It's AFTER the season now. Cruisers are starting home.

I'm just hanging out and waiting till time to head West back to Florida for Hurricane Season.  Most days consist of early awake to catch a sunrise photo.  (when it's not raining, or cloudy and about to rain.  everyone says it's 'unusual weather' this year with all this rain.) Drink coffee in the cockpit and have a little breakfast.  Next go to shore and do an exercise walk, then a bike ride.  Finally return to the boat for lunch and a nap.  Maybe do a boat chore and then make dinner.  Watch an hour or so of TV if there's anything on.  (There are 6 channels on the TV here.  IF you are in Marsh Harbor your antenna can receive 6 channels.  Nothing at the other islands.  2 are local Bahama channels and 4 are Pirated major networks from Miami.)  If there's nothing good on - most nights - i might watch a Pirated Movie, or read a book.  That's about it.  While i sit and wait, the harbor is clearing out.  When i arrived back in February the area was so thick with boats it was difficult to find a spot large enough to anchor in.  Now i look out and see entire clear views to shore with NO boats at all.  You can anchor anywhere cause its wide open.  I guess I better get started and do something....

Now, what to do for dinner tonight?  I have some pork short ribs that i want to pressure cook.  Also i have a fish fillet.  Most recently i pressured some Turkey wings.  They turned out great.  Perhaps a quick stir fry with my veggies?  But first to shore for an exercise walk and bike ride.

On a bike ride Monday, I met 2 college students from Colorado.  They were taking a course in Eco Marine Biology.  For ten days they had been in the Bahamas.  Flew into Marsh Harbor and boarded a Catamaran with 13 students, 1 teacher and a crew of 2 locals.  For a week they lived aboard, sailed, studied the environment of sealife and reefs and loved it.  They toured: treasure, guana, elbow, man o war, little harbor and one other Cay that I cant recall.  Days were spent ashore studying nature and nights were sharing cooking duties aboard the Cat.  Vicky and Maddie said their favorite spot was Marsh Harbor.  After the teacher and other students flew home, Maddie and Vicky stayed over in Dundes Town at a small Bed and Breakfast for a couple of days to 'see how the locals lived.'  (Dundas is a little hamlet about 2 miles west of Marsh Harbor)

Later on the ride I met up with my Library friend.  Last week while out riding my bike I met a lady walking home from Maxwells grocery.  I was stopped to investigate the new library.  Marsh Harbor has built a brand new library.  It still has the construction sign up, but it looks finished and no work has been done since I arrived here in February.  The old library sits just beside the new one.  It's locks have been broken off the doors and old shelves litter the floor.  Inside the new library are brand new shelves all lined up in rows and filled with brand new books.  But the library is never open.  One day I met a lady inside the new library and asked her about 'when will it open?'  She didnt know.  Said they were looking for volunteers to staff it first.  *cut to two days ago and my Library Friend.  she told me that she had seen an Add in the paper for staff and that 'someday' it would open.  *cut to today.  I met my Library friend out in front of her house having a 'yard sale'.  I got her to pose with 3 of her 5 children.  

3pm UPDATE:  this just in....   today while on my bike ride, I stopped in at Maxwell's grocery to get some crackers.  So, I'm walking down the cracker aisle and this gentleman pictured above, Worthington Pratt, stopped me.  He asked, "are you the guy who took a picture of my wife and kids the other day?"  YES, that was me.  His wife is named Glenda.  We had a nice introduction and big laugh in the cracker aisle.  I gave him a boat card.  *Let me know if i misspelled any of that Mr. Pratt.  Glenda reminded me of the biblical description of a good wife and a virtuous woman.

•• A virtuous woman inspires absolute confidence in her husband. He can “safely trust in her” (KJV). She is not impetuous, scatterbrained, or unpredictable. Rather, she can be trusted. Her husband can be confident in her. She will never deliberately let him down.

Today before I came to the laundry to sweat and clean I intruded on a cute little family.  Brian, Dianna, & Vela Pokosh.  I had been watching them anchored off my bow the last couple of days.  Mom would leave the cockpit to follow tiny daughter Vela as she climbed up and down and around the deck.  Never more than a 'lunge' away from her.  Giving her all the freedom to walk around but never out of reach.  Yesterday about 5pm I was on deck and yelled across, "what time do ya'll get up?  I'm going to come over and have coffee with you."  Mom said, 'we are not early risers.'  Which I understood to not be a NO.  So this morning, like any good Pirate, I boarded their vessel.  Turns out they were up having breakfast when I arrived.  Just what every family wants, ME showing up while they are at the table trying to feed their 18 month old.  They were very good sports and accepted me with open arms.  This is their second trip to the Bahamas.  Last year Vela was 6 months old and could not yet crawl, so the challenges are growing fast.  Mom mentioned the need for more child safety locks.  It was all just too cute.  They are retired and will home school.  Brian was a computer software guy and Dianna  worked in a medical environment.  His dad and uncle fly in today and they are heading off to Rhode Island this afternoon.  "Might go all the way to Maine.  Then next year we will probably come back to the Bahamas.  Dont want to get too far off till Vela is older."  Aint Life Grand!

Well enough walking down memory lane.  It's time to get out and exercise down the side roads of Marsh Harbor.

- Skinny Travelling Chef Skip