Ahhhh! Still landlubbing

Well, we've been in Punta Blanca for a little more than two weeks. Betty and Joe (friends of Jack and Karen who own the casita) invite us to tag along when they go into town; which is very helpful, otherwise we would have to walk into Punta Gorda for food items.

We've become a new customer for Jerry, the local fisherman. He came by about 7 am one morning, and continued to call to us until he woke us up; the nerve! I think there are some that would not take so kindly to this, especially since he came onto the property uninvited! So he brings us snapper, grouper and maybe a couple of teeny weeny lobster. It's sad that the fisherman don't care about the future; they only seem to care about "today". They don't care that catching baby lobsters will impact their food source in the future. Jerry is a good person and has been very friendly. He is just "from a different world", and yes, we ate the lobster. He also brought a huge Dungeness crab one day, wish I had taken a picture. We would have bought it, but we passed since it didn't seem to be "alive" anymore, probably a wise choice~!

"Smudge", Jack and Karen's cat is finally getting used to me; up till now she has been pretty skittish. I make sure she has fresh water and food. She has her own "kitty door", and comes and goes as she pleases.
I'm almost ashamed to say that we have been glued to the TV, watching all the "hoopla" of the Casey Anthony trial. It is interesting to watch our legal system in play and also disconcerting how much the media puts their own spin on it. At one point, we lost the Direct TV signal and actually missed the jury's decision. Days later it was still being reported on Headline News, so we didn't really "miss" it after all. Even though the prosecutions case was based solely on circumstantial evidence, we were a little surprised that they had acquitted her on all charges. Unfortunately, I doubt if we will ever truly know what happened to little Caylee.
There have been a couple of robberies here in the community. This is unsettling as we are like sitting ducks here. The robberies have happened during the day, as the Garifuna (who mostly live in Punta Gorda) are afraid of ghosts so they don't venture out in the dark. However, the Spanish have no fear of ghosts. Weird!

We're told that someone took a battering ram to the iron grids on a neighbor’s window. They ate candy and food, but didn't steal anything! I guess they were just hungry. Seems it would have been easier to just ask for food, but the owners aren't home. Many of our neighbors have returned to their stateside homes, probably to avoid the hottest time of year here. I'm guessing it's not as easy as you would think to find reliable people to watch over your home. Hey, I'm getting an idea!

One of the neighboring homes has a pool and has kindly offered to let Karen and Jack's boarders to use it. It is a lap pool, but it's still a good way to cool off! We're nestled among the trees, so actually the casita is quite comfortable, but it wouldn't be without the ceiling fans.
We met John Cooper who owns several lots with water access. He plans to sub-divide his parcel into about 7 lots. His asking price for one of the lots with water access is $195,000. US.


Many of the local gringo’s congregate at BJ's in Oakridge, a local "landmark" bar and eatery every other Saturday for a "jam session"; always a fun time and a good opportunity to meet other gringo’s, most of whom have lived on Roatan for 6-12 years!

BJ is quite an interesting character. We have had many conversations with BJ over the last several weeks. BJ was born on Roatan and has spent most of her life there. It's the place to have a "cold one", leave your dinghy or car or enjoy her great food. She has some great tales of Key West and the times she spent there rubbing elbows with Jimmy Buffet before he became famous. She and her husband owned a shrimp boat years ago. She had also spent time in Orlando and Cape Canaveral. BJ has a picture of who we believe to be a lady and her husband, Elsa (aka Putzy, can't remember his name) who was a client of David's in New Castle, PA back when he was first starting out in the insurance business. We are pretty positive it is the same couple. They've got to be close to their 90's! She and her husband had owned a ski shop in New Castle. Apparently, they have a home in Port Royal, high on a hill overlooking the ocean. Small world. . . these sort of coincidences, happen again and again! I love travelling!

Betty and Joe invited us to go with them on June 25th. Kelly, BJ and David celebrated their birthdays! Yep, David has hit the "big 60" milestone! Thanks to all of our friends and family who sent their birthday wishes via email; it was very nice for David!

