April 19 – Georgetown, Bahamas.

Coming back to the Georgetown area, we are surprised at its spectacular, stark, un-self-conscious beauty. No wonder it is the final destination for many cruisers, some who stay right through the hurricane season, and others who come back year after year from their homes in the eastern US. The bright turquoise water and white sand beaches of Elizabeth Harbour are so brilliant that I keep reaching for my sunglasses – only to find that I am already wearing them. Georgetown cruisers have a very active social life, with games, sports, concerts, Bible studies, and other social events organized and announced every day on the radio net.

We have been to town today to check in ($300 USD!!), pick up our email, and get groceries. Then we moved the boat across the bay to another anchorage near Volleyball beach and a new little resort that has free internet. We walked through the resort to the beach on the other side of the island, a vast expanse of sand and blue, with nobody on it, where we swam in the clear water and gentle surf.

Later, we went to our first dinghy-drift, twenty-five or so dinghies tied together, drifting in the breeze, sharing hors d’oevres (how do you spell that?), stories and laughs. When the pod of dinghies needed repositioning, a couple of boats would start their motors and push in the right direction. It was a fun way to watch the sunset and get to know some other cruisers here.

Tomorrow we will decide whether to stay for a while and leave the boat here while we take a quick trip home, or if we will hurry with the boat to Florida and fly home from there.


Thursday, April 20 – We dinghied to the internet spot today (note the view!), got the first flights we tried on American Airlines (a miracle!), made arrangements to leave the boat on a mooring ball in a hurricane hole, and expect to be ready to leave for a two-week trip home on April 26. That gives us five days to enjoy this lovely place, and for Cliff to get a few coats of much-needed varnish on the toerails. When we return in mid-May, we will have to move fast to keep ahead of hurricane season, which officially starts June 1.