Looking for sea glass and finding it

Sunday April 22nd we went back to Church today, Greg and Jack joined us.  George called and the church bus picked us up at Mangoes Marina.  The guy that was driving the bus was one of our favorite people at church.  It was another great service at the New Vision Ministries. I needed another uplifting message as this was another sad day for me. My brother was on my mind a lot for it was a year ago today that he passed.   However, after the service was over I felt myself feeling a little happier.  I was remembering a lot of good Jerry memories. It was a hard day but because of some good friends and fellowship I made it through.  It was also my nephew’s birthday.  So a belated shouts out to Bryan Parks for a happy birthday.  Sunday night Jerry and Bryan took us out to eat at Mangoes.  It didn’t realize until writing the blog that the names of my brother, Jerry and his son, Bryan was the same as our friends who had joined us for a few days. Not only the names were the same but also how they spelled Bryan.

pizza at Mangoes Restaurant 

Monday April the 23 we had another beautiful day.  We walked to the grocery store and we had Spaghetti on Indulgence.

spaghetti on Indulgance

Tuesday April 24^th Bryan and Jerry got a weather window again and left to go to south to the Berry Islands.  Two other special people left on their boat on Tuesday morning. I did not realize that Henry and Enny were leaving.  When we looked out the port holes we saw Enny taking in the lines. When we first docked Celebration, Henry came out to greet us.  He is also the reason I can blog and get on the internet.  He sold me an antenna booster for my computer.  Enny would always signal sunset by blowing her conch when they were on the boat.  She had the prettiest sound when she blew her shell. I have a video of her blowing the shell but I can't upload it to my computer.  I am wanting for technical support from Scott and Courtney.  I hope to have it on the next blog.

  She also could hold the sound the longest.  I hated to see them leave but we hope to see them again next year.  Jack and Greg fixed grilled fish topped with Mango Salsa that night.  We ate at the pavilion. 

Jerry's 25 foot Morgan 

Farewell Photo 

Wednesday April 25, Charlotte and Lynda flew in to Treasure Cay.  We had Sundowners and Fajitas on Celebration that night. Now maybe Jack and Greg will behave.  Just kidding!

Thursday April 26^th we all went to the beach to look for sea glass.  We found the mother load.  We all came back with a good size bag of sea glass.  Even the guys got into finding sea glass.  Sea glass is glass that has been in the water for at least 30 years.  It is tumbled in the waves and sand until it looks frosted.  You can buy jewelry that is made from sea glass.  I like to pick up my own and have it made into jewelry because it makes it special.  It is usually hard to find. The beach where we went on Thursday was very isolated.  We were all very tired from picking up sea glass….Don’t laugh it is hard work bending over time and time again. I think we were all worried that we might not be able to move the next day.  We cooked hamburgers, made some slaw and potatoes.  It is hard to beat a hamburger cooked on the grill.

Taking our lunch to the beach

A view of the water while looking for sea glass.

George is getting into it!

Greg is really getting into it!

Friday April 27 Martini and her crew left the docks for Green Turtle Cay.  We stayed back to get the boat ready for Courtney and Scott.  We had spread our stuff all over the boat.  So we had to condense our stuff to make room.  Charlotte and Greg will be going with us to the Exumas, weather permitting, after Courtney and Scott leave.  So we had to make room for our additional crew.  We are so excited about seeing Scott and Courtney!  A little disappointed because it is suppose to rain through Monday, but as they say, it’s always beautiful in the Abacos.

Excited about seeing Scott and Courtney!

George and Freida

Kisses on the cheek

Thursday April 19, 2012 was another beautiful day.  The group wanted to rent a car and go for a drive, but by the time we all got together it was ten o’clock, so we just walked to town.  That evening Martini provided the meal. We were to meet at the outdoor pavilion at 6:00 for drinks and dinner at 7:00.  Jack promised entertainment.  That had everyone worried!!  Well as it turned out Bryan plays the guitar and sings.  Jerry plays the ukulele.  Then we had an unexpected guest entertainer drop in, Jimmy.  Jimmy is the owner of the Marina and the restaurant.  He is from Columbia.  He plays the guitar and sings.  He sang a song in French.  He is quiet a character, he kisses all the girls on the dock.  When you see him coming you better get ready.   It is just a peck on one cheek and then the other.  I guess he thinks it is good  PR.  I met his wife the other day, and as he was introducing us …..Yes, he was kissing me on the cheek.  A Sing along is always great fun! 

