Cruisers and cruisers

Looking to the channel that we use to enter the canals of Grand Bahama 

Well it’s been just over 2 weeks here on Grand Bahama and we've only covered some of the beaches, and reefs here. I know there are people who would say this is not cruising because we are in one place and not moving; these would be the same people who want to give me advice on how to tie my boat off, but tie theirs with lines across a dock for people to trip on, and have their lines chafe and break on them saying it was extreme conditions, the same people that try and tell me how to maneuver a boat, but crash into a dock on their own; the same people who say their going to,… well you know what I’m getting at. 

Here is the definition of cruising according to the internet; we think it’s pretty close, as I discuss it with other cruisers in the hot tub here, with a cold beer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruising_(maritime)

According to this as long as I'm on my well equipped boat, for an expended period of time, I'm cruising,...

Other side of the channel we use to enter 

Some out here are doing it because they have a nice retirement fund, a house or 2, with their boat being a prize time for them, reaching and exploring beautiful places and people. There are many, like Arline and I, that try to live as minimalist while still traveling on our boat as far as tides, weather and timing allow to see and exploring beautiful places and people . Note the part where it says “reducing ones possessions” and “Self-sufficiency” in the internet description below

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Living. 

 There are also those that live and work as they cruise all year, but I would still put them in the category of simple living, as us. Living this way gives us a smaller base from which I’m taxed, meaning I can work less and keep more. It’s logical. We work hard for 6 months and then we don’t.  It seems Fairly Pointless to work too hard at this time, learning from lessons of the past. There is nobody out here that we have met or that we hang out with that has a feather in their cap or who claims to be better at something or somebody else, aka narcissistic. None of our boats are the perfect boat, we've all had our share of scares, problems, and adventures which we share and learn from. That is why it is a cruising community.   

So we've had some time on our hands and we visit beaches by dingy, snorkel and fish as needed. We take
our bikes, on days it’s too windy to get out on the open waters. We’ll go to town for provisions (we don’t need much) or to a beach. Earlier this week we rode about 10 miles on our bikes to Banana Bay near Fortune Beach and had a great time. We brought the cooler, wind/shade tent, Blue and my sketch pad, check the photo out of Arline in the wind screen and my drawing of her. 

We are looking at weather and tides, thinking we might head south to Great Harbour Cay, where we’ve spent some time. If you remember that is where we left Sara after loosing her last year. But if tides, weather, and other issues don’t line up we can’t do it, we'll wait and watch here till its right,…..we don’t care.  I’ll start doing boat
chores in the AM next week, I’ve a few things like re-bedding some fittings, reworking some of the working rigging, fuel for the dingy, transfer beer from the v-berth to the cooler, polish fuel in the tanks and the bikes need to be oiled. 

So it's off to the pool,...