Black Point Homecoming

Sat 8/3/13


I suppose one of the sadder things to me about the Bahamas, is that when kids grow up, most of them leave the family islands, to find jobs somewhere else. Many of the Black Point residents that remain either operate their own businesses, or work on some of the neighboring cays. The school here only goes through the eighth grade, then students must either move somewhere else with older brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, etc. or a few go to boarding school. Many move on with their lives...
Once a year, many of the family islands have their Homecoming. What a great time to re-unite with your family, the kids you grew up with, see the neighbors, and stay in touch with the community.
For the week that I've been here people have been painting their houses, cleaning their yards, trimming their plants, and sprucing up in general.
The local mailboat, the Lady Francis, has been dockside for the week, having brought in some class C sailboats, as well as provisions for the island. She uses her boom to place the masts on the boats, and swing the booms down to the crews below.
This morning, shortly after daybreak, I heard Bahamian music getting louder, and looked to see the Captain C arriving with a few hundred people on deck, and a live DJ ramping things up. The boat blew her air horn for a good 2 minutes, and the folks were cheering. The residents of Black Point hustled to the dock to greet their loved ones.
As soon as daybreak, planes started taking off and landing from the daylight only runway. Boats from other islands began arriving as the Captain C offloaded a few more C class racing boats.
The anchorage that I've had to myself for a week, now has one yacht, one visiting sailboat, two Bahamian vessels from other islands to house their racing crews, two other trawlers, and the Briney Bug just came in! The quiet little little village has turned into a bustle of activity.
The class C boats sailed to Staniel Cay, and raced back. I looked in vain for some of the kids I'd promised rides to, mingled in with the crowd. I picked up a couple of cruisers off the American Tug Carlye, Clay and Rita K, and Jill off the Briney Bug, and we got some pictures from the midst of the sailboats crossing the finish line.
They had another race later in the afternoon, through the midst of the anchored boats, and around a triangular course.
During the day, Rudy and Jill, off the Briney Bug, and I went ashore and ate at one of the booths. I ate ribs and mac and cheese and peas and rice, and beets that Raymond had been bragging on his mom's cooking all week. It was pretty good!
This evening, as I sit on the bow, typing this, I can hear a trumpet, a tuba, and a trombone, maybe, warming up. I can't see them, but they are near the gov't dock rather than with the festivities at the regatta dock. It sounds like parade material. ohh, definitely band material.. may have to go check this out.


Don't get me wrong, there is a live DJ at the regatta pier, loud enough I reached my limit of endurance pretty quickly. Wow! This band sounds great. I can't figure out where they are. I can see the dock, the road...