Jack the prefect host  while Greg is cooking on Martini

Bryan with his guitar 

Jimmy got in on the action! He is the kisser!

Friday April the 20 Bryan and Jerry left to go south on their boat, High Hopes.  There was a pretty big blow coming in and they wanted to get to Little Harbor before it got here. 

High Hopes as she leaves the docks with her dingy , Low Expectations  following behind.

As for the other six, we headed off to Guana Cay, home of the famous Nippers.  Not much action at Nippers but always a beautiful beach. We are going back to Nippers when Courtney and Scott get here.  We will go on a Sunday when they have their big pig roast. We all look for sea glass even though we had been told we would not find any because of the way the winds were blowing.  I did find one piece in the surf.  After a long walk on the beach we went to Grabbers. The hammocks were just too inviting. As we returned to the marina we saw High Hopes back in their slip.  They said the head winds were just too much so they came back here to ride out the weather. 

The gang at Nippers

Beautiful Beaches

Jack

Greg

My view from my hammock

Saturday April the 21 st was a very restful day.  We walked to the grocery store for a few items before the rain started.  Everyone was to come to Celebration for Georgia Shrimp and Bahamian lobster.  Jack had bought some banana bread and gave me a loaf.  I am not superstitious but I do not like bananas on my boat.  So I made some banana bread pudding.  It was really pretty good.  The rain started just before everyone got here.  We served eight people on the boat.  Good Times, Good Food and Good People!

Dingy found in Gulf Stream

Monday April 16, Jack called about 10:00 and he and Greg will be coming in at about 12:00.   Jack and Greg came in right at low tide and there was not enough water.  Therefore they decided to “park” Martini just about half way into the slip, have a beer and then finish docking the boat an hour later.  Hey, it worked!  You have to understand when you dock a boat there is this unexplainable urge to drink a beer.  We ate on Indulgence on Monday night.  It was Joan’s and John’s last night.  They were going to start making their way North on Tuesday.  I really enjoyed visiting with them.  I feel like we may see them again next year.  Maybe we just might surprise them and go visit in Newfoundland.  I know it is beautiful up there from what they described.  Of course it will be in June July or August.  Have a safe journey my friends.

Living the dream

George and Freida

conversation and sundowners on Celebration

Tuesday April 17^th we got up early and walked to Jammie’s, a local dive, for breakfast. Good breakfast and great coffee! On the way to breakfast we stopped by Changing Lanes to see if Joan and John were ready for us to throw them their lines.  They were not and they said they would not go till we got back.  When we returned from breakfast they were just getting back from the bath house and were ready to go.  You are a little sad to see some one leave, but mainly you are really glad you got to meet them.  You are also praying for a safe journey.  Moving on is part of the cruising. Dinner that night was Pecan Crusted Salmon on Celebration. 

Jack's new dingy

A little post note.  I am not sure how many of you read the blog last year but you may remember some conversation about how small Jack's dingy was.  Well guest what he found in the middle of the gulf stream ....A bigger Dingy.  It had barnacles growing all over the dingy. He and Greg pulled it behind Martini all the way to Marsh Harbor.  It only had one paddle. 

