December 26th

Boxing day

Another beautiful day here.  C & e are sad getting ready to go.  They are working on cleaning their shells they plan to take back.  For some reason a bunch of boats are coming over to our anchorage.  We were going to relocate to the other anchorage but may just hang here.  There is a bbq at volley ball beach today that Christian wants to go to.

I may take my computer and see if I can connect to send these posts.

We did move the boat to volleyball beach.  I think Christian and Elizabeth were happy to at least have the boat move even if to another anchorage.  We went to the pig roast at volleyball beach.  I learned to play dominoes.  Christian and Elizabeth drank gumbay smashes.  Christian said “ah yeah now this is the kind of rum drink I have been looking for.  It is rum and a bunch of other booze.  Was a laid back day. 

Christian helped me a great deal with this blog and helped kirk with the boat.  We will be sad to see them go.  Elizabeth helped me with general computer stuff like pictures. 

When we left volleyball beach the skates were there.  They come right up to you looking for food.  I couldn’t get away from it.  They thought that was funny.   Ha  not for me.   

Christmas Day

Christmas Day

 

We missed the Christmas service last night on volleyball beach as a storm blew through and I left the port open (so did bif) and we had a little fire drill with water everywhere.  Dumb us.  Oh well.  It was real windy and the ride back would have been a real wet one.  I am not sure how many if any went from our anchorage or not. 

 

So today was a play day.  I made beef burgundy and let it cook all day on and off to make it tender.  We went for a mile and a half walk on sand dollar beach (that is where we are anchored).  It was really cool.  Lots of sand bars, lots of sea life, Christian found two conch shells with no conch and brought them back.  We also found conch with the lovely little critter inside.

  

My they are something.  We waked around the point where the sand bars would just appear.  We could see the ocean.  Bif took lots of pictures. 

 

We had dinner with wendy, johnny, caeo, birdie and meya (the dog)  was a lot of fun and the kids are great.  Johnny and wendy are a wealth of knowledge.   Was a very different Christmas but very nice.

merry christmas

December 24^th, 2011

Christmas Eve is upon us.  The time is flying by with c & e.  I think they both have some sun poisoning.  Elizabeth is quite adventurous taking the dingy or kayak to go around points of the island.  It is still rough crossing the sound and kirk and I had a bumpy kinda dangerous ride back from town yesterday.  We were loaded down with groceries and laundry.  Christian caught a fish yesterday morning and that was great excitement.  First one caught since we left Maryland.  He has had fun fishing but now has sun poisoning on his hands and feet.  The weather is supposed to calm down today and we may move anchorage closer to volleyball beach as that is where the “service” is tonight.   I think they just sing Christmas carols and do a desert share afterwards.  Anyway should be fun.

I hope to get to town this morning and find some marshmellows to try and make fudge.  The store I was in yesterday only had fruit flavored ones   yuk   If not I have to figure out a desert.  The oven seems to work a little better but is a crappy oven and may never work like a real oven.  Same goes with the fridge and freezer.  Still working on figuring out if the French design of the doors (for looks) makes both the fridge and freezer not close like they should.  The both use a ton of electricity yet the freezer section of the fridge gets all iced over and doesn’t really freeze anything,  ah well  life of a cruiser.  Will check out different ones when have internet.  Also check out lagoon forums to see if anyone else has these issues.

We continue to listen to the weather forecast at 6:30 by chris parker to get an idea of what we can do next week.

Most nights we are in bed by 8 and asleep by 9.  Kirk is working hard at figuring out our next move.  Most likely will involve some overnight passages.    We shall see. 

As mimi used to say  merry ho ho

georgetown - exumas

Atlantis  (Nassau to Georgetown) Great Exuma Island

December 18^th to 20th

Due to a 24 hour break in the weather, it was decided that we would leave with the two other boats osprey and celillo and do an overnight passage leaving nassau Saturday morning to cross the flats with the sun overhead so you can see and dodge the rocks and coral heads in the flats then through shipping channel cut into the sound and sail all night to arrive in Georgetown Sunday morning.  Crossing the flats involved kirk on mast looking for rocks and coral heads and me at the helm.  Was a little nerve racking for me but kirk thought it was great.  Was a great night in the sound.  That is if you like sailing at night with no sleep trying to not nod off. Not as rough as any other conditions that we have seen while down here, in fact it was a beautiful night. Kaeo on osprey showed kirk the Bahamian welcoming star that changes colors.  We arrived in Georgetown early and had to motor around waiting on the sun to go through the cut to get into Georgetown. 

When going through the cut to get out of the sound and in the Elizabeth harbor some big rollers decided to head on in and broke about 20 feet in front of the boat.  Now that was a wake up call.  You had to follow your way points exactly.  Little tricky after no sleep but the excitement of finally being here was a charge.  I pooped out about 10 and slept till 12 did some chores and then we went to chat and chill.  Poor kirk was still so fired up that he did not fall asleep till that evening. 

Christian and Elizabeth arrived that evening and so life on ainulindale started to pick up. 

Yesterday after fixing the genset thank you Christian, we hiked part of the island (invite from osprey)  went to the highest point where a monument stands, saw the cut we came through with the breakers, hiked down the other side and walked along the sound (ocean) side for along time finding shells, traversing sand dunes, limestone cliffs, had a good time and then a very very wet but hysterical dingy ride back to the boat.

Today,after working on the dingy engine, Christian and elizabeth took the dingy to shore to snorkel and swim and explore.  Kirk and I had a day off of doing nothing.  I had another mac lesson from Christian so I am getting used to this computer.  I will get another one when we go to town and have internet.  Oh I guess I did not mention that we have no internet, we are in an anchorage that is protected as the winds were gusting to 30 and we have to get the water taxi to take us to great exuma  (gerorgetown) for supplies and internet.  Hopefully going tomorrow.

We were invited to the Christmas dinner at volleyball beach where all the cruisers hang out but declined as we are just getting settled and do not have many supplies on board.  Also wanted to spend time with c & e.

Today Christian put on the new gas orifice for the oven so we may even be able to bake something for Christmas dinner. 

If I do not get to town again before Christmas I hope everyone has or had depending upon when you read this post a wonderful holiday filled with peace and joy. 

Nassau - Atlantis

Atlantis

December 15^th to the 18th

We spent 4 days in Atlantis.  The place was wild.  I had a blast watching wendy and johny’s two children caeo and birdie goes down the slides at the water park.  The aquarium was unbelievable.  I have never seen rays or so many different kids on sharks.  We hiked over the bridge as Atlantis is on “paradise island” and there is not much on there of stuff we needed.  The hike over the bridge was neat as you could see a long way.  We found the marina store and bought some explorer charts and  a few other things.  We did not know we were two blocks from the grocery store. Also two blocks from where the boat  celillo was tied up. 

During the weather blow we holed up in and got work done we did finally put the dingy down and went across the channel and got groceries. The people watching was unbelievable as people form all over the world were in this resort.

pictures on the way to nassau