Sunday, April 3, 2011

Ambling Around the Abacos

It has been more than a week since Carrie left and we have a few more days before George and Deb get here.  With the anchorages in the Abacos so close together we feel we’ve done our exploring and so we are getting lazy and slothful (some would say Glen had a good head start.)  We went back to our perfect spot at Man O War but we were run out by a change in the direction of the wind.  We headed to Treasure Cay – which has a big marina and a huge anchorage for cheapos likes us.  We pay $10 per day for the use of their facility.  Not bad when you learn condo guests are paying several thousand per week and sit at the same pool as us.
So, ennui has set in – a word we use quite often in the crossword puzzles we do while we are drinking pina coladas in a pool lounge chair.

Ho hummm
After 6 days there we finally moved our lazy butts.  Nippers, at Great Guana Cay has been advertising the “Barefoot Man” concert and people who’ve been here in past years say it is not to be missed.  Our only challenge was that the weather was awful.  The winds were coming from the west at 25 to 35 and there is not much protection in Guana from the west.
So we decided to bite the bullet and crack open the wallet to pay for dockage.  Well dang, wouldn’t you know it, others thought of that before us and the marina was full.  We battled through a storm much like the one Skipper and Gilligan fought with crazy squall activity dropping buckets of rain.  But, don’t despair, dear reader.  The winds were due to die by evening and so we took a chance and anchored in a spot that would be protected… later on… maybe.
We were only at anchor for an hour before we began to see the weather improve.  So, off we dinghied to Nippers and the Barefoot Man concert.  Rumour had it that Jimmy Buffett was going to make a cameo appearance.  Well, Jimmy wasn’t there but his following was!  There were crazy get ups, sequined bikinis, more scantily-clad young girls, lecherous men throwing beads at pretty women.  It was awful for Glen!  He was, again, very uncomfortable.  We listened to Barefoot and watched the antics for over 4 hours.  We’ve seen Barefoot on YouTube – you should listen to “Alice” (our sensitivities prohibit us from quoting that kind of language), “Ride the Ferry,” and another one about, “How can I kiss those lips at night that chewed my *ss out all day long?”

Barefoot Man!

Barefoot dancin

Disgusting... Glen can hardly look. 
We finally left, wondering if our boat would be closer than when we left, perhaps blown up on some beach but there she sat where we left her, bobbing gently in the light breeze.  Faith and begorough – the winds had shifted to the north from the west so we were in the lee of the island and they died from 30 to 5 or 10.  HAH!

Careful getting into the dinghy!

 

Man O War Fire Department
We are looking forward to touring George and Deb around the local spots and then exploring Green Turtle, Manjack and Powell Cays in the northern Abacos.  We will be watching the weather carefully for a weather opportunity to head back over the top of Grand Bahama to Great Sale Cay, Memory Rock and then over to Florida.
Hard to believe we are heading back to put Blue Pearl to bed for the summer.  We are getting excited about seeing friends and family after six months.


End of another perfect day!


4 comments:

  1. All those years of working paid off - what a wonderful retirement!

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  2. Ok.....after 3 straight months of rain it is getting hard to look at all the sights the two of you are enjoying.....and while Jimmy didn't show up....Pam....be careful of the "Land Sharks!" We saw George two days ago....he couldn't get the smile off his face, knowing he was heading Southeast to join you folks.....enjoy the company and please bring some sun back North of 49 with you.

    Good times and riches...

    Bruce

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  3. Time running out, windward ho and safe sail back. November comes fast. it's been a great read.

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  4. Jon and Arline LibbyApril 14, 2011 at 7:45 PM

    Hi guys, just looking at your blog and realized you might meet up with some friends of ours on a trimaran, Dick and Ann S/V Grey Hound. If you do say Hi for us. We are back in New York and it is cold but I love the view of Lake Ontario and the bay right from our summer home both sides, "it doesn't get any better than this in the summer up here"
    Kasidah is back in the yard at Indiantown. It was very sad there the day after they pulled us Ben, one of the travel lift guy's drowned and there wasn't much we could do to help look for him because of all the gators, Very very sad.
    Anyhow on a better note hope the rest of your trip is filled with adventures and that we might meet again. Jon and Arline

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