Wednesday April 18^th we got up and as usual, the first objective of the day is to make coffee and then eat cook our eggs and toast. After we finished Jack and Greg came by to tell us they had caught up with Jerry Harden.  Jerry was one of the group that sailed over the first year George and Jack came over in 2008. They wanted to go eat breakfast so we tagged along for another cup of coffee.  Jerry is from Tennessee.  He is very interesting to talk to.  The only thing I knew about Jerry was a statement he made to George in 2008 when George asked him why he did not have a chart plotter on his boat.  Jerry replied, George, there are two things you need to know about me, one is that I am frugal and the other is that I am cheap.  His boat is a 25 foot Morgan.  His jib is hanked on.  There are some sailors that choose to be minimalist.  Minimalists believe that less is better.  Some even take out the engine and only sail.  Some will have kerosene lights instead of lights that work off your battery.  I feel Jerry must be a minimalist.  He does have a motor but has only used ten gallons coming from Florida to Marsh Harbor. 

Jerry Harden

That afternoon, Mike from the boat next to us, Jack, Greg, Jerry, Bryan, John and Carolyn gathered on Celebration for conversations and cold ones, the more the cold ones the better the conversations.  Greg, Jerry, Bryan George and I went for ribs later that evening. 

Rib night  and no I did not eat all those ribs.

Enjoying old Friends and new ones,

George and Freida

New Friends from Newfoundland

Wednesday April 11 2012

It was a work day on Celebration.  Yes we have those.  George wanted to change the transmission oil, change motor oil, primary fuel filter, secondary fuel filter, and the engine oil filter.  Before we started on that we took the dingy over to the small wholesale grocery store.  Don’t get excited they sell a lot of things in bulk but the prices are not that great.  We did buy some more lobsters in order to have some when Scott and Courtney get here.  After we did that, well mostly after George did that, we took a shower.  We ate Mahi Mahi with mango salsa on Indulgence.  

changing oil

Thursday 12

Today was wash day.  George also finished changing he oil.  We expected it to rain all day but never did.  We cooked lobster on Celebration.

lobster ready for the pot

cooking Celebration Potatoes

We were a little worried about our buddy boat from last year, Martini.  They crossed over to West End on Monday morning.  We get their spot. A spot is a satellite communication signal that sends the longitude and latitude position of the boat, to your friends email account.  We had not gotten one from them since that morning.  It was dark and we were concerned.  We had received a call earlier that evening but the signal was too weak to connect the call.   We looked on the internet to see if they had sent another spot but they had not.  I could tell George was getting a bit nervous.  He had printed out the weather for them because they can not get weather from the anchorage where they were.  He carried it with him to read to them incase they called. At 8:30 PM Martini called and said they had just anchored at Allen Pensacola and had experienced 30 to 35 knot winds that day. The Whale Cay pass is going to be rough to cross for the next several days so it may be Monday or Tuesday before we see them.  When you sail you must have patience, never get in a hurry, and always enjoy where you are. 

Friday April 13, 2012 was, as Winnie the Pooh would say “a very blustery day”.  The winds blew and there was a 70 percent chance of rain.  It never rained.  We had met a really nice couple in Tiger Point Marina when we were having Celebration’s bottom painted.  They are from Newfoundland, Canada. His name is  also John  (we have way too many Johns) and her name is Joan.  Their last name is Lane, and their boat is named Changing Lanes.  We saw them again when we were in St. Augustine, and again after we crossed in West End. You often times run into people several times while cruising about. We talked to them on Thursday when they came in from the Berry’s Islands.  They had made their way from West End to the Berry’s then back around to the Abaco’s.   They invited us on their boat on Friday afternoon.  Joan had just taken out some Scones from the oven. We talked until about 3:00.  I have said this before but it is so true, I think the most interesting part of cruising is the people you meet and the sharing of experiences.  They later joined Carolyn, John and us for dinner at Curly Tails.  They shared some awesome stories about some of they experiences off Newfoundland shores.  One story was about ice bergs.  I did not realize how close the Titanic was to Newfoundland when is went down.  They talked about how beautiful icebergs were with water falls on them.  They also talked about how the icebergs would roll and they would break apart sending big waves for miles.  The other very interesting story was about the whales that circled their boat.  They explained they were so close they could smell the fishy breath of the whales.  They have lived there all their lives and these are rare occurrences.  

