Wind had calmed, sun was bright so we took off for Guana Cay in the boat. Ron and Natalie sunning on the bow pads, Tom and I at the helm. It was a nice smooth ride and Ron loved that he could see the bottom as if it were only a few feet away. Actually the water was only 6ft but we are getting pretty comfortable traveling around the islands in the shallow water. The guides tell you to learn the water by color as much as by chart and they are so right. We tied up to a mooring ball in the harbor as we thought that might be a little less worry for our non boating relatives. A short dingy to shore, tie up to the dock and climb up the ladder. Climbing up the wooden ladder was a bit of a challenge but luckily the tide was in and the ladder was plenty long for an easy start.
Nippers was our first stop. It is quite a bar, four decks with a pool that looks out over the ocean. We enjoyed a few nipper frozen rum drinks sitting on the deck then moving to the chairs out on the beach. Late afternoon we headed over to Grabbers to lay in the hammocks and loungers, have dinner and enjoy a few rum Grabbers. We had a fun filled day, warm sunny and clear skies. It was now dark and time to walk back to the dock for the short ride back to the mooring field.
Pop or as the Bahamians call it, soda is very expensive in the Bahamas and rum relatively cheap so the bartenders fill your glass 3/4 full of rum and 1/4 of the frozen concoction. I think you know the result!! I am sure we were a vision, four tipsy Americans wobbling down the street but on the other hand, it's probably not a new sight for the locals. Now comes the problem, it was now low tide and the ladder was not long enough to reach the top of the dingy. An added problem, it was DARK, adding another challenge to our decent on the ladder. Natalie successfully negotiated the ladder into the dingy even though there was a 2-3 ft drop from the last rung to the dinghy. We weren't sure why she went first since Tom would be driving and would have to pass her on the dinghy in the dark, but like I said we were not operating on all cylinders! Tom went next, he wasn't so smooth. He disappeared down the ladder but what we heard next was a yell, a splash and then "I'm ok it's shallow". Ron and I looked at each other thinking what in heavens name just happened. It seems Tom fell ON Natalies head knocking her into the water. He remained in the dingy as she broke his fall. After the initial "are you ok"? we started to laugh. I started down next with Peanut by the handle. I couldn't hold her and balance and down she went, luckily landing on the pile of towels and such in the dingy! Then me, falling from that last step into the bottom of the dingy on my butt. But at least I missed Natalie, Tom and Peanut. Ron being the strongest was able to hold on and reach the dingy with one leg. So now we are all in the dingy laughing all the way back to the boat. Thank goodness Natalie was a good sport about it. Once on the boat we laughed some more. Natalie said all she could think about when she hit the water was "poop water", and that was enough to give her super human strength to jump back in the dingy in record time. It seems earlier she asked where all the boaters empty their holding tanks. Tom explained that that due to a lack of services for that very thing boaters just dump in the water. I know yuk!
On Friday morning a couple moored next to us said they could hear us laughing and that we must have had a good time. It will be one we remember for a very long time I'm sure!!
Enjoying one or two last Rum drinks at Grabbers while watching the sunset
Sunset from the beach at Grabbers
The pool at Grabbers
Enjoying a few Grabbers rum drinks on the deck of Nippers
A view of Nippers beach
A view of Grabbers from the dinghy as we come to shore
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