March 8 - 14, 2017 saying good bye to Snowbird and Moonlight Maid

this orchid looking flower is on a tree that is about 100 ft high and 30 ft diameter

and it is called Poor Mans Orchid Tree

the leaves of the Poor Man's Orchid Tree

we had a guided tour around the premises of ECC, Every Child Counts school for

challenged children … and had every tree and scrub identified for us

there is about 100 children in the school, we donated our extra acrylic paint to the school

one of the largest starfish we have ever seen

walking another deserted beach

we think these tracks are from a turtle, but not too sure

Snowbird, Moonlight Maid and Modaki

had happy hour on the beach with a bonfire

Heather and Alan's son and his girlfriend

the three boats at anchor

the No Seeums drove us off the beach at dusk

another day comes to an end …

the next morning we had unexpected gale force winds that lasted for a couple of hours

no one dragged

Joe and I stopped off at Firefly Resort to have a look around

the grounds are very well kept with huge stone walls, holding back the sand

Modaki at anchor, just off Firefly

..note the different colours in the water, showing different water depths, Marsh Harbour is

in the distance

having a drink looking out at our home

Firefly has their own alcohol brand, most of it is some sort of Ice Tea drink, 

it was too sweet for me

another night at anchor

and the next day the winds kicked up again and we headed

back to Mangoes for a few days, and a rum tasting party was held

Snowbird and Moonlight Maid left the next day and crossed the Whale, on to Great Sail, then West End and staged to cross the Gulf Stream .. we just got an email this morning that

their crossing went well and they are in Stuart, Florida getting ready to decommission the boats,

then get hauled out at Indian Town next week

Snowbird is getting their boat trucked back to Kingston area, and MM is

driving home then coming back in June to sail the boat back to Nova Scotia

Modaki will miss them both next year

thanks to Groovin, Chris and Elizabeth (Toronto area)

got us going to this local Take A Way place called Old School

for curried mutton on a bed of white rice and spinach … all for $7, and it is enough for the two of us

March 8, 2017 Heritage Days in Hope Town

Joe took the ferry to Hope Town for Heritage Day, while Sue and I stayed back

at the boat for some RnR

there was some local crafts

I would like to learn how to make these baskets out of palm leaves

Cecil's 4 ft  1/2 replica of the Abaco Dinghy

Cecil

they are beautiful boats

sculling lessons

local kids watching the ceremonies

the kids singing the National Anthem of the Bahamas

- then some of them read essays about what they thought the life of the

Loyalist, that came to Elbow Cay in the 1700's

some of their artwork

the museum ladies made this quilt and raffled it off for

much needed funds for the Museum

the dinghy dock, one side

and the other … everyone from the anchorage must of attended

and another day has ended in the Abaco

March 8 - 9, 2017 Sue's last day and night

Sue giving a try to crack the coconut with a machete …

watch those artist fingers Sue

Joe headed out to Hope Town on the ferry for Heritage Days .. pictures to follow

in the evening we went to The Jib room again to show Sue the

Rake and Scrape .. and she did get up and did some dancing

it is hard to get pictures of these guys because they are moving so fast

fire limbo guy lighting his smoke

Elizabeth our personal taxi lady dropped Joe and I off at the government

building for us to renew our Immigration Papers and then continued to the

airport to deliver Sue for her flight back home

March 1 - 7 … Sue visit continues

Sue's picture looking thru a empty Rum bottle, with etching of a ship, looking out into the harbour

Sue and I took another boat ferry to Great Guana Cay and had a walk-a-bout

the first stop was Grabbers, I showed her where we anchor and dinghy to shore from Fishers Bay

looking out into Fishers Bay at the anchorage … beautiful right

you can rent these units for about $3000 a week

a walk to There B Lane

another small bar and it is Gooder on Great Guana

a local selling veggies, shells and necklaces

off to Orchid Bay Resort with a great view of  Sea of Abaco … with a pool, restaurant and marina

a gated community with houses well over 2 million

love these Banyan Trees

palm shadow

a resident black cat at Dive Guana

lots of nice art work

then we head to the ocean side and Nippers

bar, restaurant, gift shop, two pools and rental units right on the ocean

an east wind today and it was quite rolley

now back to the lee shore for drinks and some food, Sue kept a sketch book/journal while she was here

and used watercolour markers to highlight her paintings

the sun is getting low on Great Guana Cay and it is time to catch the next ferry

back to Marsh Harbour

Sue's vacation in the Abaco is coming to a close … we sure enjoyed her visit and look forward to

seeing her again next year

two pictures I forgot to post .. this sailboat was in Hope Town, fuelling and the freight boat

came to the dock also … it sure looks like they must of been very close

Joe's picture of Sue and I walking the streets of Cherokee Sound, and it was time to head back to the taxi to go to Pete's Pub in Little Harbour