Home Alone in Marsh Harbor

Rick left yesterday and I awoke to a very quiet boat.  I think it might take several days to acclimate to my space again.  I already miss Ricks cooking and cleaning.  Perhaps I should not have unchained him from the furniture?

My nephew Ryan asked about views of the Harbor and 'why is it crowded?'  See these shots below.

NOW Ryan, look at this chart of the Harbor.  The depth at low tide shows on this.  So everybody is fighting for a spot with enough depth so they dont rub or stick on the bottom.  (Prodigal draws 5'5") And they have to have enough chain out to not drag in a big wind, plus not turn and hit another boat nearby.  All combine to make the parking lot pretty packed!  Add to that the daily coming and going of new boats...   

Lynn the question sister told me to take some days off and stop reporting my 'work' stuff.  To lie and say that there is only vacation, rainbows and sunsets.  OK, it was a perfect day for not working.  Sunny, light breeze with about 76 degrees and a crisp dry feel to the air.  I decided to take my bicycle to shore and ride into town to FIND the laundry.  That was my one task.  Use my city map and ride to the laundry.  Found it.  CLOSED since july.  Now I start asking everyone "is there another laundry?"  Lots of explanations and pointing.  Trouble was everybody gave me different directions.  Finally I got this, 'go to the traffic light and turn left.  Ride out of town to past the Police Station.'  So off I go riding out of town.  And riding.  And riding.  Finally i'm about to decide I was the joke and the punchline in this story.  At a curve in the road I met an older guy dressed in a suit and tie.  Plus a hat.  He told me, "he worked at the Police station and there is NO laundry out here."  (turns out the police station was just past the next corner)  Mr Old Man directs me back the way I've come, "to a sign you can't miss."  (which I already must have?)  I faithfully turn around and head back to where he directed me but there's no sign.  No laundry.  But there is another guy who directs me up another NEW road.  "Go up that road till you see the 2 story school, turn right and go to the next road, turn left and go to the Shell gas station.  The laundry is in the Shell station."

Eureka!  Laundry Soap and Dryers.  Now mind you i didnt take anything with me today but my camera.  My mission was to find it, not wash it.  Maybe tomorrow unless i take Lynn seriously and do nothing for a few days?

While i was out riding, i went across town and left up the hill to the other side of the harbor and some views of the Atlantic Ocean.

LAST;  Dad if your internet is still not working i wanted to show you a nice Senior Living spot i picked out for you here in Marsh Harbor if you want to join me?

*Heck even Jay Reese can stay here when he comes to visit!  I'll reserve him a room now.  Hope everyone is happy and tucked in at their retirement center wherever it is.        - skip

Rick flies out this morning.... (he's sad)

Cousin Rick is flying home today.  
He has been a tremendous help and a lifesaver aboard.  He will be missed.  But life goes on... so, we will dinghy to shore in about an hour.  Then I'll join him to see the airport and learn the routes.  I'm at anchor in Marsh Harbor, where i will remain for the next few weeks.  I'm sure I'll have an "Aha moment" soon about the realization of where I am and how will i get home again.  But for now, I'm still blissfully ignorant.    (simple minds)

 A small - not busy - airport.  Marsh Harbor

Story Line:

• Diesel fuel 100 gallons.  water 40 gallons.   Question Sister Lynn asked about my fuel.  I estimated 70 gallons.  Turns out it took 80 gallons to get us back to our start point.  Then we squeezed in another 20 gallons for a round 100 gallons added yesterday.  That and 40 gallons of water.  #EXPENSIVE.

• Calcium deposits in the pump hose.  (NO PHOTOS)  the toilet pumps 'stuff' into a holding tank that is emptied regularly.  Except in the Bahamas.  They dont have facilities here for pumping out tanks.  So everyone pumps overboard.  Except my hose was clogging.  Calcium deposits can build up and fill a hose.  (like plaque and a heart attack with clogged arteries.)  My toilet had a heart attack.  Yesterday AFTER lunch Rick and i pulled off the discharge hose from the toilet and took it to shore to beat it with hammers to dislodge the calcium.  (imagine a 2" hose that is full of concrete except a tiny middle section that barely lets water through.  that's what a calcium deposit does.)  So it's like we did open heart toilet surgery.  The patient is doing well.

• To Celebrate being done with 'Toilet Duty' we dinghy over to the pretty marina to relax...

