30 April - 3 May 2009

30 April 2009

Spent most of the afternoon at Long Island Breeze Resort.  They require a $4.00 minimum purchase to use their WiFi, but most of the afternoon I was the only customer in the place.  They definitely are not getting rich.  Decided to leave in the morning for Georgetown, Exumas.  This will give me few days to get ready for Jim Boernge’s visit.  Stopped by to see Mark and Rachelle in the evening.  They will sail to Georgetown in a few days to get ready for the upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic via the Turks and Caicos islands.

1 May 2009

Pulled up the anchor at 08:00 am.  Sailing under just the Genoa at 4-5 knots made for an easy downwind sail all the way to Georgetown.  Hoisting the Main would have given me a little more speed, but the wind vane self-steering unit probably could not have handled the light air and following seas.  Quite a few cruising boats were still in the Georgetown Harbor after the annual Family Island Regatta, so I anchored at the northwest end of the boats along Stocking island, north of the shipping channel just off Monument Beach, also known as Hamburger Beach.  Anchored at 1740WT 2332 7546.  Hiked across Stocking Island to see if the beaches and waves were okay for surfing, but found too many coral heads and rocks for a beginning surfer to crash into. 

2 May 2009

A tremendous herd of boats left the harbor this morning.  At one time I could see 18 boats heading north in a long line.  Many are using the settled weather to make long trips back to the United States.  The radio waves were full of people saying goodbyes to new-found friends and promising to come back next year.  Many of the cruisers spend the winter in Georgetown.  They build a community much like the large retirement communities in Arizona.  Substituting yachts for motorhomes and dinghies for golf carts, their lives seem to be an endless cycle of planned activities.  Yoga, swimming lessons, Happy Hours, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and even Jehovah’s Witness church services are on the menu.  I spent the day on the boat consolidating and stowing stuff in an effort to get my second bunk free before Jim arrives. 

3 May 2009

More boats left this morning and the count of cruising boats in the harbor is now down to 70.  Went ashore in the early afternoon and hiked up to the monument on Stocking Island, to get some exercise and take some pictures.  On the way, noticed the Peace and Plenty Beach Club was open.  Of course my wallet was still safe and dry on the boat, so after the hike, retrieved the wallet and went to socialize at the club.  Spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening talking with a cruiser named Gary from the Florida Keys who sails a 40-foot Hunter sailboat named Escada.