Saturday 30 December 2017

December 21 - 30, 2017 Merry Christmas


the last night of Marching thru the streets of New Plymouth at 5am, singing Christmas Carols
this resident threw candy down from his balcony, some people throw beads 
(note there is no railing on the front)


at the end of every early morning Marching (10 days before Christmas, Monday to Friday), there is always free food and coffee supplied
one morning for our three days of our march, we had home made donuts from Green Turtle Club,
next morning it was pork or chicken souse, with Johnny Cake 
and the last morning for the season it was sausage, eggs, grits, Johnny Cake ….
what a great experience for us


the last day there was about 60 plus marchers


our new solar shower … it works great


there is always a party some where … walking home (back to the boat), after buying
some groceries .. these guys invited us to stay for some food
they poured Joe a straight rum and me some wine


and the chicken souse soon followed … this cutie sat with us and quietly ate
her souse


I'm not a real fan of it, but Joe sure enjoys, chicken wings and potatoes in broth


Susan and Rick on Other Goose arrived (Owen Sound) and we
met them at the Customs Office and later met up with them at the Golf Cart
Parade .. Susan is beside Joe and Rick is kind of hidden in this picture

oh yes there was also local food to buy


the Ann Roberts Primary School had a candle light parade with the paper
candles that they made and was lit up with flash lights .. they also
sang a few Christmas Songs


then Santa Claus arrived and handled out lots of toys for the
girls and boys


next was the decorated golf cart parade, about 15 carts involved


the next morning Christmas Eve Morning there was a Cruisers Breakfast
at Green Turtle Club, in White Sound .. Ann and Bob on the left rented a
golf cart for the four of us to get there


there was about 60 plus cruisers .. I would say1/2 were from Canada


Janice and Cam our hosts for most if not all the get togethers for cruisers
Nova Scotia … Janice is also the lobster queen hunter in these waters


Merry Christmas from Modaki


Sandy's Way arrived, from Nova Scotia, there first time in the Bahamas


now it is Christmas Eve night and there is another pot luck for cruisers
at Sun Downers ( Sandy and John from Sandy's Way), 
we got to introduce them to about 3 other NS cruisers tonight


we received a visit from Cam and Janice early Christmas morning, with some
christmas candies,  I made a rum cake to share with our guests


Janice and Cam made about 100 packages for cruisers and went to
all the boats at anchor with a small gift


and here comes Susan and Don (Old Sam .. Nova Scotia), with good wishes
and


this delicious Egg Nog Pudding with whip cream, candy cane topping and edible spoon
I'm for sure going to make this for next year


next it was time to get ready for yet another pot luck for cruisers
Joe and I make our California Rolls .. it was a sure hit again this year


appetizers were set out first, then the main meal and then desserts
I just had salads and there was tons to choose from 


the lobster queen Janice made lobster chowder for about 75 cruisers .. once again it was delicious
a few days later Jan delivered two dressed lobsters to us as a thank you for lending them
our 2nd VHF, until there new one arrived, via Other Goose, Susan and Rick, Owen Sound


some of the cruisers Christmas Day


after lunch there was some great music by the cruisers

both Joe and I think we have had enough food for the rest of the year… it has been great
but we need to get back to salads …lol
Merry Christmas everyone


a few years ago I took a similar picture of these two cats on this same
step … it it good to see them still here


the weather has been extremely hot .. even the Coconut Oil is half melted


there is always boat chores and we have to find out where the leak of water is coming from
and of course it is right above my bed and another is in the galley …Joe had to rip out his good cherry wood, but he can
repair it …  now finding out where the is coming from


but in the mean time we need to get off our mooring ball and
head up to Munjack Cay for a night .. Sandy's Way is following us


first thing in order is to jump in the salt water and wash my hair …
the water is so warm, I swam 3 times around Modaki


then scrubbed "Walkabout" our dinghies bottom 


Joe snorkelled out to check on the anchor ...
we are well dug in for a night of about 15 knot winds


and of course there is no getting away from a pot luck on Te Amor, Janice and Cam's boat,
with other cruisers


the next morning we headed to No Name Cay to show Sandy's Way the pigs


Sandy feeding them baby carrots
I took bread and that was what they liked the most, except apples are there favourite ,
but it is hard to give pigs apples because they cost us $1 an apple US prices 


here was lots of tour boats bringing tourists, the pigs got well fed today


swimming pigs




the underside of a sea biscuit …


then we headed back into Black Sound on the high tide about 1pm
over night in light winds this house boat slipped its mooring and ended up in the
mangroves, no one on board … here it is being returned to its MB
if the wind was in a different direction the house boat could of came crushing down on us and
about 15 other boats


Joe re caulking our scupper, thinking this is maybe one of
our leaks .. earlier he re caulked the Holding Tank out take
we are going to get some higher winds and lots of rain in a few days so we will see


in the mean time I'm hand sewing a rip on one of the fitted bed sheets


another walk to town because the weekly mail boat has arrived with
fresh milk, bread, cheese and veggies ..
Isbi's … a female and juvenile


we love this palm


every year this dock leans more …. there is a guy cleaning conch, with not a worry lol


Thursday 21 December 2017

December 10 - 20, 2017 .. part three ….. " Marching to the beat of Drums "


another view of the very shallow waters for shoals


this is the largest conch hill we have ever seen


Chicken's Seafood was not open today


da end of da road
Crown Haven


Barry's Ferry Service to Grand Cay and Freeport
I asked some people that were waiting on the ferry, as to what time it will arrive to
pick them up … and they said it is already here … and pointed to this boat 
.. it for sure was not what I expected


the ferry


a 27 foot ferry
it is $50 each way and then you take a bus ride $10  for 60 mile trip to get to Freeport


octopus 


Ronny the lobster man …. we bought 3 lbs (7) for $33  frozen


Pot Cakes


filling up the rental … this gas station was right in the middle of the mangroves 
this guys father was the postman and police officer


Kurt another fisherman said he would get us fresh lobster, so we stopped back in
to see him and they were just coming to shore


4 fresh lobsters for $10
Joe and I had a good feast for a few days


we found the Treasure Cay Blue Hole … it is about 300 ft deep and
nothing lives in it




the reflection was beautiful








its time to head back to the ferry dock
I like the name of the Take Away


we are in the middle of the full moon tides and even the locals run aground
Sybil in Red Hot


my fresh lobsters … ready for the salty water, I steamed these


New Plymouth has a tradition dating back to grand parent days … its called
"Marching "… so for about 3 weeks before Christmas, the drummers and locals
walk thru town, (two times around town) starting at 5 am drumming and singing carols … this is a Monday to Friday
event .. there is some rum being consumed … but not by us


there is also locals throwing candy and beads to
the kids


lots of cruisers attend and the locals from kids to adults show up, some
times in their pj's  








the first night after Marching, fresh donuts and coffee served, and this morning
we were treated to either pork or chicken souse, grits and coffee with liquor 
by this time it is around 6:30 am and the sun is up and time to head back to the boat for a nap


Joe is still working at finding the problem with the cockpit speaker for the VHF
no luck yet


and of course it is laundry day … I wash it at AYS $4 a wash and then hang it on our life lines

Merry Christmas everyone