Georgetown Springtime.
Ambler Isle
V and S
Sun 24 Apr 2011 17:22
|
April 21, 2011
The full moon is spectacular this month. Huge, yellow,
very close to earth. As usual, the full moon, and the new moon, increase
the tides by nearly a foot either way.
We finally got a hogfish, aka Hog Snapper. No, we
did not spear it ourselves. Jim and Janie, aboard Pirate, bought
a big hogfish from the Long Island fisherman Danny, aboard Lady
Stephanie. Danny came to Georgetown selling fish for the upcoming
Family Island Regatta that starts next week. It cost him $15, and he
kindly offered to share it with us. After basting the whole fish with
olive oil and Paul Prudhomme's special seasoning, he grilled it to a crispy
brown. Served with a fresh salad and my homemade french bread it was a
spectacular dinner.
Regatta racing skiffs arrive daily. Some are towed by
other boats, others stacked aboard cargo ships for delivery. They now dot
Kidd Cove. Crew arrive daily, and the food shacks at the Regatta Point are
nearly constructed. The local grocery and liquor stores are stocked to
overflowing. By Wednesday, hundreds of people will flood the town from all
over the Bahamas to cheer for their teams.
Easter is a big holiday in the Bahamas. Everything
closes for Good Friday. After reopening for one day on Saturday, they
reclose Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Cruisers are left to amuse
themselves at this time. They do this with even more potluck dinners
ashore, boat parties, beach picnics.
We went to the Flip Flop Shop Beach on
Friday. Although this is a clothing optional beach during the busy season
here, few people use it that way this late in the season. As we rounded
the point, we spotted Jim and Janie bobbing in the water by their
dinghy. We anchored nearby and played a few rounds of Splash ball.
Soon Bob and Penny from Pretty Penny pulled up and waded in the warm
clear waters with us. Before long, another couple, Vicky and Bob from
First Look arrived. After a couple hours in the water, I was
actually chilled and had to get out. Immediately the hot sun beat down on
me. It was time to leave. We saw Chris and Irina, from
Auriga by the Queen's Dock and stopped to say, "Hi." Tide was
very low, and I had to reach to tie the dinghy to the piling. As I
stretched out, the dinghy drifted away from the dock. When I could no
longer stay with the boat, I grasped the dock with both hands and tried to hang
on. Finally I could hold no longer and let go, going feet first into the
water. I often fear that could happen, but in all the years of boating it
didn't. Til today.
|