Leaving Georgetown

We'll be leaving Georgetown in the next few days to head north, but we're leaving with mixed feelings. While we know it's definitely time to go, our stay here has been so enjoyable for a number of reasons.

The Bahamian people have really captured our hearts with their open arms and friendliness. They are extremely courteous and helful. The children, who all wear uniforms to school, are so cute and polite, greeting us with "Good afternoon" without fail. Not all places welcome cruisers with the enthusiasm of the Bahamians we've met in the Exumas. The only other place we felt this way about was South Bimini. While we have mixed feelings about the highly structured nature of the cruising community in Georgetown (I think some people do nothing but monitor the VHF all day to ensure nobody is breaking the accepted guidelines), it is very active in the local community. A nurse on one of the boats even takes the blood pressure and sugar readings for "Mom," THE source for fresh baked goods. As the nurse was planning to leave Georgetown, she actively looked for someone to take over for her.

Our experience with Bahamians has left us amazed at their enthusiasm in all they do. I may have mentioned in a previous entry that they speak with two separate dialects - one is proper English that is used with foreigners and the other is BD (Bahamian dialect) that they use with each other. While they speak to us in a familiar manner, when they speak with each other, it is fast, LOUD (they love yelling at each other across stores and streets) and, while still English, sometimes totally incomprehensible. The accent and phrasing is unique and one needs to really listen to follow along! I even bought a book called "More Talkin Bahamian". Whenever I've brought up something I learned it the book, the Bahamians crack up and are very excited that we've taken a glimpse into their world.

While some cultures frown on getting their pictures taken, I've found that the Bahamians get extremely tickled about it. The mother of the little boy whose picture I posted previously is still excited that I put it on the internet. The first time I ran into her in town afterward, that was the first question she asked. (By the way, the little boy is still a big flirt and I get a big kiss and hug each time I see him!) I always ask permission before taking the picture and always show them how it turned out. They invariably get a big kick out of it. So, when I post some of the pics taken around town, please know that they all endorsed them. In fact, during the Family Regatta, one gentleman was quite insistent that I take numerous pictures of him. (Of course, his hops level was pretty high!)

Aside from the culture, it is easy to see why cruisers end up staying here so long - it's very convenient. Once you learn the supply boat schedule, the local markets carry just about anything you need (sometimes at a high price, but when you're really craving Doritos, it doesn't seem insane to pay $4.50 for the small bag or $7 for the large one). Curiously, the beef is reasonably priced and the hamburger incredibly lean. So, we've enjoyed grilling steaks and have satisfied our craving for tacos! They also have a government medical/dental clinic that is within walking distance and very cheap. I ran out of bp meds and also needed a tetanus shot, so we went in to see if they could help. The total cost for the office visit, two filled prescriptions and the shot was $46! The following week, I developed an abscessed tooth and fortunately the dentist was in town - $36 total (though I did have to fill another prescription in town). Yesterday I went to see about getting refills for the trip home and didn't even have to pay for a visit, just $20 for the meds. My Blue Cross co-pay was more than that! Exuma also has one of the largest airports outside of Nassau and New Providence and they operate on time. Sara's flight was within 10 minutes of its scheduled time and she was in and out of Customs in very short order.

But, one of the main causes for our mixed feelings on leaving is leaving the friendships we've developed. Valt and Sandy, whom we first met on Little Farmers, are some of the happiest and friendliest people we've met. While I was down with the tooth, Sara met them independently and they showed her a great time. The same with Richard, whom we first met on Stanley Cay. But of all the terrific people we've met and spent time with, the two we'll miss the most are Ann and Mike (s/v Mojo). They're so warm and friendly that we bonded in a very short time and now they feel like family. We love spending time with them and laugh till we cry. After sailing other boats on and off for over 24 years, they sailed Mojo from Ireland and will soon begin their journey home. We are really looking forward to visiting them in Ireland (though we won't be sailing there!)

All of the above being said, the one thing I will NOT miss about Georgetown is the ritual soaking we get in the dinghy each time we leave through the opening to Victoria Harbor. We inevitably hit 2' chop, 1' of which ends up in the dinghy. Thankfully, the last week we've had the big boat anchored in Kidd Cove, just outside the entry to Victoria Harbor, so it's a short ride to clean, dry clothes!

Our current plan is to leave tomorrow or Monday and head to Cat Island (home of Sidney Poitier-sp??), then to Eleuthra and on up to the Abacos before crossing to St. Mary's, GA. We will be pulling the boat out of the water to work on annual maintenance and other projects we successfully avoided tackling in Georgetown. It's my understanding that the other islands all have numerous facilities along the way, so we should be able to stay in touch on a regular basis.

Until our next anchorage, we'll leave you with a few more postings for the pics we took during Sara's visit, the 56th annual Family Regatta (all traditional Bahamian sloops) and the Rake-n-Scrape we went to with Ann, Mike, Stuart and Kelly (before they left us for Trinidad). Rake-n-Scrape is uniquely Bahamian music using traditional instruments along with washtubs, saws, spoons, etc. It's very lively and will get even the shyest dancers swinging their hips!

Hope you enjoy the pics!