Feeding Time

Big Majors Spot

A group of pigs lives on a small beach on Big Majors Spot. These are just ordinary domestic farm pigs, but they are accustomed to being fed by the cruisers. As you approach the beach, they come out to see what treats you have. We offered bananas and sweet potatoes. They get a little excited and act like they will climb into the dinghy. Once they know the treats are gone, they return to the beach to lie in the sand and wait for the next feeding.

Diane (staying at a safer distance)

Staniel Cay

At Staniel Cay is Thunderball Cave, after which the James Bond movie was named. At low water, you can enter the cave without diving under. At high water, it is just a short stretch through the entrance. The fish expect to be fed. The fish pictured were impatient for me to open the ziplock bag to release the food for them. It only took seconds for them to devour all the food I brought.

Really Busy In George Town

We have had quite a change of pace since returning to George Town. We met Gerald and Diane off Thyme Off from Ottawa, and through them, Marty and Debbie off Bay Pelican from Chicago. The six of us have been almost inseparable, sharing meals and playing dominoes on each other's boats in the evening and participating in activities during the day. We have taken walks ashore, spent time at Volleyball Beach, tried different restaurants for lunch, got engaged in French Day, sponsored by the French Canadians, and learned how to play Bocce Ball. One evening, we had an ABBA night, watching and enjoying an ABBA DVD together. Marty and Deb are heading south to Trinidad this season, so we parted with them. Gerald and Diane need to be in Nassau toward the end of the month to pick up her brother, so we decided to travel back up the Exuma chain with them for a while before we return once again to George Town for the beginning of the Cruisers Regatta. As of this writing, we are at Black Point Settlement. It was good to see Lorraine again and introduce Gerald and Diane to her. We were her only guests for dinner last night, so she decorated our table for a one-day late Valentine's dinner.

Diane, Marty, Gerald

Willie Rolle

Willie's Garden of Eden

Loraine at Loraine's Cafe

Gerald announces sundown on the conch (being a trumpet player, he is very good)

After gracefully entering the dinghy

French Day Gerald and Diane

Bocce Ball

French Day

Linda, Norm, Debbie, Marty, Diane, Gerald

Yoga on the beach each morning (not shown - guys just hanging out)

Gone Fishing

Until very recently, we did not have fishing gear aboard. I couldn't decide exactly what I needed or wanted, so for well over a year, I have been procrastinating. The biggest obstacle has been there is no room on the stern to set up a rod for trolling and little spare room aboard to store fishing equipment. Shortly after we arrived in George Town, I attended a fishing seminar put on by a cruiser very knowledgeable on the subject. This really filled some huge knowledge gaps for me and inspired me to get moving. In George Town, the prices on the fishing gear, as with most everything else was too much. I found the fishing gear prices at a marine supply store on Long Island to be comparable to US prices and 1/3 to 1/2 less than in George Town and Nassau. I had decided with our cluttered stern situation and otherwise limited space aboard to go with a Cuban YoYo, which is a hand line. Our first opportunity to use the new gear was on our return from the northern tip of Long Island to George Town. This route crosses very deep water where the fishing is best. We had our line out for about one hour before we got a hit. We were under sail at about 7 1/2 knots, so first we had to slow the boat down. We rolled in the jib and then turned slightly into the wind. The Mahi Mahi on our line was absolutely beautiful, swimming and fighting in the crystal clear water. As soon as a Mahi Mahi is pulled from the water, they lose their beautiful colors.

We were traveling with Demon Du Midi, so we immediately invited them to a fish dinner. They subsequently caught a smaller Mahi Mahi. It was an all-around good day of sailing and fishing, finished with an excellent dinner and good company.