Today we took a walk into Punta Gorda, which is just a short walk through the woods and across the soccer field. David has gone many times, but he hasn't felt it was safe to take me. Apparently, there is quite a difference in the atmosphere at 8am, as opposed to 2pm. We saw a good many women and men out and about working, shopping and socializing; whereas David has usually only seen more "unsavory" characters in the afternoon. We did feel out of place as we didn't see one gringo about!

David was the photographer this time. I tend not to take pictures of the ugliness, but it is also good to show the reality of island life here. He got a couple cute pics of little girls, surprisingly, they didn't ask for any $$. The island children have so little, for a moment I thought we should have given them a couple of lempiras, but so we've been told, then they will probably come to expect it.

The gringo’s here do invest in the local economy, helping the Policia Department by donating vehicles and gasolina, not to mention helping those they employ with health care costs and loaning $$, and of course, purchasing food, clothing and other necessities. There is definitely a different price for the "gringo", than those that are born here.

We rented a car to tour the island, though we have seen most of it, and to do some errands. For an island that encompasses about 30 miles, it seems to take forever to get from Punta Blanca to the West End (about an hour). Driving here is an experience, as most islanders are licensed, but do not take any sort of driving courses. The main road is paved, but there are many, many curves and hills, most on the edge of cliffs with no guard rails. You never know when you will turn a corner and come upon a herd of cattle or horses strolling along, a scooter or a stopped cabbie picking up a fare. A lot of "cabbies" don't seem to understand the importance of brake lights or turn signals!

Stopped by Turquoise Bay resort and Parrot Bay Plantation, both very nice spots. Turquoise Bay has a lovely natural beach, pool, kayaks, diving instruction and excursions, restaurant/bar, gift shop, they host karaoke on Thursday evenings. Parrot Bay has a manmade beach, condos, marina, restaurant, real estate office, beachside cabana bar, gift shop. We preferred Turquoise Bay, Parrot Tree is too commercial for our taste.

One afternoon before heading back to the casita we went to Camp Bay. We headed out in search of the beach and a Bar/Restaurant called "The Asylum". The road into Camp Bay is dirt, with many bumps and obstacles; it must have taken a good 45 minutes; you really need a 4-wheel drive vehicle to do this! We almost turned back as we were leery of coming back after dusk. Getting a flat tire alone, is cause for concern as we later learned, there was no spare in the trunk! Crazy!

Finally, we found the Asylum! The road narrows and looks as though you have reached the end; look to your left, a lonely dock and palapa tucked in a lovely, lonely cove! The islanders call it "La Sirena de Camp Bay". We were greeted by their Golden Retriever, weren't sure if he would let us pass, till Silena hollered to him. Silena and her husband Jimmy have been serving the food and libations to the locals for several years. Jimmy, also owns a restaurant (also "The Asylum") in Washington, DC, that is now managed by his brother since he moved to Camp Bay. Their sweet 3 year old daughter was pretty shy till we got out the camera! Brownie, their brown Lab, got into that action as well, he loves attention!

Camp Bay is a community and they have their own school (only about 11 students). Most of the homes are far better constructed, cement block, shingled roofs, than you see in Oakridge.

I got some pics of the Loggerhead turtles that they have purchased from the local fisherman; their way of saving their lives! (Hopefully, this was genuine and not just for our ears.) How they long to be free!
We enjoyed conversation with Silena, it's so nice when we speak the same language! Had we arrived earlier in the day, we would have enjoyed an early dinner. We're told Silena is one of the great cooks on the island. She raises her own conch. Looking forward to a return trip!

We met another "local gringo" there, who had brought her daughter and granddaughter for refreshment. Her name escapes me for now, but she and her husband have owned a home for over 11 years in Camp Bay. She was quite interested in the fact that we were "house-sitting". We exchanged email addresses. Apparently, it is difficult to find reliable people to watch over your home and property. Leaving your home and possessions unattended could spell disaster. A sobering fact of life in Roatan and most parts of the Western Caribbean.

