THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

 

 

Stocking Island looking southeast from the top of Monument Hill.  You can see the hurricane hole anchorages, the anchorage in front of Volleyball Beach, and the anchorage in front of Sand Dollar beach further south.  Elizabeth Harbour is to the west of Stocking Island, and George Town is west of Elizabeth Harbour.

 

The east side of Stocking Island—looking out at Exuma Sound

 

Volleyball Beach—The volley ball courts are behind this scene.

 

Beach Church

 

Tree Angel—That’s what Tom on s/v Anania, one of the Beach Church elders, calls the kids that attend Beach Church from the Casaurina Pines.     

 

 

A get-together on Volleyball Beach of those members of the facebook group, Women Who Sail (WWS), who happened to be in the George Town area

 

 

A jam session on Volleyball Beach; using picnic tables for a stage

 

Mark enjoying visiting with friends during the jam session on Volleyball Beach

 

Chat-n-Chill hosts weekly Wednesday night dance parties—my favorite!!  At the last dance party, we figured out an M.O. that works great for both of our enjoyment, at least at Chat-n-Chill dance parties:  I have a blast doing every kind of dance move that pops into my mind all around Mark, most of the time singing the words of the song to him.  He’s perfectly happy to watch me while relaxing against the deck wall with his coke sitting on top of it, ready for sipping.  If another man who doesn’t dance happens to sidle up beside him, he’ll visit for a while with that man.  Occasionally, a man who does dance will spoil our whole routine by cajoling Mark into actually dancing with me, but after one song, we can go back to what works for us!… “She’s a maniac, maniac on the floor!  And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before!”

 

These dolphins pay visits to different anchorages once in a while.  We saw them in Kidd’s Cove in 2012 and again in 2014.  I jumped in the water and swam with them then for about 30 minutes! 

 

The sea turtles really like the anchorage off of Sand Dollar Beach!

 

There is really good snorkeling in and around Elizabeth Harbour.  We didn’t discover this until 2014.  Our favorite places are:  1) in the middle of the harbour close to Sand Dollar Beach by the reef marker; 2) also in the harbour, near the channel markers southeast of Stocking Island off of Elizabeth Island (there are dinghy moorings here); 3) the southeast side of Fowl Cay at the dinghy moorings; and 4) outside the cut between Stocking Island and Elizabeth Island  TIP FOR THE MOST FUN:  Make sure you go when the light is good (like 11:00am-2:00pm) and the weather is fairly settled!

 

We’ve used Elvis Water Taxi a couple of times. Elvis is also the Harbormaster.

 

The dinghy entrance from Kidd’s Cove, an Elizabeth Harbour anchorage, to Lake Victoria

 

The floating dinghy dock in Lake Victoria behind Exuma Markets. Exuma Markets provides and maintains this invaluable amenity.

 

Exuma Markets also provides another invaluable amenity: FREE water right at the dinghy dock!  When we see cruisers filling their jugs, we are so thankful for our watermaker!

 

After we walk up the dinghy dock and get to the street, we turn right to dispose of our trash—$2.00 small bag $3.00 large bag

 

I like to get tomatoes from the veggie stand.

 

We get movies from Doe Boi’s

 

We use the internet at J&K’s (the little hut behind the banana trees at the end of the pallet-fence).

 

Ms. Lee’s Corner Laundromat

 

Sometimes we can get better prices at Shop Rite Mart…also, they sell Dark Chocolate Klondike Bars, individually!!

 

We cut through this park to get to Shop Rite,

 

or to go to the BTC office to get our cellular service for our Bahamian cell phone,

 

or we could just dinghy across Lake Victoria.

 

 

When we walk up the dinghy dock, hit the street and turn left, we’re at Exuma Markets, the biggest grocery store.

 

At about the time school gets out, there’s a long line of cars to get gasoline at the Shell Station. A perk to having to jerry jug our fuel is we don’t have to take turns with the cars.

 

Our access to the Shell station is from the back, via dinghy from Lake Victoria, and up precarious steps made from pallets.

 

I really like Cleopatra Turnquest’s shop, Tropical Accents and Gifts (TAG).  She’s made pendants for me from sea glass that I’ve found, and I bought a beautiful necklace there!

 

I used to go to the salon with the picture of a grouper on the sign (along with doing hair, she also sells her husband’s catch out of an ice chest sitting in the corner), but now I’ve discovered Vanria’s Salon and Spa.  She’s awesome!

 

George Town Public Library is only open a short time in the morning.

 

The Primary School is next door.

 

And the Straw Market is across the street.

 

We like the hotel Peace & Plenty’s weekly Thursday night Rake-n-Scrape.

 

and the view of Stocking Island across the Harbour from Peace & Plenty.

 

The outside bar at Two Turtles Inn is where Mark and I had a coke every afternoon after I taught Ballet at the Primary School this year.

 

Good night, American flag waving to the sunset over George Town!

 

Good night, anchor lights of Elizabeth Harbour, George Town.

 

Good night, Moon over Stocking Island!