Saturday April the 14^th was another blustery day but beautiful.  The temperature was in the high 70’s with a cool breeze blowing.  The girls, Joan, Carolyn and I had gathered to take a walk to the town and the grocery store.  The guys did the same but they were headed in opposite direction to the fishing store. As the women were headed back to the boat we noticed the three guys coming down a side road.  We had stopped by Johnny Cash’s and his wife’s art stand on the way to the store. Yes, his name is Johnny Cash. There was a painting of the Hope Town light house that really caught my eye. We stopped again on the way back, I bought the painting.  After I bought the painting, he explained they were trying to make money to bring her children for Thailand.  They had to be small children for she looked be in her thirties.  We cooked a “combination” dinner.  Joan fixed dessert and bread, Carolyn fixed a cheese and tomato salad.  I fixed squash casserole, chicken, fried green tomatoes, and green beans.  Joan and John are really a fun and interesting couple.  We all decided to meet at 10:30 to go to Church.

Johnny Cash

  Jack had call to get the weather report from George. George looked on the internet and called him back.  I think they will travel to Green Turtle Cay tomorrow and if the seas are a little better they will make the Whale Cay passage on Monday. 

lunch on S V Changing Lanes

Sunday April the 15^th was a beautiful day.  We got up and got ready for church.  This time because Joan and John joined us, we were 6 in number so we took a taxi.  We were greeted again with smiling faces and warm hearts. The sweet little old English lady that told Don last week that he looked  ”smashing” remembered us as well as several other people. The lay minister, Ted came up to greet us. We introduced him to Joan and John.  We told them he was also the local pharmacist.  He said, “Yes, I am the lay minister on Sunday and the local drug dealer during the week”. I looked around as I was drinking my coffee and felt very comfortable.  The church is a mixture of all types of cultural and economic back grounds, as well as a few people from the States who winters in the Bahamas. The church is a diverse and close knit community.  When the music starts you can not help but get into the music.  It is very different from the church service I am used to, but George and I really love the music and the preaching.  Ted, the pharmacist delivered the message this week and did a great job.  We were really hungry after church so Carolyn and I got some cold cuts together and bought it to S.V. Changing Lanes where John and Joan had prepared some home made soup.  You know anyone from Newfoundland can make some soup!  It was great!  That night we went to pizza night at Mangoes and had seafood pizza!! 

In front of the Church

our view from the dinner table

Jack called and they are at Green Turtle.  Martini will be in Marsh Harbor tomorrow. 

We are excited about seeing them.

Easter Sunday in the back of a pick up truck.

Saturday April 7, 2012

Carolyn and I walked to the grocery store early.  George was still working on the stainless.  A lot of our dock mates were doing the same thing.  Sunday is Easter and everything will be closed as well as Monday which they call Easter Monday.  I feel this holiday should be introduced in the States. As we walked back we stopped in to see if Don was in his shop to let him know we really wanted to go to church with him.  On his notepad attached to his door it read “be back Monday”. We still hoped that he would be back to go to church and the note was about his business.

 Earlier this week Carolyn and John met someone in a catamaran who was from their hometown in North Carolina, Gloria and Jim. He makes jewelry out of sea glass that he picks up on the beaches.  I have some sea glass that I have picked up but always have someone else make the jewelry.  He was going to show some of his jewelry at the pavilion near the marina.  He was meeting another lady that was from Guatemala who knits her jewelry.  Carolyn and I tagged along.  Then Ennie, the lady from the boat next to ours also showed up with bracelets that she makes.  It was quite interesting.  I got a lot of good information on making jewelry.  I may just try to make some if I am lucky enough to find some more sea glass.