On another note, some may know of our unfortunate mishap in Roatan.  We are not going to post the story here. If you're interested in the details, just drop us a line we'll give you the cowboys and Indians story. It was a harrowing experience to say the least. To the the general cruising comunity that may follow along, this incident did not take place while underway or on board.


As soon as the hurricane season is behind us we plan on hauling out and heading on. Thanks for following along.  Stay tuned!

Marooned . . . in Punta Blanca! Oh my!!

Well surprise, surprise!  Be careful what you wish for, cause it just may come true! 

We have met a very nice couple named Jack and Karen who own a home in Punta Blanca, north side of Roatan, between Oakridge and Punta Gorda and they have invited us to housesit for them! After all, it is hurricane season now and since we have just came back from the states a few weeks ago, why not??? 

Jack picked us up in Oakridge a few days ago so that we could see their home and casita (bungalow).  OMG!  It is just beautiful!  Wait till I show you!  They have a lovely, cottagey home and casita (bungalow), which they do rent, amidst lush gardens and with access to a beach and inground pool.  There is a lot across the street that is for sale ????? 

Jack and Karen didn't build the home, but obviously have made a lot of improvements during the time they have been here.  They came to Roatan on a cruise, went home and began looking online for property, and as they tell it, three months later they had sold their property in the states and were settled here; that was a little more than six years ago.  Seeing their property could make you an "ex-pat" too!

Settling in was real easy! It was decided that we would stay in the casita which provides easy access and safety. During the season the casita is rented out discreetly to vacationers. If you're intertested, you can check out the property at www.roatan.com   Karen and Jack have done a great job in providing a very comfortable home for their guests (Mermaid Hideaway as they call it)!  We have a beautiful flat screen TV, dvd, stereo, stove, frig, microwave,  a well equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, comfy bed, spacious shower, and a screened porch!  I could get used to this!!  This is luxury after having lived on a 40' sailboat for most of the last two years!  We have a gecko or two, and perhaps a tree frog, they sort of coo coo, ( I thought at first it was some sort of Coo Coo clock, David laughed at me) and they leave a trail.  The no see ums are a bit bothersome; you just have to use repellent.  Hey's it's the caribbean!  I'm going to try the no see um soap, hopefully it will help.  They are dastardly little buggers!

Yesterday they invited many of their friends from the Punta Blanca community for a BBQ.  They are all "ex-pats" who now call Punta Blanca their home!  Some have sailed around the world, others as Jack and Karen came upon Roatan on vacation and basically never left!  For my own memory, we met Ralph and Jerry (she brought a very interesting appetizer), Julie (she's from China) and Michael, (a former sailor), Betty and Joe (he sings and plays "spoons", Jamie and Ed, Kathy and Joe, Cynthia and Tim, sailed around the world (unfortunately we didn't get a chance to hear their story yet), and Kathryn and Jack, also sailors.   All very nice people, we enjoyed the conversation very much.  We are new to the area so it's good to get to know your neighbors!

 

Punta Blanca is actually, if you will, a private community, a homeowners association.  They pay dues, and there are some restrictions, but not quite like the US.  It's quite a hilly, remote area.  You need a 4-wheel drive truck to get in and out.  The road accessing their property is quite steep, a car would have great difficulty, good brakes are a necessity!  The community has their own well and they drink the water from the tap, just like home, but better, no chlorine.

A little history of Roatan;  the island is 1-2 miles wide and spans 28 miles with hills up to 800 feet.  The Bay Islands and Roatan are island peaks of 3,000 meters of the submerged Bonacca mountain ridge. Right off the fringing reef, depths of 2,000 meters are common.

The Paya Indians, the original inhabitants, were first seen by Christopher Columbus in 1502. The Paya were decimated during the Spanish slave expeditions to Hispaniola and Cuba in the 15th century. The Garifuna, rebels of Afro-Caribbean descent, fought the English for nearly a century.  After the British quelled the rebellion, the Garifuna were shipped  to Roatan.  Many pirates also transitted the Bay Islands, Blackbeard, Van Horn, Henry Morgan, John Coxen and Ashton.  Between the 1560's and 1740s Roatan was used as a supply base for buccaneers raiding the Spanish mainland.  The British military took full control of Roatan between 1742-49 and 1779-1982.

