DSTC...Cheaper To Drink Rum

One of my favorite parts of the book, Don’t Stop the Carnival, is when they forget to order water from the water barge, and it passes them by. This actually happens in the islands that rely on rain for their water supply. Most houses have gutter systems that direct the rain into large storage tanks called cisterns. Most are made of concrete and built right into the foundation of a dwelling, but some of the newer places have them made out of plastic. During the summertime when there are almost daily rain showers or thunderstorms, the cisterns fill up. During the winter dry season, the water level continues to go down, and it if it not replenished, it can become a crisis. Here in Hope Town on Elbow Cay there are two options. One is to hire the local water barge that has two huge tanks of water that can be pumped into a water truck, and then pumped into the cistern. The other option is to drill a bore hole that goes through the rock and enters the layer of saltwater, and turn it into fresh water by the reverse osmosis process. There is one individual on the island that does this in quantity and sells it to homeowners, filling up his water truck and then bringing it to the other houses on the island. This is always interesting since the streets are so narrow.

Right now you can see hoses laying across the sidewalks and roads, either waiting to hook up to the water truck, or to share the water with neighbors in need.

Being careful of every drop of water that we use is not a bad thing since it is always wise to conserve this commodity. However, it is the exact opposite up in Ticonderoga, N.Y. in the Adirondack Mountains. The village borders 32 mile long Lake George that is approximately the same size of the Sea of Abaco, only filled with drinking water. This is where the village water supply comes from, and because it is fed by streams and springs, it appears that there is a never ending supply of clear fresh water. The residents are charged a flat rate for the water consumption, and our summer house up there doesn’t even have a meter to keep track of the use.

Whether it’s salt water that we have to turn into drinking water...

or fresh water that we can drink right from the lake...

we always like to go where the water is clear.

DSTC...Timing Is Everything

Everyone is more laid back and people move slower here in the islands. It’s like a step back in time when even the local grocery store closes for lunch. Hope Town’s St. James Methodist Church has beautiful chimes that play hymns at noon and 6 P.M. every day.
When those chimes sound at 12 P.M., all work stops and especially the Haitian workers immediately drop everything for their lunch hour.

Apparently it’s not just lunchtime when it may be hard to get service. We had to go to the port authorities to register our little boat a few weeks ago. One of our friends that had recently done the same thing, gave us an important tip…don’t go while the 'Price is Right’ is on television because you probably won’t get waited on. Now that’s funny!

Usually though, it doesn’t matter what the time, day, or date is, and sometimes we all really do forget. In fact, it’s even hard to find someone who is wearing a watch. However, you’ll definitely need to keep track of the time and day of the week if you need money here in Hope Town.
Talk about banker’s hours?!

Don't Stop The Carnival

If you haven’t read Herman Wouk’s book called “Don’t Stop the Carnival”, I would highly recommend that you do so. It is not only an enjoyable, humorous book, but it will also help you to understand the trials and tribulations of living and working on an island in the tropics. Singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett liked it so much that he made it into a Broadway musical play. Although written as a novel, all the politics, close relationships, and typical scenarios that occur are closer to real life than fiction. As I think of subjects that apply, or as in the case below that happened to us, I will label them ‘DSTC’.

DSTC …Deportation?!

Since it is fresh on my mind, I want to tell you about my recent experience with the Immigration Department. When we land in the Bahamas we have to show them our passports and immigration form that we have filled out telling them how long we will be staying in the country. Since we are here all winter we wrote down 180 days. No matter how much we pleaded with the immigration officer, he would only give us what he called the legal limit of 90 days, and wrote it on our form and passports. He did tell us we could get an extension on our time by checking back in with immigration no earlier than 48 hours before, but no later than the expiration date. That all worked out fine for Dave since he flew back home in December. When he returned to the Abacos and checked in, guess how many days the officials gave him this time….180 of course! After talking to all our cruising friends that had either checked in by boat or plane, they all received 180 days whether they needed them or not. Talk about inconsistency!

