PICTURES FROM LAST BLOG

A resident stingray at Norman's Cay, about 4 feet "wing span"
with a resident fish on its bottom side

Jack with the blue waters around him

So many blues! Not the sad ones :-)

STILL HERE IN PARADISE

We said good-bye to our “boys”, James and Matthew and their friends after they enjoyed an evening out, dinner, casino and aquarium at Atlantis, Nassau. We so enjoyed our stay at Atlantis. This is a massive resort that has a wonderful aquarium, we stayed an extra night so our friends Lyne and Jack could see this amazing aquarium. We said good-bye to the boys and five hours later we said “Hello” to our friends. The turn-over from sheets, towel washing to cleaning the boat (4 boys, use your imagination) and getting the room ready for Lyne and Jack was amazing. I shared a taxi with another boater. She and I went to a store over the Paradise Island bridge and provisioned big time. I have produce, cheese, eggs, milk and other good stuff to last for awhile. I was so excited to get a frozen bag of chicken breasts, 6lbs for $26.00. I haven't had chicken since Florida! Now that the kids have eaten hamburgers and steaks etc, there is room in our freezer to stock up on some other freezer food. We will not be in Nassau until March 21^st. So I needed to think big and hard what I had to buy. I can get produce in these Exuma settlements when their weekly boat comes in but prices are much higher.

We so enjoyed seeing our “children” and their friends but now this week is a holiday for us with our friends. It will be no work for us! We left Nassau Tuesday morning and arrived at Allen's Cay for lunch. This Cay is the one with the Iguanas. Lyne and Jack sure enjoyed seeing these creatures. It was a rougher night though as we did arrive during a rain storm (the first one that we have encountered the whole time we've been in the Bahamas during the daytime). Wednesday we travelled to Norman's Cay but too windy to anchor near the sunken airplane so anchored near a beach. Thursday morning went and did anchor by the airplane and took the dinghy to the beaches where the sand dollars are. We spent the morning “beachcombing”, collecting shells, taking pictures and oohing and aahing over the pools of blue waters. We saw the resident extra large sting ray. Paul took underwater footage and pictures of this amazing creature. It even has a “tag along” fish on his underside. We did not see this stingray jump out of the water like we did when Matt Wubs was in the water last week, but Atlantis has some magnificent stingrays there! After lunch we travelled to a new island for Paul and I, Shroud Cay. This is a nice anchorage and great swimming. A sandy bottom, so snorkeling is just for fun, nothing to see, but the BAA (Big Ass Anchor) that Paul likes the swimmers to check on it.

Lyne and Jack are enjoying a Day In the Life of Shannon and Paul, and they are having fun. This is their one week winter holiday. Nightlife is card playing! Two new games for Paul and I, Phase 10 and last night was Wizard. Good thing I am a good sport, and do not throw cards on the table and stomp off. I did have some swear words to entertain everyone :-) I was the biggest loser both nights but no worries, I hear we might play euchre tonight and I am good at that game!

We arrived at the Exuma Land and Sea Park this morning and will snorkel at slack tide, which is 2:45pm this afternoon. We sure look forward to that. I will update this blog with a part 2 with pictures. We only have so many MB for this 24 hours of internet and there are others to use it. So stay tuned,

Many People Will Walk In and Out of Your Life,

but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. – Eleanor Roosevelt

We are blessed to have so many friends that have us in their thoughts and we are so far away!

WE ARE HERE IN ATLANTIS

a foursome

James and Les, buddies

We have had a great time with Matthew, Les, James and Matt, ages 19-21 … we are now sitting in Atlantis in Nassau. The boys leave tomorrow morning around 10:30am to the airport. It is worth to stay here at the marina as all passengers on board get a day pass bracelet. This bracelet alone is worth $120.00 each. And to stay at this marina for us is about $250-300 a night. The boys are having a blast. The aquarium here is worth it alone! Magnificent.