The Roatan Marine Park, Port Royal Wildlife Refuge and the Sandy Bay Forrest Reserve are areas of environmental protection. There are four species of fruit and insect eating bats, six types of tree frogs, agouti, the opossum, white tailed deer; four types of lizards, and the coral snake is indigenous to Roatan.  Dolphin are plentiful, the manatee and monk seals have all but vanished.  There are fresh water crocodile, turtles and the green iguana (still hunted) and nearly 40 species of birds.  Coconuts, corozo palm fruits, cohoons (grow like grapes-makes palm oil), cashews, mangos, noni, bananas and papayas grow here.  There are some here that make cashew wine. . .different. . . haven't tried it yet.

The coconut is by far the most important nut in the world commercially becaused it is prized for its meat and milk within the shell which is rich in food and fat. The nut is valued for the charcoal derived from the shells, for the coir fibre that comes from the husk to make brushes, clothe, rope, and a thousand other products. The oil from coconut is very important in soaps, face creams, food oils, and many food applications. I'm told that cooking with coconut oil is very good and good for you.  The lumber helps build homes, and the large fronds leaves supply thatched roofs. Millions of people in the tropics rely on the coconut palm tree.  Tourists have been arrested for taking cocounts from the beach. (1), The Bay Island Voice book.

Just like Guatemala, you can expect excellent and affordable health care here.  Most "ex-pats" visit the island dentists and doctors for regular checkups and procedures.  Although, you would have to go to mainland Honduras for an MRI and CAT scan or surgery.

I'm not sure a lot of the natives like our presence here, but we definitely impact their economy.  David got mugged the other day, luckily he wasn't hurt and it only cost us $40 lemps, like $2 US. Many are friendly, others not so much.  There are areas that gringos should not be. There is much poverty, but most do have modern conveniences, such as cell phones, TV's, satellite dishes, washers, and cars.

The population (Honduras, 2009 - 7,833,696) is comprised of 90% Mestizo, Amerindian 7%, Black 2% and white 1%. The literacy is 76.2%.  Mostly 90% are Roman Catholic, Protestant 3%, Evangelical Christian 5% and other 2%. Labor force, agriculture 14.2%,. industry 27.9%, services 57.9% (2009 estimate).

There aren't many palapas here, mostly wooden homes on sticks with tin roofs,  and a few stucco homes, (probably gringo's).  It's unfortunate that some use the water as their trash can.  Most don't seem to think that littering is wrong; this is becoming a real problem.  Recycling is something they must accept soon.

We'll be sitting for about 7 weeks, pictures to follow!  Stay tuned!

Orlando. . . the land of plenty

Since early February we had been anchored at Fantasy Island Resort.  If you've never been, it is a  lovely place.   The have sort of a park where they feed the deer, iguana, geese, peacocks and monkeys.  The peacocks, iguana and monkeys are also hang out at the resort and are always looking for a handout.   Keep your personal items close or the the monkeys will take them!

The cruisers pulled together and built a new deck (for the cruisers). Cruisers also have access to the Fantasy Island resort, but it's kind of pricey. They have a lovely beach, and you can go diving, snorkeling, or take a plane ride. Mostly the cruisers stay at the far end of the island away from the resort, commonly known as the "marina green". There is a "cruiser happy hour" Tuesday - Saturday at discount prices. It's a great place to hang out and make some new friends.

While waiting for our generator belt, David learned that another cruiser has found gasoline in his fuel injectors. He had purchased fuel in Fantasy Island and then headed to Guanaja, where his generator and engine seized and he and his crewmember were stranded off the coast for four days without power. When David checked our Racor filter it was full of gas!!! This could spell disaster for us.