• The grocery store and $$$.  Today i bought one gallon of Milk $6.30 it was not a choice issue.  (as there was zero milk on the shelf when i arrived.) The stock boy wheeled in two pallets of Milk and opened a case to hand me the first gallon.  Everything here is expensive.  But there are choices and supply is good.

• Gary, Tara, Cora, Alex LAST FAMILY left here yesterday.  (from my post October)  Friends i met in Belize circa 2005.  They left the dock going south.

• Lee and Lisa.  Friends i met July 2017 in Stuart (back when i had one leg)  They were here on a dock and i ran into them at the Junkanoo our first night in town.

• I've gotten some new questions from my Nephew Ryan and Lynn the question sister

Ryan writes

Questions:

1. You've knocked off the northern chain - do you intend to motor down to the main island or the East islands at some point?  Maybe some day.  For now i'm happy here.  I need to regroup and figure out what i can do.

2. Do you feel comfortable enough to do that alone, or will you continue to have a ship mate for those types of transits?  After my July Leg slip i am more comfortable with some help aboard just in case needed.

3. Have you found a place with decent pie?  No.  BUT i did stumble into a bakery when out walking today and picked up a piece of chocolate pound cake.

4. Can you post a 360 degree shot from the back of your boat so we can get a feel for what your new home is like?  I'll try.

Ryan

Chocolate Pound Cake  (hint - it's great)

A Pan View of the harbor.  (hint, I'm at Left edge of shot)

Lynn writes

My question: Do the Bahamians talk with a pretty accent?  YES.  They do.  

I'll try to get some audio / video and include it when i can.  here is some audio from the Junkanoo to hold you over till i get the voices.

"I am ready for sunny warm weather. We are all probably jealous of what we THINK you are doing. Stop sending to-do lists and start sending pics of lounging with turtles and your tan and your dinner. The sunsets are gorgeous. 

Xo, Lynn"  (the question sister)

Just a few local photos and some food for Lynn.

Rick blowing his Conch Horn at sunset.

Sunrise

Sunset

At anchor in Marsh Harbor.         -Skip

PS:  Hey DAD, Lynn says your internet is giving you fits.  I hope you get it fixed soon.  I wrote you similar stuff but you can keep up here.  All is well.  People are friendly and warm (like we found in Belize)  The town of Marsh Harbor is spread out along the main road and not a town square as i expected.  So it will take many days of cycling to see it all.   *PSS, I got a phone card, so I'll call you and check in.

Marsh Harbor Abaco Island. At anchor

We arrived in Marsh Harbor 

yesterday afternoon about 2pm.  

The motor down from Green Turtle Cay was thankfully uneventful.  We made it through Whale Cut at high tide with minimal turbulence and enjoyed a leisure day of it.  After the circle and twist through all the other boats we finally got a spot big enough to anchor in.  (it's a pretty crowded harbor)  then we cleaned up and went to shore.  Yesterday was the Love Rush Junkanoo.  (Google it)  I'm still not sure what i saw and i was there.  It's a city wide parade, competition, with bands, costumes and dancing.  The 3 different groups very slowly seemed to crawl down the street 'performing' for the Judges and crowds.  You cant begin to appreciate how loud the drums, bells and whistles were.  Lots of color and pageantry with feathers and 'music.'  

I had wild boar and a baked potato for dinner.  Yum.

Question Sister Lynn writes:
Hi, I'm enjoying following along on your trip! I hope you got some pics of the tiny looking islands as you stayed nearby. I'm curious about them. Any inhabitants? 
I wonder if you're getting into more boat traffic as you get closer to Marsh Harbor. Also wondering how empty your gas tank is getting. 
Always interesting! 
Xo, Lynn

Great Questions Lynn.   I didnt see many islands that were "Robinson Crusoe" looking, but did run across a couple with private houses.  Mostly they are just deserted rocks with scrub trees and splashing water at high tide.  I cant begin to imagine the cost of building out there?  (or who does it?)  Boat traffic did increase 10 fold as we got to Marsh Harbor.  the small dinghys and runabouts fly through the anchorage with reckless abandon creating large waves to rock the boats.  But this stops after dark.  *Gas tank is an area of interest to all.  It's diesel instead of gas and Prodigal burns about 1 gallon per hour when moving.  So i can 'estimate' about 70 gallons burned.  i put the dip stick in the tank yesterday and it's about 90 gallons still in that tank, plus my 30 gallon spare tank.  *But, rick and i plan to go to a marina and refill before he leaves so that i have an abundant supply.

Living the dream in Marsh Harbor.        - Peg Leg Pirate Skip