Good-bye to another winter in the Bahamas

The last days in the Bahamas for us this year were spectacular, we look back at all we've done and how much fun we had. We had to pinch ourselves and say how lucky we are, to have what we do, to have each other, and to have the courage to do this, (although from time to time we think it's not courage but stupidity).

We met lots of new cruisers this year and ran into so many from years before. We explored familiar favorite islands and beaches, while also reaching new fishing grounds, islands and beaches.

This is a beach on the east side of the Lucayan Waterway that we drove to by car the last day the kids were there.

Once we saw the window of weather for crossing back to the states we started to look at things a little differntly; not know when or if we would ever get back. The beauty of the island started to come more apparent to us. The large flowering plants became bigger, the beaches cleaner, and warmer, the breeze warmer and beer colder. I started counting beers backward so that I would have just one left for opening once we got back to Florida.

This place with the loins guarding the gate is really something, talk about more,.. It is on a road that we would bike on our way to the Lucayan Market. Very well kept but MAN, Arline always wanted Lions on a post at the drive way, well she's over that now. There is something like 38 just on each wall and the interior looked like Lions and other stoned creatures rained from the sky for a month, Lion heads or faces on the wall too, really over the limit.

  

Blue is chasing a crab here and became pretty good at finding them, but She doesn't have the quickness for the kill like Sarah did.

The rented car had been returned after the kids left and the weather looked like it will be right in about 3 or 4 days for a crossing back to the states. So after everything is tied down, fuel polished, filters check, there is nothing to do except talk to other cruisers about watching and waiting for the weather, except go to a beach. So we biked to our favorite close beach, took the cooler and all the other things we needed, music, drawing tools, Blue's water and Arline's Chocolate.

We tried to eat at this restaurant a couple of weeks ago at Port Lucaya's market, it was a very busy day as several buses from cruise ships were there shopping and eating. They have a great lunch special, good food and we could really use some french fries. It was very busy, all seats were taken so we waited till near the end of the lunch special and went in. Tables were starting to empty out, not cleaned of course but we had Blue and wanted carry out to sit at the dock overlooking the marina. I went in and after 10 minutes of watching the confusion behind the counter of a line of frustrated customers trying to pay their bills I was up. I looked up and placed my to go order with her, . She rolled her eyes took a big breath, puffed out her cheeks and blew it out through her teeth and said (this is great). "It's going to be 45 minutes before I can even put your order in,...if you want to wait,...But I would suggest you go some where else,.."

And here's another story of backwards thinking,..and trust me I've heard my share of backwards thinking in the recent past and it always blows me away when it happens.

Another cruiser tells me he went to the store to get his favorite rum as he'd seen it and bought it there before. Upon not finding it he ask the clerk for it and got this answer,.."Yeah I don't order dat no more,..I can't keep it on the shelve,...everybody keeps buy'n it up,...so it's just not worth fo me mon,.." REALLY