Last Days at Boat Harbour

Despite Vinces leg/foot injury, we have found ways to get around this inconvenience and it has not prevented us from having a good time with our friends here at Boat Harbour. Some of the activities that we really like to do are definitely out--walking and sailing included. But the boat DOES have a motor and we WERE able to leave the marina for several days and anchor out off beautiful Elbow Cay.

Water levels off most of this island are too shallow for our draft but there is a trough of deeper water running along much of the western length of the cay which we were able to access on a rising tide. When the water was 1’ above MLW we made our approach and gingerly inched across the shallow banks. At one point our depth sounder was recording only 8” of water under the keel and we held our breath. We didn’t get grounded but knew that if we had, there was still 1.5’ of tide to come in which would lift the boat up and off the bottom--and lots of help nearby--so it wasn’t the big concern it would’ve been if this had happened to us in the Exumas. We anchored in a pretty sheltered spot midway between Hopetown and Sea Spray Marina--an easy dinghy ride to both and very close to the Abaco Inn with its magnificent setting and good shelling beach. We chose this area because of its “comfortable facilities” for Vince--who is virtually immobile--and for its wonderful walking and shelling beach for me--who is not. The next morning, once Vince was comfortably ensconced with his book in a lounge chair at the beach, I set off to explore and gather, promising to “be careful” and to return before noon. We had arranged to meet up with two other couples from the boats “Diva” and “Fancy Bread” for lunch at the Inn and when I finally returned--hot and hungry with my “shelly treasures” from the beach--everyone had arrived and Vince had lots of company. We chose a table in a sheltered, shady spot on the balcony overlooking the pounding Atlantic surf and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon with good food, good friends and good conversation.

The next morning was more of the same. By 8:00am we were skimming along the water in our dinghy, heading for the restaurant at Sea Spray Marina where we had arranged to meet Margaret and Ben from “Diva” for breakfast. This establishment also had a big screen TV on site and we were able to watch the latest developments from Japan (earthquake, sunami, nuclear disaster) while waiting for our friends to arrive. When out on a boat, communications can be sketchy, so we were happy to have access to western media at this time and in this way. We toyed with our breakfasts for more than an hour and then Margaret and I set off to look for new treasures on the beach brought in by the previous nights tide. Ben, having no real interest in either shelling or an early morning walk, opted to stay with Vince. We left them comfortably stretched out in padded loungers by the pool. That afternoon both Diva and Fancy Bread headed back to Boat Harbour but we enjoyed yet another day at anchor before going back to our slip.

As the month of March comes to an end, most of the boats here are making plans to leave--either south to the Exumas, to other ports of call within the Abacos or “home” to North America. After having been “spoiled” by a wonderful winter here at Boat Harbour, everyone is reluctant to leave. But the slip rates rise substantially beginning April 1st and if we hope to be able to afford to return again next year, most of us have to vacate before they come into effect. Accordingly there has been an absolute flurry of activity in this place with event after event, party after party--the last “kick at the can” so to speak. On March 17th a St. Patricks Day extravaganza was held here with over 160 club members dining on corned beef & cabbage, key LIME pie, and an open bar all night long. There were games, prizes and dancing to the oldies with everyone dressed in anything and everything green. Another HUGE party took place a few days later at the Jib Room with a steak dinner, “rake & scrape” music, limbo etc. with yet another gathering--Chinese this time--at the Anglers Inn here tonight. There was a surprisingly good Art and Craft Show here last week consisting of pieces created exclusively by members of the club. Those who have been coming here for years bring various arts and crafts supplies with them when they return each season and meet together at least once a week to teach each other how to do various crafts. There were some really beautiful woven baskets, pieces of jewellry, sculpture and lots of paintings. My contribution was shell art which I’ve been working on over the past few months and it was encouraging to have so many people come over to my display and ask if they could take pictures of some of my pieces and if I would mind explaining how they were created.

As people begin to leave, there are special farewells. We were invited aboard “Odyssey” for coffee and dessert the night before they left with promises to get together over the summer. And “Tally Ho” will join us for dinner and cards aboard “Fortnight” tomorrow in anticipation of our departure. I’ve been madly getting in as many games of Mahjong as I can this week knowing that I may not find anyone else to play that game with again until we return next year. And luckily, even with his “bum leg” Vince can still accurately throw Bocci Balls. Its hard to get our heads around the fact that we’ll actually be returning home in just a few days to see everyone once again and celebrate Ernies 100th birthday. We DO look forward to that. But its good to know that we have “return” airline tickets and still almost two MORE months left to enjoy the sunny south after we leave Canada again in April!