ON ELBOW CAY BEACH

Easter Sunday April 8 2012. I woke up this morning with a tear in my eye and a deep sadness in my heart.  Today was Jerry’s, my brother, birthday and he died last year on Good Friday. In addition this was my first Easter away from my children.  But God knew my needs and provided a wonderful man, Don who had offered to take us to his church.  We told him we would love to go but was not sure if he had remembered.  We showed up at his workshop/house at 10:15, he had told us last week that he left for church at 10:30. I was a little nervous about going.  At about 10:30 he stepped out to see four people dressed in their Sunday best, at least the best they had on the boat.  He had a smile on his face.  I think we surprised him but he was happy to see us.  He had to go back in to put up his motorcycle key and get his truck key. From what he said, he must have another place where he lives besides above his workshop.  George and John hopped in the back of his pickup truck and Carolyn and I in the front and off we went. This will be my first non denominational church service. When we got there he said,” we are a little early but I like to talk to people”.  We walked in and the sanctuary looked more like we might see a rock concert than a Church service, but as we met the people we really started to feel at home.  The music was really great.  Three guitars, in which two were played by two of the ministers, a set of drums, 4 women vocalist and the two ministers who played the guitars also sang. Very up lifting music. It was really the type of church service I needed.  The message was also great.  The preacher had a good bit of humor in his message.  I understood why Don felt at home in this church.  I think George and I have found our church away from home.  After Church we ate leftover steak from the Jib Room.  Then I started preparing our Easter feast.  Carolyn cooked the roast and tea, Jan brought stuffed celery and deviled eggs.  I made cream corn and okra that I had put up this summer, butter beans and peach cobbler.  Everyone came to our boat about 5:00.  It was also a bon voyage for Jan and John B.  They are headed to Cat island, Nassau and then to the Exumas.  We may see them again as we are going to the Exumas in about three weeks. It was a bitter sweet day but as George said, “it was an Easter that we will never forget.”

ON THE WAY TO EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES

Monday, April 9^th 2012 we expected John Tucker, Captain of Bone Fish in Brunswick.  He was to fly in on business on Sunday and have lunch with us on Monday. He charters bonefish fishing adventures out of Moore’s island.  He has a beautiful power cat that keeps in Brunswick when not on a charter.  Bone fishing is really a big sport in the southern Florida and the Bahamas.  We ate at curly tails and had a nice visit.  I learned a lot about bone fishing.  You use a fly rod and you wade out in the shallow water.  John is a graduate from Ga. Tech and has been a fly fisherman since he was young.  A lot of people turn their hobby in to a business after they retire.  Good way to stay busy during retirement.  That evening, all of the boaters said good bye to Gloria and Jim at Mangoes Restaurant, as they were headed back to North Carolina the next day. I sat next to Bill, the doctor from last year that worked on our Windless.  I learned he was not originally from Australia, he was from Southern Alabama.  He explained that he received a scholarship from Oxford and from Australia and chose Australia.  He continued to explain that his mom was not very happy about his choice. He told his mother it was only going to be a year or two of course that ended up being more than a few. He practiced medicine in Australia until moving to the Bahamas. His mother was from South Carolina.  When he talked about his mother he would imitate a prefect South Carolina accent, all the other times of course, he sounds like an Australian.  We talked a lot about government red tape and why he gave up medicine and ended up in the Bahamas. The people you meet and get to know are the true treasures.  The evening was a lot of fun. 

Dinner with dock mates at Mangoes 

Jim and Gloria from North Carolina

Tuesday April 10 was the day we had picked out to take the ferry to Hope town.  We wanted to look for sea glass.  John and Carolyn had never been so it was a fun trip. We wanted to go to the Abaco Inn but the courtesy van was not working.  We had heard a week ago that the van was broken but I thought it would be fixed by now.  Nothing moves fast in the Bahamas.  So we checked into renting a golf cart but decided we could walk.  The man at the golf cart places said it was only two miles form town.   We had lunch at Capt. Jack’s, my favorite restaurant in Hope Town. After lunch we started our hike up to the Abaco Inn.  We walked and walked and walked we had gone about 2 miles so we thought we were almost there when we meet some other people walking and asked how far it was to the Inn.  They told us it was about 2 miles.  They said don’t worry there is a Bar on the beach about 100 feet ahead.  So while George and John refreshed with a cold one Carolyn and I went to the beach too hunt for sea glass.  We did find a few good pieces.  After walking back to town we went by Vernon’s Bakery and bought a world famous key lime pie.  On the ferry we meet up with Bill again and he offered us a ride home.  The ferry dock is about 1 ½ mile from mangoes dock where Celebration is. You have to understand we have walked all day. He told us it would be a little tight in the back seat.  George elected to walk and then and only then did he let me take the key lime pie.  George mentioned something about 1 mile walking would erase the calories from 1 beer.  Anyway, we were all so tired when we got back Celebration we served Easter leftovers.  

