Month: February 2012

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Stoppin’ and Steppin’ at Staniel, 2/21- 2/22

After lunch and a quick trip in for wi-fi at Lorraine’s Café and a few necessities (eggs, butter, M&Ms and tonic water) we hauled Bunting, raised the main, raised the anchor (yes, in that order) and set sail for Staniel Cay, an enjoyable 10 nm sail.  Elvis was anchored off the yacht club and we saw yacht M&M with their tender, Peanut.

Wednesday was a perfect day, less than 10 kts wind, sunny and a high of only 76.  Hit the 3 markets and as the boat had not come in lately with fresh fruits and veggies, our best find was a bag of carrots. No bread, but one market had flour. One store had chicken breast halves (bone-in) and although the price on the package was $12, our price (high mark-up due to transportation costs) was $19! Jeeze I thought $12 was pricey for two halves. When I said I’d need to return the chicken to the freezer, the owner, no doubt wanting the sale, cut the price to $14. Ok, I took it and happy to help local businesses. Although this particular one is about on its last legs.

Dinghied over to Thunderball Grotto for a quick snorkel then over to a plane that crashed in shallow water after take-off.

Plane wreck in less than one foot

A close up look at the plane

 

One problem with many anchoring spots is the current and every time the tide changes the anchor has to re-set and certain types are better at that than others. Our Rocna will handle that if it’s got enough strain on it to tug it around in mud or not-too-hard sand. This is what happens with no strain – the chain just wraps around the anchor and no way will that silly thing be able to dig back in.

Don't think this looks right....

We untangled it and dropped it back in.

Our big treat tonight was dinner at the YC; so far the best dining out we’ve encountered in the Exumas. With the lack of decent “eats”, Russ’s (and mine too sorry to say) eatery of choice is Chez Ortolan. As with every Exuma restaurant, dinner reservations are a must and you make your meal choice ahead. The YC serves a good meal, soup to dessert. Not a loaded plate like you get most places state-side; just enough to fill you up.

During the salad course (which tonight was yummy coleslaw) we perked up at the sound of drums. Umm. The waitress came by to tell the diners “Junkanoo!” and the main course would be held if we wanted to go out and watch. You bet we did. Sorry, no camera. Junkanoo was introduced to the American colonies by slaves from Africa’s western coast and it quickly spread to Jamaica and The Bahamas. One of the steps used in today’s parade is two steps forward and one step back. The history and tradition of Junkanoo in The Bahamas is long and varied- so I’ll skip all that and just say that the “scrap gang” version we watched up close is one you are most likely to see, unless you are in Nassau on Boxing or New Years Day.  Bells, whistles, goombay drums, clappers were employed by the 7 or 8 men who paraded alongside the YC and out to the docks. These instruments – homemade for sure.

We all watched in fascination as the drummers began with a “bringing it up” process that uses a small fire to warm up the goat or sheep skin drum cover. This gets it tight and helps to produce various drum tones- the drums are the core of Junkanoo and my favorite sound.  The group’s leader used a whistle to lead them along at a slow pace with each member imparting his own energy and unique step to the parade. This was a thrill and a real Bahamian treat for us and I am so disappointed I have no photos to show, just a great memory forever etched.

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Return to Pointe Noir – 2/19- 2/20

Jan 19 we bid farewell to BlackPoint and Feb 19 we returned… this place has the BEST laundry around- by far. Granted, Laundromats are in short supply, and this one is worth the wait.

The Lady Frances came in Saturday so we had a bit of luck at the market. To give you some idea: I wanted butter, milk and eggs. They had eggs. (well, to be honest they did have milk and butter, but the milk was whole and we prefer 1% and the butter is Anchor brand, a product of New Zealand and it has an off taste to me.) I needed fruit, carrots and bananas. They had grapefruit, loose carrots and bananas. Not bad. I wanted a box of tissues; zilch. We opened the large chest freezer to assess the meats, but most of the items I didn’t recognize or wasn’t sure if I was looking at a pork rib or a steak. And you know, when I say “milk” we’re not talking fresh milk, it’s UTH all the way; mostly Parmalat, sometimes Borden, or the scarce Presidente brand that looks more like a bottle of milk with a twist cap that keeps the milk in the bottle should it topple over.

Our second best find (after the eggs) was Canada Dry canned tonic water. The next time you disparage the selection in your local Publix or Stop & Shop, close your eyes and place yourself in a corner market such as you might have had in your local neighborhood growing up… and then cut that selection in half;  now, how would you like to shop there for three months?  Yes, we still are a bit fussy about some items, but after a few tries I sigh and give in to what I can get and am happy to have something, at least. Like the butter. At Exuma Market I had several choices and finally settled on the Irish Kelly unsalted butter. Doubt I’ll have that range of choice until Marsh Harbor (she says hopefully).

Now for the tonic water tale of woe. We left Florida loaded with paper towels, cashews, almonds, cereal, wine and tonic water. Polar brand of tonic is very inexpensive and we usually buy that or the store brand.  Packed enough to go with the large bottle of cheap gin (last year we gave up Tangueray) we had, figuring if gin was too pricey here, we’d skip it. Of course, it was affordable and then came the tough part of the tonic water. Other than rum punch-type drinks, we keep it simple; wine, G&Ts or the occasional beer for Russ. Many cruising couples we’ve met keep it very simple: they don’t drink; how budget friendly and healthy is that?

Our first few forays into Exuma Market in GT netted us an empty space where the non-diet quart bottles of Polar tonic might usually reside. Okay then, let’s try what we could find; Schweppes in cans. Canned beverages of all types and flavors abound here. Our taste buds revolted, our eyes read the label and our minds wondered if bottling in Nassau produced a heavier, sicky-sweeter tonic preferred by Bahamians, or was the difference between cans and bottles really that great?  A few days later, the Polar tonic appeared on the shelf and we nabbed 3 to mix with the Schweppes- phew. When we saw Canada Dry (we almost always have noticed Schweppes) at Adderley’s in Black Point we grabbed a test can and am relieved to report that… we like it! Not bottled in Nassau, but in Texas and not at all like the Schweppes. Now if we can only get a few more….

Now you can enjoy a good laugh when I tell you some other items on my list: buttermilk, sour cream, spareribs, cucumber. I can dream can’t I? Next stop is Staniel Cay with 3 small markets!

January- no bldg visible next to pink house

One month later...