Long Island preparations for the Regatta

Wednesday, June 5





I was sitting at anchor this morning, after listening to the SSB weather, when I heard the splash of a bow wave. I looked out as a mailboat ambled beside me. If you are ever anchored off Salt Pond, the mailboats curve to the south before going into the government dock. I moved a little further south.





The barge-like vessel was laden with the sailboats arriving for the races, and their crews, as well as visitors for the races. Another high speed ferry arrived a few hours later, and a third vessel, also carrying a couple of racing boats arrived later in the day, after the original vessel had departed.





The first vessel, "the barge" the locals were calling it, was a type of car carrier, and it had on it a crane truck that began slinging off the sailboats. I watched as a few of the sailboats were set into the water, with one or two crew a piece, and sent to drift away downwind. I took the Whaler over to one, and he asked me to tow him over towards the fish house, and I complied. I'm not sure where the vessel that was supposed to be helping was, but, I know that for the rest of the morning, I was towing vessels, and taking crew ashore. A Bahamian skiff joined me, and we rotated pulling vessels away from the barge to where they could anchor, and when they were done rigging their vessels, picking up the crews and transporting them to shore, or back to "the barge." It was a great way to meet the sailors!





As the boats began practicing, I decided I was too close to the exhilaration of boats running into my anchored craft, and moved. They were practicing using my boat as a rounding mark, and it just got a little worrisome!





I also wandered to the south to check out a couple of blue holes that weren't very impressive, though I made a quick dive in one to check it out.





Then I took the MERCY to the north a tad, in the southern section of Thompson Bay, with a 140 degree bearing to the white church just up the hill. There is deeper sand here, and good holding.





Wednesday night I walked up the road to the left from Island Breeze Resort to that church, the Assembly of God, with Pastor Jimmy Fox. The congregation was friendly, and the service interesting as they began a study on the end times. I note with interest how attuned the Bahamians are to US politics.





After church someone gave me a ride down to the Island Breeze, where I had asked permission to tie the Whaler. The owners there left the gate open so I could get back to the boat. What nice folks! I'm going to go eat there sometime the next few days.







The church is interested in meeting boaters, and everyone ought to visit there. They are planning on installing a dinghy dock just down the hill, with the hopes of providing free water to cruisers. What a great idea! Anyone interested in helping Pastor Jimmy build his dock, contact me.