On the Hope Town Beach ( Elbow cay)

Beautiful Hope Town

some of the flowers I have never seen

The real curly tail

A beautiful sign to us after our long walk.

sweet rolls, sweet people but no sea glass

Tuesday April 3^rd though April 5th

Tuesday April the 3rd we walked over to the beach, which is really a rocky beach.  We were looking for treasures, sea glass or shells. We found a lot of conch shells but the end had been cut off in order to retrieve the conch meat.  No sea glass was found because you need to be on the ocean side to find sea glass. We stopped back by Don’s place just to take a picture of his workshop.  I decided that maybe you all needed to see the outside of his shop.  During our conversation with him I asked if there were any Easter services for the Cruisers.  I was really hoping for a sunrise service.  He invited us to go to church with him.  After we said that would be nice, I looked over at his transportation and realized we would be riding in a truck that would hold two people in the front and maybe three in the back of the pick up truck.  Guess some of us will be riding in the back of a pick up truck to Easter Services.  I think it will be a great experience. 

Don's Workshop

Wednesday April the 4th we went to Man-O-War Cay. Smooth seas but may have some weather coming in so we just picked up a mooring ball for the day.  The first stop of course was Lola’s bakery.  She has the best and biggest sweet rolls.  She was not happy today because her phone had been out over night and she has a daughter in the states.  She drives her golf cart around the town as everyone else.  As we left Lola’s we meet a lady picking flowers.  She welcomed us to the island and asked if we were going to be there Easter Sunday.  She said there was going to be a sunrise Service on the beach.  I really was sad that the weather was coming in during the weekend.  We told her we could not stay but thanked her for her invitation.  She was originally from Louisiana.  She was a cruiser and fell in love with Man-O-war Cay and bought a cottage there.  This is the Cay that was also settled by the Tories.  The people who are native to the island still speak with a British accent.  They are very religious and do not sell any alcoholic beverages on the island.  This cay is also known for boat building. Very nice people, I can understand falling in love with this place.  We again looked for sea glass. This beach was not rocky as in Marsh Harbor. It had some rock but mostly sand.  It was mid tide so not much luck with the sea glass.  Before we left the island we went back by Lola’s to pick up some rolls and conch fritter mix we bought earlier.  It was a great trip back and another good docking by Captain George.  We had another beautiful day and sundowners on Indulgence. 

Her bakery is in her home, in which we only saw one oven.

The sweet roll they are big but you should always buy two.

Lola and Martin

John and Carolyn discussing the camera 

This picture proves I was on this trip,

A lucky camera shot

Thursday April 5 was a work day.  I washed and George polished the stainless.  Well, until lunch we worked.  After that we got ready for a big blow that was coming.  Ray the Dock Master came around to check all the boats and secure them. 

