GEORGE TOWN WEEK 3

After a few days of enforced inactivity aboard Fortnight waiting for wind and waves to settle down, we finally awoke on Feb. 14th to calmer conditions. The highlight of this day was the big Valentines Dance at “Chat ‘n Chill”. We arrived early and enjoyed a delicious BBQ rib dinner out on the deck where we watched the sun set and were cooled by a balmy Bahamian evening breeze. As daylight turned to dusk, tiny lights suddenly appeared above the surface of the water as one by one, cruisers motored in to shore aboard their dinghies ready to “party-on” with “Rockin’ Ron” and his “Sounds of the 60’s.” Soon the shoreline was crowded with boats and STILL they continued to come. The tiny beach hut quickly filled up with laughing cruisers jostling each other for space at the bar and, when that was filled to capacity, they spilled out with drinks and friends onto the deck.

As the music heated up, so did the crowd. At one point I was sure the floorboards would buckle as cruisers twisted, gyrated and stomped frenzied feet to the pulsating rhythms of their youth. When I closed my eyes for a moment it was easy to slip back in time and, listening to the music and laughter, imagine that it was 1965 once again and feel that I was all of 19 years old. But with eyes wide open the only thing to be actually seen were balding heads, grey beards, white hair and the wrinkled faces of the aged—bodies bumping and grinding with “all the right moves!” And although they all seemed to be happily inebriated there was also something oddly “horrific” about the scene—as if time had played a cruel trick on us all. It was really weird!

The next morning many of the “oldsters” chose to sleep in but by afternoon it was action as usual with small groups back on the beach meeting to play cards, volleyball, weave baskets and schmooze with friends. This week we also got involved with a “gentle yoga” class which Vince especially is finding very beneficial and we continue to beachcomb, swim and snorkel.

I am also beginning to appreciate the definition of cruising as “fixing your boat in exotic locations” as:
1.) We continue to try to design and create a ladder which will allow me to climb from the water into the dinghy.
2.) The head backs up and Vince tries various ways to remedy the problem
3.) The Wind Generator needed to be re-wired
4.) The Battery is not charging properly and necessitated several trips by dinghy to spend money in the Napa store.
5.) One propane tank is empty and sits along with over 100 others from various boats, waiting for a promised refill that never comes.

None of this bothers Vince. He ENJOYS working on the boat. But I don’t. And when we spend the better part of a day anchored out with Vince happily engaged fixing things, it’s no fun for me. I use these times to read, write the blog and bake bread. But I have recently learned how to drive the dinghy and so in future may just “take off” alone to visit a friend or find things to do ashore which interest me.