We traveled from the Exuma Land and Sea Park to Norman's Cay where there is a sunken airplane and there is Norman's Beach Bar. The boys went there for a lunch and got to know the manager Stefan there. They snorkeled, swam, dinghyed everywhere and had a few laughs. Saw a HUGE stingray jump out of the water, amazing sight. I learned that these creatures have a white belly, I thought a small whale was jumping out of the water, I asked Matt Wubs to get out of the water until I knew what that was. They are beautiful to watch swim/glide through the water.

Norman's Cay, where I got sand dollars

Paul and I went to three nearby beaches by ourselves and sure enjoyed the white sand! I collected more sand dollars and am sending the boys home with some.

Paul and white sand

Norman's Cay only 2 feet deep, had to walk ashore

 

Matt and Matthew, best buds

Lots of conch

We travelled from Norman's Cay to Rose Island, outside of Nassau on Friday and it was a little rough but boys enjoyed the seas. They caught a fish on the way, but after much deliberation and analyzing the fishing books, decided to let it go... we think it was a “Lesser Amber Jack”. Later that night, Rose Island became calm calm calm.... see down 15 feet. The boys again, snorkeled, and went pole spear fishing. Matt caught a fish but small, then caught a much bigger one.... a Red Hind. We barbequed it and had very little eating from it but all sampled it. Then the 4 boys came along with about 20 conch shells, after about 1 hour of work to get 3 out of the shell (after I boiled it briefly to kill them), we breaded the meat and fried them in oil. These turned out much better... Matthew cleaned them after James used the ax to cut the shell off to get the conch meat out. I pounded the meat with my wooded rolling pin, all this is from instructions that we got to novices like us. Lots of meat inside these creatures. Everyone had a sample of the conch meat, the other conch shells were released as too much work to do to get the meat out. These conch are so slimy! Cleaning up after this was exhausting even getting the slime off your hands, I used comet!

A speared fish, the hunter Matthew

enjoying the open seas

At Rose Island, coming back from the beach where they were "fishing"

When Ben and Sam and guests were here there was a day when it rose to 45 degrees, and this happened to us on Saturday.. hot and sunny, no wind! This must have been the calm before the wind, as it is super windy right now! We have Lyne and Jack coming tomorrow afternoon, friends from our hometown Metcalfe. We sure hope the wind dies down so we can travel back to the Exumas, keep our fingers crossed. We are hostages to the weather down here. We are learning all about this, Windfinder is the weather site we go to to get the wind directions and mph etc.

I will go and provision again tomorrow morning, take a taxi to the store across the Paradise Island bridge and then visit this fabulous Atlantis again. You could stay here one week and not see everything. The people here are super friendly, we love the Bahamanian people! The boys are getting all “dressed up” for the night out so I will take a picture and add to the blog.

A night out at Atlantis Resort, all dressed up and lots of hair gel

We have internet for tomorrow too and again sporadically throughout the next week. We blog when we can.

Atlantis Marina's largest yacht here is 240ft long with 16 crew members, we are a 45ft catamaran. We are our own Captain and “cook” !

PICTURES FROM EXUMA LAND AND SEA PARK

Two friends since grade nine,
Matthew and Matt

This is not a pool, but oh so blue
Les, Matt and James

OUR BOYS ARE HERE WITH BUDDIES

Sunday afternoon, sons Matthew and James arrived with friends, Matt and Les. What lucky young men they are to experience Bahamas on a nice catamaran. They arrived in Staniel Cay on a sunny day. We anchored in a small bay because of the winds for the night. After a secure night, we went ashore for “beer” shopping and get gas for the outboard motor. The guys had a beer at the Staniel Cay yacht club and saw the nurse sharks and sting rays in the water at the marina. We came back to the cat for an early lunch as the slack tide was happening at 1pm. That means we go to Thunderball Grotto to do the snorkeling in the cave, lots of fish and a coral reef just outside the cave. The guys loved this experience. A James Bond movie was filmed in this cave. We then pulled anchor and moved to the other side of the island, the guys took my compost lettuce to the pigs that swim out in the salt water to eat the good food thrown to them. The guys loved seeing these pigs and their piglets.

