Holidays at Staniel Cay

Hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday, maybe with loved ones, maybe shoveling some snow…

Independence is at anchor just off the docks at Staniel Cay.  Our "cruising family" has remained together, and continue to be on the same basic schedule, at least until after the new year.  (Kaya made an earlier departure to make it to Georgetown for Junkanoo).

In the Bahamas, Boxing Day is the day after Christmas and a day the locals acknowledge—everything remains closed, it is a holiday.  The tradition of Boxing Day, comes from the days of British Loyalist who, on the day after Christmas, boxed up all the left-overs and gave them to the slaves, along with a day off.

On Christmas Eve, Paul & I went into town along with our friend, Sam, and joined an open-house gathering with ham, turkey, all the trimmings—hosted by a local family who invite all the islanders and cruisers every year.

The Scooter's have 4 family members visiting (staying on the island), and the DD's have 1 visitor on the boat.  In the "mi casa es su casa" tradition, we also share guests and join in many group activities and general hanging out.

On a day when the northeast wind was blowing with a big swell coming in on the windward side (eastern side of the Exuma chain), we all dinghied up to a place called Bubble Bath.  There is a natural pool formation on the western side of a cut out in the rocks, where the foamy breakers crash through when the seas are just right.  We try to hold our own & swim against the waves, immersed in the foamy bubbles.  Cries of "here comes a big one!" and "Is that all you've got???   Bring it!!"  echo around the inlet.  Our version of a water park…

We later snorkeled a drift dive and spotted some huge, beautiful spotted eagle rays.  Between all these activities, we talk about food and prepare for the next meal.

Christmas dinner we all went out (no one had to cook!)  I did spend the day fighting for the only working washing machine and drier at the marina, and ended up stringing up laundry all over Independence.  But now we have clean sheets, towels and clothes!

Nothing much more to report, but we are getting ready for the New Year festivities, which include an auction, a golf-driving contest (which I won for the Ladies division last year!—bought everyone drinks with the credit at the yacht club), a Bahamian C-class sloop regatta, and the cruiser's race.  Oh yes, and the annual Pirate Party.  Every year since Johnny Depp bought his island down here, we hope he will show up!

Well, with or without Johnny, we will all be extending you the warmest wishes for the end of 2009 and all the best for the year to come!

P& S

Independence

Staniel Cay, Exumas

R we having fun yet?

Woohoo!  Here we still are at Norman's Cay.  Why?  Because we like it!  Not because we are weathered in, by one cold front after another (as was the constant scenario last year)

The anchorage is comfortable, and roomy.  We are surrounded by many vessels, 4 of whom are good cruising pals.  Six of the 8 to 10 folks we are hanging with, are into either kite-boarding or wind-surfing, and so when the knot-reader indicates 13 or more knots of wind, out come the toys, and the water sports begin.  The remainder of us, most likely are hanging on the beach, playing scrabble, swimming, or  taking chase in a dinghy & rescuing a stray kiter who can't make it back to starting point.

The beers and snacks come out around 3, as we all, tired and happy, re-group on our beach chairs & blankets—dogs happily snug in the sand, after a day of romping and barking at the passing kite-boarders.
Another reason it is so pleasant for this activity, is that the winds, weather easterly or southerly merely blow the boards onto the beach or up into the shallow pond at the north end of the anchorage, not out to sea!

Yesterday (no wind, so the guys went spear-fishing), we wound up the day with an early pot-luck on the beach (which we now refer to as "our beach", and have built a nice table from the ruins of some shacks in the woods).  The meal was really more like this incredible cook-off, since everyone outdid themselves with delicious offerings.  This was the menu:  Carnitas (a Mexican pulled-pork taco with toppings), lasagna, beautiful wahoo/avocado sushi rolls, a creamy lobster casserole, conch salad, grouper fingers—fabulous!  The lobster, conch and grouper were all freshly harvested, the wahoo just a few days prior.

Then we sat around the small fire we made, sipping wine and playing catch-phrase, till the glasses were empty and our bellies full, we climbed into our dinghies and flashlight aimed our way back to our floating homes for a night of dreams and renewal.

Today, I managed a bike ride (Wayne & Sharon off-loaded their bikes yesterday), this being one of the
few cays to have a road (I use the word quite loosely).  The girls have also been starting each day on the beach with a yoga session, before paddling back to our boats on our kayaks for breakfast.

Paul has managed to hook us into a reasonable internet connection, using the Bahamas cell tower connections.  He has become the most important boat in this flotilla, as all our buddies vie for access & come visiting with their computers in hand.  The nearest cell tower is not too far off, so we are in luck right now.  It will change as we head south.

So, if all goes well, I will actually be able to send this off once again, and hope it reaches you all, so that you can give us a "hi, right back at ya"!

Wishing everyone good times and good health,

Sue and Paul
Independence
Bahamas

Hot December

Norman's Cay, Exumas

Our second anchorage, after leaving Nassau.  We arrived at our first stop- Alan's Cay on Tuesday, happy to be reunited with Different Drummer and Scooter, both cruising pals since our first year.

Falling in to familiar routines, we basically had the anchorage to ourselves, took off together in our dinghies for a morning of diving the reefs, and coming back with lobster and conch.  We shared a meal on Independence, and the following night a meal on DD.

I enjoyed some kayaking around the little cay, and dropped off my food garbage for the resident iguanas. (They particularly enjoyed the cabbage remains).

Deb had to fly home for business emergency, so DD headed south less than 10 miles to Compass.  We decided to follow as well, but cruised on the sound side, as the wind was mild and put out some fishing lines on the way down—fishing the wall.

Just as we were getting ready to come in the cut to the anchorage—zzzzzzzing! Fish on!
Landed a giant Wahoo to make all our friends we were meeting in the anchorage happy.  (No one as happy as Paul!)  In addition to gifts for their freezers,  dinner for 7 on Independence—fresh grilled Wahoo.

Now we are happily playing with Tina & Matt on Mattina (!) Bruce, the  bachelor for a week, Sharon & Wayne & some other cruisers enjoying this anchorage.  I say playing, because there is a perfect beach blanket bingo beach here—and when the wind is right, like this morning, some of the gang is kite-boarding or wind-surfing.  I am happy tooling around on my kayak & taking long walks.

Swimming with my hat & sunglasses to remind me to keep my face dry, as I am still waiting for the stitches to dissolve and all to completely heal before I risk immersion.

There is an airstrip on this island (used to be for the drug runner who owned the joint) and a restaurant that opens in the afternoon and serves $11 hot dogs and $12 burgers and fish fingers.  Well, it takes a lot to run a food joint in a god-forsaken place like this (generators breaking down continually, supplies being flown in, etc...)

So, island life..  thank you very much, I'll take it!  Be baking some bread soon—try out some new recipes.  So far no terrible fronts coming through, so the weather has been on it's best behavior!

Wish you all the best,
S & P
Independence