Time flies and my 3 month time limit was about to run out. Since there are no immigration offices in Hope Town, luckily the date coincided with our trip to Treasure Cay. Not only is there an airport there, but it is also close to Green Turtle Cay where most boaters check into Customs and Immigration on arrival. We had it all planned out that we would just take a quick jaunt over to Green Turtle while our friend Keith was here, so I could get my extension and we could all explore this quaint out island. Good plan but bad timing for a nasty cold front causing high seas. That was the day before my time expired, so I knew I still had another 24 hours. The next morning dawned windless and the sea did not look as bad as before, so we bid farewell to Keith who was flying home, and headed out in our dinghy to go the 5 miles to Green Turtle Cay. It was a huge mistake and I should have just shared a taxi with Keith to the airport. The waves were large, but we did float right over them, and we could see what shoals to avoid because the waves were actually breaking on them. We arrived at the Customs/Immigration Office and I was excited to find that their door was open (they have a history of not always being there). When I told the lady what I needed, she told me she couldn’t do it because she was Customs only. This makes no sense because boaters check in and fill out the same forms that we do at the airport, and I nicely told her that. She replied that she can do that for a first time entry, but no extensions, and to go to the airport. So back in the little boat we go, only to find that the wind has increased significantly, along with the waves. It was a harrowing ride back to Treasure Cay, and most likely the scariest seas we have ever been in. The wind, waves, and current were opposing and it looked like we were in a washing machine. We at least had our life jackets on, knew the boat could not sink, but we could barely see due to spray and sun glare. We endured and made it back to New Horizon, showered off the caked on salt spray, and headed to the resort to get a taxi to the airport, about 10 miles away. We arrived at the airport office only to be told that they could not do it that day since the only immigration lady that has the forms was out sick. This statement came from the same immigration guy that checked us in back in November, so why couldn’t he do it? My frustration was mounting to the point of tears. I told him that my time expired that day and he said he would give me a couple more days and to call the next day to see if she was on duty. If she wasn’t, then I would have to go all the way to Marsh Harbour 40 miles away. Now the round trip taxi ride to go 10 miles cost $60(although our taxi driver felt bad for us and only charged us $50), so I can’t imagine how much it would cost to go 40 miles. We couldn’t even take our own boat because the wind was blowing so hard that we had to put out two anchors and be hooked up to a mooring.

The next morning I called to find out if I could get my immigration problem resolved and yes, she was in, but at her office, not at the airport. This time I went alone, raced to find a taxi in case she suddenly decided to disappear, and luckily the driver knew exactly where to go. Since everyone is related to or knows each other in the islands (he comes from a family of 15 siblings and has 7 kids himself), he recognized her car, so she was actually there. Half an hour later I finally got my huge long form filled out, asking questions like, “why do you need to stay” and “how will you support yourself”, and I finally had my passport and card stamped with enough time to get me through the winter. $60 more to this taxi driver and my mind was more at ease. The funny thing about this whole ordeal came when we had our club’s dock party, kiddingly dubbed my deportation party. The consensus was split as to how many people actually go through with all this ‘pomp and circumstance’ left over from being a British Crown Colony, and the others that ignore it and say officials never check the cards or passports anyway. Personally I don’t want to take a chance, but apparently it’s much ado about nothing.

Internet Black Out

I'm sorry I haven't written any blog posts the past few days. The internet at Treasure Cay has had a problem with their fiber optic cable so there has not been any wifi in the resort, marina, or anchorage. Finally late this afternoon we were able to communicate and get messages again. We have become internet junkies and were lost without getting our email, news, weather, blog, Ebay, and Craig's List 'fixes' for three days. Soon we'll be looking for "Internet Anonymous" meetings. We certainly are hooked.