At the present, we are getting fuel from another source and trying to assess the damage to our generator and engine. Not sure if we will need a professional mechanic or not. At least, Fantasy Island is a nice place to be stuck.

We have met a bunch of new cruisers here at Fantasy Island. Jerry, the Dockmaster and Annie, Rene on Motu, Jim and Norma of Mi Lady, Mike and Liliana of Gusto, Ellen and Enrique of Pelican, Tom and Rose of Sojourn, Judy and Warren of Pioneer, Elda and Wayne of Big Fun, Karl and Mery of Engenium, Joyce and Paul of Lady H, and Jim and Judy of Makai, and caught up with others we haven't seen for a time, Bob and Peggy on Adagio, Roy of Avion, Helena and Mark of Cloud Nine, Joan and Ted of Panchita, and Jean Marie of Du Jour.  Sorry, if I've fogotten anyone.

 
On Saturday mornings, several vans transport the cruisers to Eldin's Grocery, then they load the groceries onto a box van and bring them back. How cool is that? Sure beats riding the dinghy into town, walking up a steep hill, shopping for what you can carry on your back and then riding the dinghy back against the waves, getting soaking wet. Let me tell you this is not fun. Oh, and then you probably need to do it at least twice a week. So I love going on the van to Eldins! David, not so much! Too much like "senior citizen land" to him, LOL!

Luckily, the owner of Fantasy Island has allowed us to stay at their dock and to refuel at no charge.  It has taken the better part of a month to determine that our Kubota generator may be toast.  We hired a diesel mechanic who spent a several hours over several days and he didn't find the exact problem.  We paid him only $50 US, and he has not returned.  This tells me that he either has no idea what to do to fix it or he has realized that he may have made the problem worse as he sprayed a lot of ether into the generator.  So for now, David has given up.  He is hoping to get a re-build kit in the states in hopes to get it running again.  So far it seems as though the Perkins has not been damaged.  The big test will be our trip to Turtle Grass Marina, about 6 nautical miles north east of Fantasy Island.

We took the day off and were invited to join Dave (Challenge II) and Paul (Cavalle) to tour some of the island via car.  We went to Jonesville, Punta Gorda and Oakridge.  It was fun and I got some great pics. 

We made it to Turtle Grass Marina, yeh!  No generator, but we still have an engine!

After spending about two weeks or so at Turtle Grass Marina, we have finally, with the kindness of Mark and Lori scheduled our flight back to the states (we used their computer, life is hard without a laptop). They are just lovely people.  We had several potlucks with the boats in the anchorage, Mobetah, UpJinx, Angelina and Summer Mist.   It was embarrassing though, as we only had popcorn to contribute when they had brought luscious dips and such.  In the future, I'm going to have to "hide" some things just for "happy hour".

Mark and Lori's female dog, Maggie had a litter of eight adorable puppies. They decided to name the pups after the boats in the anchorage. Mobetah (Mobi), Angelina (Angelina), Up Jinx (Jinxy), Summer Mist (Misty), and New Horizons (Susie Q), (you can't call a dog New Horizons, so it was named after me, yeh!). The others were named Yogi, named for a puppy in a former litter that died. At this writing, I'm not certain the name of the other puppy.

I'm sure Mark and Lori will take good care of our boat. Check out their website; http://www.turtlegrassmarina.net. They also have a blog detailing their arrival in Roatan and subsequent trials and tribulations in building their home and the marina. It's quite interesting.

Mid April we left New Horizons in Calabash Bight, Roatan at Turtle Grass Marina and headed to San Pedro Sula, Honduras enroute to Orlando.  It's going to be a trip filled with visiting with our boys, old friends and shopping, shopping and more shopping.  If you've done any cruising you know that getting boat parts is very difficult in the western Caribbean. It's nearly impossible to get filters, hose, stainless screws, etc. Sometimes you can find some items, but soon you realize that they are not up to US quality; a lot of China influence.

