Looking back over the logbook entries of our first year cruising we were still sitting in North Lake Worth awaiting the New Year and anticipating a favorable weather window to cross over to the Bahamas. We were cold, the weather rainy and it was almost February before we finally arrived.
Apparently we've learned alot during the past five years as we find ourselves nestled in Boat Harbour Marina in the Abacos to celebrate the New Year.
This will be our base for the cruising season and what a place it is - cable tv, two pools, a private beach and free wifi internet. We are just beginning to realize and enjoy what our power boat friends have been doing for years!
Although we have had an occasional cold front the weather has been beautiful. Our typical day includes completing at least one little project and then we head to the beach or the pool, enjoying some of the local cuisine or just reading a good book
It didn't take Carolyn long to get into a routine. She has volunteered to teach with the Every Child Counts program where she has ten children that are physically challenged or have a learning disability. Her first class was "what are the things you love", and with the art project she had prepared everyone enthusiastically joined in and Carolyn came away equally excited.
We have been long-time members of the Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club here in the Abacos and are enjoying the friendship and social aspects of being amongst so many of the returning members. A major community project this year will be a seminar designed to create awareness among all cruisers and land-based visitors on the medical resources available in the Abacos and how to access emergency care should that become necessary. I was asked to serve as the publicity chairman and have been busy writing press releases, creating flyers and getting them distributed to appropriate spots throughout the cays.
There are about twenty five boats in our marina that belong to club members and we had a potluck get together earlier this week. The Annual Chili Cook-Off is this coming week and thus far we have twenty Captains scurrying around town buying up chili peppers and cookbooks for the competition. Gypsy Common will be serving "Southern Soul Chili" prepared by Chef Bobby Lee.
As you know Gypsy Common is for sale and the interest has been enthusiastic. It seems that the "blog" we prepared with lots of pictures was quite the trick. We have one gentlemen flying in from Holland early next month with plans to sail his new boat home, but the most unique inquiry was from a Robert Wilson from the UK...he wants our "best and final price...immediately! I guess it will all work out.
Having access to the internet is making communications much easier this year. We enjoy all the emails and being able to stay abreast of things back home. Here's hoping that you enjoy our updates as we will be branching out a little with the content as we continue to get involved in this wonderful part of the world.
The chefs may not look like much, but among the 29 contestants those shown here each won in a special category..medium, mild, most unusual and hot respectively. The third guy from the left offered his Southern Soul Chili which contained a little beef, a little pork and just a dash of cinnamon sugar (yes, the same found in the sour dough bread) that he found in the galley of Gypsy Common.