On Good Friday April 6 every thing was closed.  Carolyn had heard about this Book a Buck place and wanted to walk over to see if we could find any books.  So I walked with her.  The Buck a Book was supposed to be across from Curly Tails.  We looked and looked but could not see any book store.  We went in to the only shop that was across from Curly Tails and ask where Buck a Book was. She said it was a trailer down the side of the street.  We walked and still could not see anything that looked like a trailer.  I have learned that these people do not waste any money on signs.  Finally we spotted this old trailer that looked like a old U-Haul trailer but it was painted blue, and printed very plainly with black paint (free handed) BUCK A BOOK.  It looked like it was just another neglected building except for a few flowers neatly planted outside the side door. We went in and it was a trailer full of books and one shelf of DVD’s.  The proceeds go to The Wild Horses on Abaco.  I found a DVD and I paid one dollar to check it out with my boats name and date as the only information required.  You see the Buck A Book is only open from 10-12 on Fridays.  The gentlemen in the trailer said, “If you want to bring it back and we are not open just put it in the cooler outside”.   Carolyn and I agreed this was a good idea but we also agreed we had never seen anything like it.  When I got back to the boat, the winds were really picking up and the sky was looking like rain so we decided to watch the movie instead of polishing the stainless.  The winds blew about 15 -20 most of the day.  It also rained most of the day.  We also had some lighten which is never fun on a sailboat.  We turned off all the instruments hoping that might protect them.  We just enjoyed talking and relaxing for the day.  It cleared just in time for John and Carolyn to cook Tequila Chicken.  It was a great recipe sent to Carolyn by her daughter, Amanda.

A little sad to be here on Easter without family,

Freida and George

Don Wood the Artist

April 2, 2012

After breakfast we decided to walk to the grocery store before it got to hot. The grocer store is about a mile and a half from our boat.  On the way back we stopped in Don Wood’s studio to take a picture of one of his signs.  He is originally from Hendersonville, North Carolina.  He is a true free sprite.  He moved here from Florida where he was operating heavy equipment.  Now he is a local artist.  His studio is a wooden structure that might not seem like an artist studio. The structure is as modest as he his. I didn’t take a picture, I just thought that was to invasive.  Several of the things he has laying around are worth in the thousands of dollars.  He has sculptures of fish, eagles and other beauties of nature.  No order to his presentation of these treasures. If fact it resemble an old shed you might see on the T.V. show The Pickers. He carves fish and other objects out of all kinds of wood.  He also has a lot of metal sculpture. When we came in to see him today he wanted me to see some pictures of his wooden fish sculptures.  He gave me a picture of a Christmas card, the card had a Christmas tree made out of coral and fish decorating it with a string of pearls.  Inside the message was “Joy from our fishes in the deep blue sea”.  He then showed me the original picture he had painted and the scripture he had done of this scene.  The original painting, which he painted, sold for $2,500.  He retained to rights to the picture and he will not sell the scripture.  I did buy one of his Curly Tail Charms.  When we started to go he said come on, set down and talk to me while I work.  I really wanted to but the half and half I had bought was getting warm.  Some people talk about doing what they dream of doing and some just do it.  He could be the person Zac Brown sings about in Knee High in the Water Some Where.  Don, I admire you for being you.

The following pictures are a few of my favorite signs.  The last two are in Don’s door way.

Finding our own piece of paradise

George and Freida

Rest and relaxing in Marsh Harbour

March 30-April 1

We are all exhausted from our trip from West End to Marsh Harbor.   We washed the salt of the boat which was in crystals all over the boat and washed clothes.  I also tried to blog.  It takes a long time to upload a video but sometimes you just have to see the video.  The video of the rocket man on the last blog was not really the right one but it loaded and so that will have to do.  If you watched it to the end you got the idea. I was so busy trying to get on the internet that I went to the restaurant and forgot my clothes were in the dryer. Ray, the Harbor master told me to go in the office and get on the internet.  The gentlemen in the slip next to us told me about a wireless booster and let me install it.  He said if it helps you can buy it.  It has helped to strengthen the signal, so we will be able to get on the internet from the boat.  We were happy to see Bill our friend from last year.  He is still in Marsh Harbor and still in the process of building his house on Cat Island.  They say pictures are worth a thousand words so here goes a thousand words.

Finding our own little paradise

George and Freida

Celebration under Sail

Sunset at Green Turtle Cay

Breakfast at the liquor Store

We found a name for Johnny and Lelia's boat!

Tradition continues ....Curly Tails Bar and Grill 

View of the sunset from Curly Tails Bar and grill.

Bar B Que chicken on Indulgence with Celebration Biscuits