Well we made it to Orlando, however we waited six hours at the airport.  Our oldest son, Jon was at work and Matt got separated from his friends at the beach, didn't have his car.  It was a long day, beginning at 4 am, Honduras time.  Oh well, guess it could have been worse, like flying into Pittsburgh wearing islandwear (it's 55 degrees there, which is what David ended up doing ).

Gosh, it is very busy in Orlando, how soon we forget the things we wouldn't miss to go cruising!  There are many vacant store fronts, you can certainly see the effect of the economy here.  I have thoroughly enjoyed shopping for clothes and such, getting those items I can't get in the islands.  Though it's been more trying having to depend on the boys to drive me around.

We were getting acquainted with using Skype and were able to talk with David's Mom on Friday, April 22nd.  She has been battling cancer for several years and had recently completed radiation and chemotherapy.  She sounded very upbeat and healthy.    The next day she didn't show for a congregational meeting.  Our niece was worried and stopped by to see her and took her to the hospital, as she was very weak and pale.

Long story short, she was admitted and diagnosed with chemo-induced leukemia, for obvious reasons she declined the bone marrow tests.  David quickly made flight arrangements and arrived on Wednesday.  She was mostly unconscious because of the morphine, but hopefully she knew her family was by her side.  She gave up the fight at about 1:15am on Sunday.  A memorial service was quickly arranged for the next day as some family members needed to get back home.  Nearly 300 family and friends were in attendance.  She was a wonderful woman, and the best mother-in-law I could ever have had.  She will be truly missed by scores of family and friends.  It has been extra difficult for Jon, Matt and I as we were not able to make it to the hospital or to the memorial service; though we were able call in and listen via conference call. My nieces and nephews have lovingly made several collages of pictures and emailed them to us; very touching and heart wrenching at the same time.  Rest in peace Mom, we will always miss you.

We have had the pleasure of spending almost all the dinners in Orlando with our boys.  Hey, I'm getting tired of all this cooking!  I should just open a restaurant!

NOTE: We have learned from one of our friends via email that the owner has returned to Fantasy Island and he has cancelled all potlucks and happy hours at the "marina green". The only benefit for the cruisers at this point is laundry service and the bus to Eldin's. This is very disappointing. He is a stupid man. There are more cruisers at Fantasy Island than hotel guests.  Recant . . .Spoke to a cruiser who lives on his boat at FI, says the only reason there are no pot lucks is because there aren't many cruisers right now.  Cabaret left, so there is no one to run the "happy hours", and that Gusto has given the cruisers discounts on libations.  So this is good news! So it's not as bad as we thought. 

Unfortunately, we didn't accomplish all we wanted to do while in Orlando.  For one, we were not able to get together with our family in Bradenton or any of our friends. We just ran out of time.   Sorry, we hope to come back in August once we have the boat ready for hurricane season.  So now it's back to Roatan for us.   

Stay tuned!

Placencia, on to Roatan or bust!

Ahhh!  Back in Placencia!  Clear water, reefs, and English!  We do love it here.  It has been great seeing some of our old friends at Yoli's.

Probably most of our family and friends in the US have undoubtedly heard about the murder in Honduras. This has sort of put a hitch into our travels to Honduras, as we would definitely have anchored in Puerto Escondito (east of Diamante) as a safe haven from nasty weather. There are articles posted on riodulcechisme.com regarding the two incidents. I will never again complain about the SSB radio, it probably saved our lives as we were headed to Escondito.

We have learned that Royal Caribbean has purchased some beachfront property and though the locals strongly detest their presence here, and feel they have "squashed" their plans to bring cruise ships to the beach, we're pretty sure it is a "done deal".  Money talks.   It is such a shame as they will certainly ruin the flavor of Placencia, and it will not contribute any jobs for the Belizeans.  We feel very fortunate to have been able to have been able to visit Placencia before it all changes.

We heard a few stories about the Port Capitan or Customs Office in Placencia charging $20 US per day, per person.  We actually checked out of Belize in Placencia yesterday and all total, checking in and checking out only cost us $65 US, plus the Hokey Pokey Water Taxi ride of $20 US.  A great relief for us,  but the saga continues as some cruisers have reported not so equitable relations with the Port Captain.  It seems to change daily.  It is a matter of topic often on the SSB NW Cruisers Net.  Most report favorable outcomes, some not so much!

