Water Taxi Service
Ambler Isle
V and S
Sun 20 Feb 2011 12:33
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Feb. 20, 2011
The moonless night was black. The water was like
black ink and lumpy. Dressed in rain coats and long pants, we were
returning to the anchorage. We aimed for the multitude of mast lights. It
was another windy night, so few dinghies were out. In fact, that was why
we were out. Our neighbor, Bob, aboard Shazza was meeting
guests at the airport after a late flight. His dinghy could make the trip,
barely, but he would arrive wet. We agreed to take him ashore. We
were amazed to pass boats with no lights. Anchor lights are required in all
anchorages in the Bahamas. In the dark, they were invisible til we
got right next to them. An unlit dinghy passed. They,too, were
hazards to us as we headed home. We went past friends' boat, but no one was
outside on such a night. Approaching Amber Isle, we
were welcomed by solar lights, fore and aft, our 3 mile anchor light, and a warm
yellow light in the salon. I fetched warm socks, hot mugs of tea and
then changed to dry clothes. But we did not want to get too cozy:
we'd promised to go back and pick them up if the sometimes
unreliable Elivis, driver of the water taxi, failed to show. At night
he was by appointment only. We'd heard of people trying to find lodging in
town late at night after being stranded at the dock. And Georgetown
is not a Motel 6 kind of town. We finally relaxed when we heard
them pass by. This night reminded me why we cannot help everyone who has
this problem. There are 325 boats in the harbour today, and guests
come in daily. We could be asked to make this trip every
night.
More boats arrive here daily. They predict the
2006 record of 425 may be broken by the time the Georgetown Cruiser's Regatta
starts March 1.
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