Since my last post we’ve spent more time in the Abacos, returned home for Thanksgiving, and returned to the Abacos again. I guess you could say we like it here! We’ve both adapted to the cruising lifestyle and the daily routines of boat projects, exploring the localities, meals and lots of fresh air.

During our time here we’ve met and made friends with several wonderful folks … Rick & Helen on Symmetry, Sean & Cynthia on Arcouda, and Richard and Marsha on Shampagne. We’ve shared happy hours and meals with all three and are grateful for the new friendships.

Weather conditions kept us at Treasure Cay for a couple of days longer than we had planned, but that made it possible to meet Richard and Marsha. While anchored there, this house was just across from us and it reminded me of the Kenny Chesney lyrics, “… growing up in little pink houses …” although this one was not so little. Check out the trees and see how strong the winds were that day.

We had a rocky ride back to Marsh Harbour, but needed to get there to catch our flight back home for Thanksgiving. While back in Marsh Harbour we were able to catch up briefly with Rick & Helen and Sean & Cynthia. A bonus was dinner on board Shampagne with Richard & Marsha and several other friends of theirs.

On Monday we flew home for Thanksgiving. We had a long layover in Miami and enjoyed the people watching in such a busy airport. We’ve come to look forward to Colleen’s signs when she picks us up at the airport and she didn’t disappoint. This one was two-sided.

It was amazing how nice it was to sleep in a bed that didn’t rock and was accessible from both sides (home makes you appreciate the little things).

We had a very nice Thanksgiving dinner with Colleen, my Dad and our friend Wayne. We changed things up a bit and instead of mashed potatoes & gravy, I made my best version of Bahamian Mac & Cheese, which is a staple here. I think it was a hit. The rest of the weekend was spent catching up with friends, shopping and packing for our return. It was great to be back home and reconnect with family and friends!

On Wednesday of this week we had a VERY early flight from Norfolk to Miami, but Pete said it was good because we would be back in Marsh Harbour by lunch time. I was counting on a nap soon after arrival to compensate for the 4:00 a.m. wake up call that morning. Because of a delay leaving Norfolk, missed connection in Miami and rerouting through Nassau, we didn’t arrive at the marina until about 6:00 p.m. that day. The good news was that the bar in Nassau had Gin & Coconut Milk drinks on special – it helped pass the long afternoon layover.

We had a real treat the next day while we were walking to the local grocery store to provision the boat. A truck slowed next to us and offered us a flyer to the restaurant Oasis. Turns out the driver of the truck is the chef, Antonio. We decided to try it for lunch and were not disappointed. Chef brought us an appetizer sampler and our favorite was the Smoked Lobster Spread. We ordered an extra portion to take back for later! Went back Friday night for dinner and more Smoked Lobster Spread!

Today, Saturday, was the annual Abacos Christmas Festival. It was a true example of a gathering in a small community. The afternoon was full of speeches from politicians and community organizers, many of whom quoted Bible verses to make their points. In between speeches were performances by various youth groups, such as a high school band, a chorus, a drama club and many more.  While all this was going on, there were dozens of food vendors offering local delicacies (and of course we sampled plenty). The park was packed with families and children running and playing freely. We heard from several people that the festival would be more fun later, after the kids had gone home. Alas, at our age, we went home with the kids and missed the Junkanoo parade and dancing. Hope a good time was had by all!

Tomorrow we begin our island hopping journey from Marsh Harbour to Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. Stay tuned for more updates and drop us a line if you have a chance at kathydva@gmail.com.