Road Trip

We are presently anchored in the boat basin of Treasure Cay for a week. Our friend Keith has come here for a visit and is staying at the resort. Check out www.treasurecay.com and you can see the resort, marina, and all the amenities, including the gorgeous 3 ½ mile long beach.

Since Treasure Cay is actually on the main island of Great Abaco, today we decided to take a car trip south to Cherokee Sound and Little Harbour. The place that we rented our vehicle from, advertised rental cars, gift store, and hair braiding all in the same shop.

Dave loves driving on the left, and today was even more fun because they gave us a right hand drive Toyota Avalon.

Dave said it was actually easier to drive it because he could see the traffic better, since he was driving on the other side of the road. The rental cars in the Bahamas are not like the ones we are used to in the U.S., where they are almost new. The roads here are rough and the cars take a beating. This Toyota looked pretty nice on the outside, but sure had its share of rattles, squeaks, and maintenance issues. It got us through the day though, and we took it on some nasty potholed and rocky roads.

Our first stop was back in Marsh Harbour to show Keith this 3rd largest city in the Bahamas, and give him a look out over the Sea of Abaco towards Hope Town. It was a very windy day on the water so we were glad that we were on a land tour.

Then we travelled the long desolate road, lined with scrub pine and palmetto trees, down to the oasis settlement at Cherokee Sound.
What a quiet, immaculate, and quaint place. The water there is so shallow that they built the longest dock in the Bahamas at 770 feet, and then it’s still only about 2ft. deep.


We walked around this sleepy settlement and among the fishing boats, stopping for a snack and a souvenir T-shirt at the well stocked little grocery store.



After our explorations, we headed to Little Harbour. First we passed by the elite resort at Winding Bay, perched up on a bluff, and it is run by the Ritz Carleton. We had to drive down a road that was bulldozed over and through rock, to get to Little Harbour, which is actually the southernmost point of the Abaco cruising grounds.
At the end of our bumpy ride it was well worthwhile, since we got to eat at the famous Pete’s Pub and walk up to the old lighthouse keeper’s house. In the mid- 1950’s, internationally renowned artist Randolph Johnston and his wife Margot founded an art colony at Little Harbour. When they first arrived, they actually lived in caves in the rock hillside, and you can still go in and explore them. Now there is a foundry and an art gallery displaying the bronze statues and artwork that the Johnstons are famous for, and they even allow visitors to watch them when they are pouring their castings.


Their son Pete runs Pete’s Pub Restaurant and Bar, which is made from all the wood and flotsam that has washed up on shore.

The path up to the old lighthouse is really getting grown in, but we made our way up to the fallen down building and smokehouse of long ago. Now there is an automated light on this high ridge overlooking the ocean.


I walked down to the edge of the cliff and listened and watched as the waves were crashing in and caused spray to come up through holes in the rock causing blowholes.

On the way back to Treasure Cay, we tried to find one of the inland blue holes that we had previously visited. We knew it was down a dirt road, but since we were there last, it has deteriorated with huge potholes filled with muddy water from last night’s rain. We ended up having to turn around because the holes were so deep and we didn’t want to wreck anything on the car. Unfortunately Keith will have to settle for watching the PBS special on Abaco's Blue Holes this Tuesday at 8 P.M. To see one in person is spectacular though, knowing that there is both fresh and saltwater in these ponds, since they have tunnels leading to the ocean.

Another interesting day comes to a close, and hopefully we will be able to do some boating before Keith has to go back to the cold north.

Is Anyone Listening?

I have already discussed how hard it is to get good phone service here in the Abacos. The islanders have come up with a solution for local communications. When boaters, businesses, home owners and renters want to contact each other, we all use our marine VHF radios, which are similar to CB radios. Even the taxis, fire, police, and emergency services have their own separate frequencies. Two channels are set aside here for trying to reach a person or boat, and then we switch to another channel to have our conversations. If you don’t switch to another ‘working’ channel, someone will always come on and admonish you.
When you do switch to whatever channel you want to converse on, you have to really be careful about what you are saying, because anyone can be listening. In fact it has become a sport around here, and Harbour Rats are required to eavesdrop (we even have a certificate to attest to this!). It becomes quite hilarious, and if we hear a question that we can answer or a comment we want to make, we just say “Break” or “Info!”

