LEAVING STANIEL CAY FRIDAY

We will be slowly leaving Staniel Cay tomorrow and heading towards the Exuma Land and Sea Park once again. We picked up friends Doug and Vicki here at the small airport. They were late as the Nassau airport closed because of a power outtage. Many planes hovering above the airport awaiting to land and many awaiting to take off. This morning we headed right to the Thunderball Grotto for the last time this year. We were the only ones there at first so it was awesome. Vicki and I saw and swam about 20 feet from a stingray. They are so graceful in the water. Seeing these creatures from under the water was amazing.

We are heading to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club for lunch as this is the last stop until Nassau for “civilization”, ie. Lunch, buy some beer, ice, water, blue store, yellow house bakery etc. We will head north and enjoy this adventure one last time. When we say good-bye to Vicki and Doug next Thursday, we will also be heading further north to Florida. Our time in the Bahamas must come to an end. We will go home to “Spring” is what I've been told. Record high temps were recorded in Ottawa so from the warms temps here to mowing the lawn there …

We will have internet again at the Exuma Park so I will upload some pictures to our blog. Vicki and Doug brought 2 newspapers and a McLean's magazine. We will be brought up to date on the news of the outside world.

TOP TEN I WANT TO DO WHEN I GET BACK (other than hug our kids)

1. Go to Farm Boy and load up on fruits and vegetables
2. Have a long hot bath, no water shortage
3. Visit friends over lunch or dinner
4. See our brand new Great nephew in Toronto
5. Eat Chinese food with egg rolls
6. Make and eat homemade cookies
7. Go for a very long walk to anywhere
8. Missed all our boys birthdays, so I will make a giant cake!
9. Eat ice cream or frozen yogurt (had one cone in Nassau with Ben and Sam, Feb. 2)
10. Drive

Two very expensive “Wally” tenders came to the pig beach to see the pigs swim and it turns out that Steven Spielberg's yacht Seven Seas is anchored just a ways away. We can see it, 300ft long! He is not aboard, but charters it out for 1 million a week. This is what we heard anyway, from people that would know. One needs to google a “Wally” and you will see what these boats look like. I have never seen them before, and these were about 20ft long! Many megayachts anchored here right now because of March break time and Staniel Cay Yacht Club transforms itself to a casino on Sat. This is a 007 James Bond celebration that draws crowds of people and money. Next year if we are here we will have to plan to go as people that we've met say it is not to be missed and are disappointed we are leaving a day early.

At lunch Staniel Cay Yacht Club

I thank Matthew for buying a hand blown tequila bottle at duty free. When he left, I filled it with sand and shells. It looks so nice. The tequila was drunk before the boys left, surprise?