Company is Coming

Good news! I have finally figured out how to use the Cuban internet system to post blogs. Sad news - I will have to add photos at a later date and get back to the writing and get caught up.

Company is Coming: – February 9 to 19, 2011


As we entered Elizabeth Harbour from the north it soon became obvious that the page on the calendar was getting closer to the start of the Cruisers’ Regatta. The skyline down the west side of Stocking Island was a forest of masts and it looked like anchoring space in Kidd’s Cove would be at a premium. The harbour was a frenzy of activity with dinghies to-ing and fro-ing as they ferried loads of groceries and water from the dock at Lake Victoria to the anchored boats in Kidd Cove or across the harbour at Volleyball, Sand Dollar or Hamburger Beaches. Many of the big boats would stay at anchor and risk getting wet in a rough ride across the harbour by dinghy rather than take the chance of giving up their perfect anchor spot to a newcomer.

Welcome to the Jungle. How many masts can you count?

A different way to ferry fido to and from shore at Sand Dollar Beach.

Not long after our arrival in Georgetown we attended a wedding. Sheliak, a 36 foot Mariner Sloop, was pleased to announce the intentions of crew members Jen and Josh to marry each other on Friday afternoon at low tide on the sand bar that would appear at the southern tip of Stocking Island, just down from Sand Dollar Beach.

The Bride and Groom arrived for the ceremony on separate Walker Bay sailing dinghies.

Waiting for the bridal party to arrive.

After a touching ceremony of love and commitment that they performed themselves, (They’ll do the official paper thing another time.), Jen and Josh shared a bottle of champagne with all present. The bride wore blue to match her ring and carried a beautiful bouquet of green roses created by Just Chillin’ from palm fronds, casuarina needles and other greenery.

Music was provided by Zero to Cruising.

We were happy to reconnect with cruising friends in Georgetown that we had not seen in a while and were expecting the arrival of the Goodyears who would be joining us for a week. After several changes to the specifics of where we would meet up the final plan was to have Elvis bring Karen and Warren across the harbour by water taxi to Sand Dollar Beach where we were anchored as it would be too dark and too rough for our 9 foot Aqua Pro dinghy to make the trip without getting them and their luggage totally soaked.

They surprised us by arriving a few hours early.

It was not our intention to be in Georgetown to participate in the Regatta events. However, cruising life conspired against us with uncooperative weather, a malfunctioning water pump and unusual grinding noises coming from the drive leg. We would not be able to take the Goodyears to Long Island with the wind blowing from the east for three days at 30 knots. We were barely able to limp around the harbour without dismantling the water pump and applying copious amounts of Vaseline to the inside of the cover plate each time we needed to start the engine. To be on the safe side, we hooked up to one of the mooring balls in Gaviota Bay for the worst of the wind rather than risk being on anchor without a reliable engine.

Despite the unfortunate change of plans, Karen and Warren seemed to enjoy their brief escape from the Canadian winter. They were able to get some sand in their shoes and reconnect with friends that they had made a couple of years earlier when they had their own Bahamas adventure on board Sand Castle.

On the beach getting sand in our shoes.

Sack racing in Regatta Park

The Chat ‘n Chill Bar on Volleyball Beach hosted the pre-Regatta Valetine’s Day dance party complete with a stage show featuring impersonations of Nancy Sinatra, Joe Cocker and Tina Turner. (Picture this: 60 somethings on stage wearing thigh high boots, leather short shorts and bustiers.) One radio announcer on the daily Cruisers’ Net suggested that it might not be advisable to post too many photos on our blogs in case the kids get wind of what goes on in Georgetown and put a stop to the annual party.

Mahi mahi for dinner.

What do you do when there are more than three Prout catamarans in the harbour? You have a Prout About. Several members of the Prout family showed up in Georgetown and four of them, representing three countries, and a range of birthdates spanning 23 got organized on short notice (It’s not easy to herd cats.) amid the flurry of pre-Regatta activities to have what may have been the first Prout About. The participants were Ajaya, Felix the Cat, Amazing Grace who is really a Broad Blue but still part of the family, and Polar Pacer. The boats were dusted, polished and de-cluttered as much as possible when you are living in spaces not much larger than a few office cubicles. Appetizers and drinks were made ready. (Thanks to Karen, Ole Nassau Coconut Rum has become a happy hour staple in the blue bin that serves as our liquor cabinet. Just add a couple of ice cubes and some water.) Starting with the smallest, and oldest, family member (that would be Polar Pacer) each vessel was toured from stem to stern with much discussion on ‘what the builder did differently this time’.

Felix the Cat and Ajaya representing the US and UK