Calling (aka hailing) on the VHF is when you really want to have a boat name that people can pronounce. The air waves really get interesting when two boats have the same name and you never know which one is going to answer. We have close friends in the harbor whose boat is named Horizons and this is how our conversation starts… “Horizons, Horizons, Horizons, this is New Horizon” They answer with, “New Horizon, New Horizon, this IS Horizons.” Every time we hail each other we just have to laugh.

Then there are the people who have handheld VHF radios that they bring to shore with them so they can call back to their boat to get picked up.
Today we heard someone from a boat called Happy Clams being called by their spouse in their dinghy called Clam Bucket. Then I heard Piglet calling Flying Pigs. Another one of my (least) favorites is Skinwalker. How did they ever come up with those names?

It really is quite a lifestyle and totally different than what we do during the summer months. When I write this blog I am always wondering if people are saying, “They really need to get a life!”

In Demand

It has been a busy day here in Hope Town Harbour. Happenings do run in threes, and it started at 8:10 this morning. Naturally today, of all days, was the first morning we have slept in until 8 A.M. We were a bit groggy when Ann and Paul from Horizons were calling out to us at the back of our boat saying that someone had untied the Jr. Sailing Pontoon Boat, with the 8 Opti sailboats on it, from the dock and it had washed up on the beach. Luckily it floated to the beach instead of out in the harbor where it could do damage to the cruising boats. It was also fortunate that the tide was high this morning so Bill from Interim and Paul pulled it off the beach, so that Ann along with Steve from Salty Turtle could tie it back to the dock. Meanwhile Dave and I arrived at the dock and saw something in the water and realized that the same hooligans that must have untied the pontoon boat, also took a bicycle and rode it down the dock and into the water. Dave used our dinghy anchor to grapple hook it, brought it to the surface and hauled it out. Now unfortunately, the pontoon boat will need to be locked up to the dock so this doesn’t happen again. This is such an unusual occurrence in Hope Town where people normally don’t even lock their doors.

View of the small beach and opti pontoon boat at the dock in the background.

That dilemma taken care of, we came back to New Horizon for breakfast. That just was not in the cards for Dave. As soon as we returned, Di from Caesar’s Ghost came over in her dinghy to ask him to help get her boat started (she’s the 80 year old solo cruiser that I wrote about before). Her batteries were dead, she had no fuel and her water supply was low and she couldn’t get to the dock. So off he went and almost wore our dinghy battery down trying to start her motor. He flagged down another boater who brought a portable generator over, and eventually they were able to get Di's boat running.

As Dave was coming back yet again to try and get something to eat, he got called over to another boat where our friend Philip from Cozy Villa on shore was trying to get the water in his runabout pumped out, but his battery was dead also. We keep a portable electric bilge pump in our dinghy so Dave pumped the water out and FINALLY was able to eat his well deserved breakfast at 11:00.

Apparently it doesn’t end there though. Now we are on dilemma number 4 and 5. Number four came from Bill on Interim when his generator wouldn’t start. Bill is extremely handy and he and Dave can fix just about anything. Now at 2PM, Dave is making a new bushing for his generator starter motor to replace the one he found broken on Bill and Carol’s 1974 sailboat.

Thankfully dilemma 5 doesn’t involve either of us, but as I was writing this blog, I heard loud crashing and crackling and looked up to see gigantic sparks running all along the power lines right in front the Harbour View Grocery Store. I’ve never seen anything like it before and it must have been deafening on shore. I bet the power is out all over Hope Town.

Wow, with all the breakdowns and problems, there must really be something in the air today!