel ($6.15/gallon - cash, $6.35 credit) we all walked over to the new Heritage Museum they opened in town. Now I understand the narrow concrete streets we'd seen in Cherokee. They have them here, too, and everyone drives golf carts. We saw one tiny car and a couple of tiny trucks.

Loyalists settled this island after the American Revolution. It's the first Bahamian community I've been in where almost everyone is white. There seem to be about three family names on the island, and they still build boats here, something they've been known for 200 years. I took a picture of a traditional wooden boat under construction, but they also build fiberglass run-abouts at the Albury Boat Works.

The town is very neat; most of the houses have stone, cement or wooden fences around them. The streets are all about 15 feet wide; there are flowering bushes all over. They don't sell liquor here, so it is very quiet. The Atlantic side is lined with beaches, then a line of reefs. It's altogether beautiful and the most unique place we have been. And I have Internet on the boat!

It's 6:30 PM now, some dark clouds came over, but the wind is not over 10 knots. I don't know if this is the front or not. I guess we didn't have to hurry, but I'm glad we got here in time to spend the day. I added more pictures to the gallery. Oh, and Jon and Arline, Ed and Karin do remember you and Kasidah.