Nassau

After suffering through sleepless nights and nervous exhaustion which marked the passage from Key Biscayne to the Bahamas, it was a welcome relief to spend a week re-cooperating in Nassau. We had arrived early in the morning of Dec. 27th to find a crowded harbour and many marinas full to capacity. Thankfully a slip was still available at Nassau Harbour Club Resort and Marina where we were able to tie up and “lick our wounds” in soothing surroundings. This relatively small facility offered tight security and personalized service. Their attractive free-form pool surrounded by lounge chairs was a magnet for cruisers like ourselves wanting simply to read, relax, and socialize. And directly across the street an upscale shopping plaza boasted a Starbucks, bookshop, grocery store and many more interesting shops offering a wide range of both essential and luxury items. We couldn’t have found a better place to tie up for a few days.

Initially, many of the other boats that had made the passage over had chosen to anchor out. But as the week wore on and weather threatened, one by one, many of our old friends made their way over to our marina and soon we found ourselves surrounded by familiar faces. What a great time we all had together! Heading off in a group for “safety in numbers,” we explored the main drag, enjoyed meals together at different restaurants, and even walked through darkened streets at 1:00am New Years Day to experience “Junkanoo.” This is a celebration not to be missed. Downtown streets are closed off, bleachers set up and the whole city turns out to cheer on the hundreds of exotic dancers, musicians and floats as the colourful parade makes its way along the streets.

By weeks end, our little group of fellow cruisers had “gelled” into a cohesive unit of fast friends and included “Carefree”(Florida), “Highlander”(Kentucky), “Sabbatical”(Alaska), “Allergic to Cities”(Colorado), “Propensity”(New Jersey) and “Fortnight”—the only Canadian in the crowd. And happy as we were to be heading back to Canada Jan2—12 to see family and friends after 5 months away, we were very sad to realize that this would also mean parting company with this little convoy of boats and cruising couples who would soon be heading off to the Exumas without us.

For us it was a difficult farewell. But the others promised to listen for us on channel 16 upon our return and to keep a lookout for our boat at various anchorages along the way. And hopefully, we’ll all meet up again at some point in the future. Until then, there are new friendships still waiting to be formed and other boats yet to buddy up with.