While at Yoli's we met Dave on Challenge II  and as it turns out he, as well as John and Susie from Cabaret are also going to Utila, so we will be able to "buddy boat" with them.  We had a lovely sail on a glorious moonlit evening.  Of course, we had to run the Perkins and the generator since our regulator wasn't working, so it was loud, but no other issues.  We were treated to a dolphin show for nearly a half hour just before arriving in Utila.  I think they were actually following my clapping.  It was so cool!

After checking in to Honduras, we looked up our old friends Trish and Dave Steffan (from my high school).   We had planned to stay in Utila to ring in the New Year, but unfortunately a really strong storm was expected and we had to go.  We left for Roatan, West End on December 25th.

West End, Roatan is a great place, wonderful snorkeling, one of the best places to dive in the world.  The only drawback is it is US prices.  Although, the package price for getting a diving certificate are really quite reasonable and many tourists do this while here on vacation.  The cruise lines have definitely had an effect on this economy too.

Can't believe it, but I missed celebrating NYE again; this time due to weather.  We had been in town all day and then came back to the boat to get cleaned up a bit ( we got drenched from the waves on the dinghy ride).  The swells kept building and the wind was gusting about 25 to 30.  It just wasn't wise or safe to leave the boat so we stayed in.  I was so disappointed I went to bed at 9 o'clock! 

We watched the playoff games with Doug and Lisa (Highland Light), Chuck and Pam (Helen Louise), Norm and Linda  (Ariel), Bill & Pat, (Mobetah) Sharon and John, (Sunbow), Ted and Joan (Panchita), John and Robin (Kalusa), it was a great time.  The Steelers and Packers are headed for the Superbowl!  Yeh!  Unfortunately, the Steelers "stairway to seven" was not to be as they were unable to overcome the Packers and lost the superbowl game.  Congrats to the Packer fans!

The batteries are here!  We ordered batteries with 5 other boats and they have arrived.  So we are off to French Harbor/Fantasy Island.  Yeh!  New scenery!

Fantasy Island/ French Harbor Cay is just lovely.  The picture on the blog is of the anchor field, at sunset of course!  This is a really cruiser friendly place.  The Dockmaster, Jerry, himself a cruiser has made great strides to make this place comfortable.  You can purchase 5 gallon purified water, get your propane tank filled, have your laundry picked up.  They also provide a "happy hour" for the cruisers, five days a week, at very economical prices.  Eldins, the best grocery on the island also provides bus transportation every Saturday for the cruisers.  Eldins carries a lot of products you can't buy in most other stores, albeit, at US prices, but if you have to have it, it's here. 

Cruisers also have access to Fantasy Island Resort.  We are able to use the lounges on the beach, use the computer with free internet, free wifi, beach volleyball.   On Thursdays, the resort offers a Pizza for $15 (US) and happy hour pricing on beverages.  They also provided the use of their kitchen and banquet area for use for a Valentine's Day Dinner/Dance.  It was hosted by John and Susie of Cabaret.  They worked very hard and provided a fun evening for the cruisers.

While walking on the beach you most certainly will come upon an iguana, spider monkey or peacock.  They actually have a park like setting where they feed the deer, lizards, peacocks, ducks and  watusi's (those rodents that look like large rats minus a tail).  I actually fed a deer the other day!  I was looking for a photo opportunity for sunset (go figure) and came upon a small herd of deer.  One of them walked right up to me, I gave him some leaves and he walked on.  I just couldn't snap the camera in time to catch him up close and personal!

I had to have a tooth pulled, get this, it cost $35.00 US. It actually cost a little more for the taxi ride there and back, go figure?

At the present, we are waiting for a generator belt.  Once we get it installed we are planning to go East to Port Royal, Jonesville, and Calabash Bight.

Stay tuned!