Here I am again. Steve and I have the only boat in a tiny bay near Coral Bay. Supposedly we are doing boat chores this morning. Steve just stepped on the light bulb he was going to install and shredded it to smithereens. It appears he is finding other stuff to do that requires tools. Every morning our upper settee is disrupted and cushions are every which way to allow for the big guy to reach into the lockers beneath for needed parts or tools. As I’m sure you are aware, what you see on a boat is not the only thing you get. Everything is hidden in spaces tucked away to save space. It takes some practice before this doesn’t drive you crazy. Almost every act requires a cushion lifted. But that’s okay. It builds mental and physical strength, I’m sure.
I just hung some wash on a line Steve erected between two
standing sheets. No, I’m not hanging sheets. These sheets are like
thick metal rods that hold our mainsail in place. Speaking of hanging bed
sheets: We know a woman who WASHES her KING-SIZED sheets in the galley
sink! This woman is no kid either. I just can’t imagine all the
wringing out that would require. She must just love doing wash by
hand. It must give her a wonderful pioneer feeling that makes her
day.
We met this cool couple from Minneapolis who cruise on an absolutely darling, 32-foot sailboat with a dark, green hull with a red stripe. When they bought Eileen Donan ten years ago she was a mess and they have worked hard to make her shine. Every year, the first month Vanessa and George spend in the islands is used to do boat improvements. They spend about four months in the Caribbean altogether annually. They are of some age that is only approaching middle age. It’s terribly fascinating to figure out how cruisers who are not retired work this into their employment. When asked, Vanessa and George told us that in Minneapolis she bartends and he works as a security guard. Every year when they return to the north they get new jobs. Aren’t they just too cool? Yesterday when we ran into them on land, Vanessa was just getting ready to do a run on a trail on Leinster Bay. She showed us her hand-held GPS that she carries. I’m not sure why you need one when you run. I mean, most people don’t run all that far so they wouldn’t get lost. Maybe she either runs very far or just loves little gadgets.
Earlier that morning they told us a story that made us a little green with envy. The day before, in Leinster Bay, Vanessa spotted two dolphins, a mother and her calf. Immediately, brave Vanessa jumped into the water to frolic with the family. (I don’t think jumping into the water would have even dawned on me!) Most wild dolphins won’t stay with a human while the person is in the water with them. For some reason the mother and baby played with Vanessa. She said the only time she was somewhat scared was when the baby charged at her. (Uh-huh, I think I’d clench.) At the last moment the little guy dove right beneath her and came up behind her. Vanessa was thrilled with her swimming partners and said that she almost choked laughing so hard into her snorkel. Steve and I saw one dolphin quickly swim by our boat last year and another one made a cameo appearance this year. I wonder if some swim by and we’re oblivious of their presence! Vanessa and George said that over the past ten years they have seen very few dolphins. Vanessa’s swim with the dolphins was a once in a lifetime happening!
We had a fun drink with Doug and Kathy on Aeolus while we were again in Leinster Bay. I think it was in my last entry that I mentioned that Doug had told us that few West Indians swim. I forgot to mention to them that while we were staying in Coopers Bay, a beach party was held at the beach club one Saturday afternoon. It was a birthday party for a West Indian kid about junior high age. He had about 35 friends for a sunny afternoon on the beach. The interesting thing was that out of all those kids we only saw three kids jump off the dock and swim; volley ball and other activities were the name of the game. The aquamarine water didn’t draw them in. It sounds like I’m doing a sociological study but it is such fun to make cultural observations in a new environment. Back to the beach party, how many parties have their guests arrive in a ferry?! Plus, the ferry was the cutest I’ve ever seen; it was small and newly painted in happy designs. Happy Birthday, whoever you are!
Later today … Steve and I just got back from a dinghy excursion. One of our pleasures is to explore the shoreline of bays. We went from our bay across from Coral Bay to the ins and outs of other little bays. On the way I almost got Steve Irwined. I love to sit in the dinghy with one foot dangling in the water. Honestly, in my estimation it’s better than an hour in a hot tub. That pure clean jade-colored water running through my toes is heaven. As we are motoring along I saw a big brown rock up ahead. At the last minute, about a foot from the so-called rock, I brought my foot inside. The rock turned out to be an 18 inch brown stingray. I have a feeling he may have been pissed had I kicked him. I remember swimming with stingrays in the Cayman Islands years ago. They were big brothers and loved the tourists to pet them. But, for this article at least, I’m sure my stingray an hour ago could have done me in! Also on our way, we saw jelly fish that looked exactly like shower caps I’ve used in many hotels. They were about 12 inches in diameter, transparent, of course, and they even had something that looked like the elastic that keeps said shower caps in place. Another good reason not to drag a foot! Last year we snorkeled among lots, and I mean lots, of little jelly fish. Not a one stung us. Speaking of creatures that hurt, yesterday right after we got into this bay, a giant, and I mean giant, bee flew onto our aft deck where we were innocently sitting. The bee was two inches long and needed to have its legs shaved! They were that heavy, black, thick hair that let’s you know you are not dealing with an ordinary insect but one that could send you to Peebles hospital (the despicable place I wrote about last year). It really looked like a flying, buzzing tarantula! I took over the situation because Steve hates dealing with insects. So, acting quickly, I got it cornered in the round part of a gunwale drain and covered it up IMMEDIATELY with the round bottom of a sunblock can. Pretty shrewd, huh?! We made it stay that way for about an hour. When I lifted the can the big boy started to resurrect. On went the can again. Eventually the creepy killer inched its way down the drain and into eternity.
One more thing … Nate the son, not Nathan the son-in-law,
comes on February 9! Yeah! Can’t wait!