James is doing our famous card trick I taught him many years ago and it is driving Les crazy wanting to know the answer... but we don't divulge things like that. We just keep doing the trick over and over and maybe Les will catch on and maybe he will not.

The guys collected wood and did go to a bonfire on land on Monday night. They came back smelling like a bon-fire but sure enjoyed themselves.

This morning we pulled anchor and travelled to the Exuma Land and Sea Park, the guys were so excited they jumped in right away and went to a sandbar. This park is awesome. We also went snorkeling here as the fish here are very different and extra large. James used his “GoPro Camera” on the trip here and also under the water. The video is awesome! This is widescreen and can be worn on his head.

Matthew, Matt, Les and James

We will head to Norman's Cay tomorrow for a snorkel at the underwater plane that sank many years ago during the drug running years. This is where the girls Sam and Jalyn got the sand dollars, so we will head to that beach for some more of those.

Paul with the sand bar in background at the Exuma Land and Sea Park

We are having a good time with family and friends and hope all are having a good “Spring Break”. My parents are going to Hawaii in a couple of days for the first time. Many adventures for everyone!

Let Us Be Grateful To People Who Make Us Happy; They Are The Charming Gardeners Who Make Our Souls Blossom. -- Marcel Proust

REDEEMER HIGH SCHOOL CONNECTION

Friday we travelled to Blackpoint Island to do laundry and have unlimited free internet while at the laundromat. We did bring down some school supplies and walked up to the local school to donate these. They welcomed us with open arms and were so grateful. Next year we will bring ink for their printers. It is hard to come by down here in the out islands. All the children were having a Valentine's Day lunch and were dressed in red and white.

Saturday morning we pulled anchor and left Blackpoint for Staniel Cay. We are back here as two sons and their two buddies arrive Sunday afternoon by a charter plane. On our way here we stopped at Bitter Guana Cay because the beach there looked awesome. We anchored and dinghyed in. Yes, there were iguanas but not too many. I collected some shells and we got some exercise walking. No other person in sight.

This morning we dinghyed in to Staniel to pick up a few grocery items. We met some nice local people. We heard about the school fundraiser dinner at the beach and decided to go for that. No cooking for me tonight! Well, God does work everywhere! We met parents of someone we knew as a staff member at our sons' high school a long time ago. David Wildeboer was a staff member back when our son was in grade 9 or 10. What are the odds of that? There had to be over 40 people at this beach dinner, we sat down right beside Bill and Shawnie Wildeboer on the bench. This is their first time in Bahamas travelling on their sailboat. We shared stories and commented what is the chance we would meet. .. and for me to bring into conversation of our boys attending Redeemer Christian High School in Ottawa.

When we travelled from Grenada to St. Maarten in 2009 we saw many boats from many countries according to their flags, well here in the Exumas, 80% of the boats we see are Canadian, rarely any other kind. I have a flag reference guide to help distinguish all the flags that I thought we would see, but really no need, as most are Canadian with an odd one American, Australian or German. We leave Canada to see more Canadians down here.

A skyscape here in Blackpoint Island, Exumas

at the Guana Island

Did You Know:

During times of battle, British navy ships used to carry a supply of limes to help prevent scurvy. That's why the British were tagged with the nickname “Limeys.”

LAUNDRY AND INTERNET BLACKPOINT

We travelled to Blackpoint this morning as it is only 4 miles away. They have the best laundromat in the Exumas and free internet to boot. So did catch up on the emails and thought I would upload a couple of pictures. We expect our other two sons along with two buddies on Sunday afternoon. We are excited and preparing for them.

I will publish this and upload a picture at a time.

This is near Thunderball Grotto where we saw some turtles

Tyler with water and horizon ... it went to over 45 Celcius this particular afternoon

This is the magnificent view from the dryer at the laundromat
Doing laundry in the Exumas is more fun that the basement in Metcalfe
I think I will get a poster for our laundry room, hmmmmm

Take care.