Sailing Again

Thank you Mary S. for this photo of Dave back sailing a Sunfish for the first time since his accident! Although sore afterward, he was able to sit in this small boat, duck under the boom, and hold onto the mainsheet. He's a happy sailor once again!

Pushing the Limits

You never know who or what is going to cruise into Hope Town... 

 

 This 39 foot Nor-Tech is a new breed of extreme center console boats.

 

The size of the boat could handle lots of passengers and the bolsters could either be used as leaning posts or seats. Several of us said that it looked like an amusement ride.

 It is powered by these 4 super charged Mercury Verado 300 hp engines. It's top speed is 76-80 mph depending on the load and sea state. It can make it from Palm beach Florida to Hope Town in 4 hours on a calm day.

We found out later that an actress came to the marina in this, but Dave doesn't remember who it was. Bummer, I still don't know who cruised into Hope Town! Oh well, they don't call it Hollywood for nothing!

Into A New Year

What an eventful and challenging year 2013 has been! We're looking forward to 2014 and part of the celebration is the Junkanoo competition in White Sound. Time to dance to the beat, but first the goat skins have to be stretched and dried.

 

 When the parade began, the kids and adults performed amazingly, all wearing those awesome elaborate costumes...which had to come to Elbow Cay on the ferry and then be assembled!

Tonight at midnight there will be fireworks over Hope Town Harbour followed by a Junkanoo rush-out through the streets of the settlement. What a way to say goodbye to 2013 and hello to 2014!

Happy New Year!

Ingenuity

One of our yearly traditions here in Hope Town is the holiday golf cart parade. It is amazing what owners come up with to decorate their carts.

 These were the best this year:

The decorating contest winner... "Bahamian Bobsled Team": 

 

Everyone in the family got involved in this one:

 

 Candy Land:

 

 The Cart's Meow

I wonder what next year's contest will bring? Perhaps a Harbour Rat entry? All we need is a cart because the Rats are already ingenious!

Boxing Day 2013

As usual, New Horizon was the committee boat for the traditional HTSC Boxing Day race held yesterday.

We were so lucky that it was absolutely gorgeous out and after weeks of mainly warm and windy weather, race day only had light breezes. Dave and Amy even went swimming off the back of the boat.

I've said this many times, but it doesn't get better than this...especially the day after Christmas!

Christmas Wishes

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through our boat, not a breath of wind could be found, were we really afloat?

The flags all hung limp in the flybridge above, this is the weather that we crave and we surely do love.

Then what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a thunderstorm to the north as a cold front came near.

We no longer worry about wind since we are tied to the dock, and the waves barely hit us so we don’t even rock.

Marina life can be fun as we can walk, kayak and swim, and go into the hot tub ‘til the sunlight goes dim.

The past months have been challenging so we deserve some good cheer, we’re just so glad that we are still able to be here.

We’ll leave high places to Santa so Dave doesn’t take flight, but we still want to wish “Happy Christmas to all and to all good night!”

 

Caroler and Carolee

This year's caroling through Hope Town was a huge event with somewhere near 100 people attending. It was a perfect evening with barely a cloud in the sky.

Usually we are invited to go to our friends Janet and Philip's house Cozy Villa to watch as the carolers stop to sing a yuletide greeting (in return, Janet & Philip hand out their own greeting). I had a bit of an urge to join the procession through the settlement.

I don't think I had gone caroling since I was in high school and missed singing the timeless carols! Needless to say back then it was a bit colder than here in Abaco where I wore my shorts.

We stopped at several different houses along the route, including this one that has the most impressive decorations on all of the island.

When we arrived at Cozy Villa, it was fun to watch the carolees (including Dave) sing along with the carolers. Now I know what we look like when we are guests there on this special night. When Philip and Janet handed out their libations, I  left the carolers and joined Dave and the carolee party on their front porch.

What a great way to celebrate the holiday season and appropriately my name!