Beans, Beans, The More You Eat the More You Toot!!

Brooksy Point had a Bean Cook-off and I took third place!! Yeh! I made a Tuscany Garbanzo Bean Soup. The first place pot, Paul's, Lady H (his third win) was a Black Bean and Chicken Soup. Mike (Brooksy Point) prepared his Mom's recipe for Black Beans (Progresso brand enhanced) and Rice. Mike was tickled that he had spent about 15 minutes making his dish and Paul spent at least two days making his stock! Mike's dish came in Second Place! We had nine entries in all, even a vegetarian bean soup.

We have also since had a Rice Cook-off. We had nine contenders. Lilo, co-owner of Brooksy Point Yacht Club took 1^st place, but she disqualified herself, so Paul won again!!!! Lilo had prepared a traditional Venezuelan dish with chicken, rice and vegetables. It was very good. Paul prepared a Jambalaya. Second place was Barb on Wind Whisperer for her Rice and Black Beans. Third place went to Sandy on Sapphire for her Rice Krispies Treats. They were awesome!. I was working or I may have beat them all with my Mom's Stuffed Cabbage recipe!

Check out Brooksy's web page to see the pictures of the St. Patty's Day Dinghy Parade. It was a hoot! Jerry on Czech and Mate prepared the turkeys Cajun style and fried them. They fried 4 -15lb turkeys, and prepared green mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and coleslaw. We served 53, but ran out of everything but turkey in the end. All the servers (me and the Brooksy family) only had turkey. David missed out too, but he insists on waiting to be the last in line. I think this will definitely be a repeat event! I have never injected herbs and spices into my turkeys before frying them, but I have to say they were very good.

We've been quite busy. I have been teaching the children, but last week they were on Spring Break. So Lilo and Mike asked me to tend bar, as they were installing a new computer system and needed Osman, the regular bartender, to help with the installation.

I came up with a signature drink for Brooksy Point. It's called a Brooksy Breeze, though I can't take credit for the name, that was Elda on Big Fun's idea. It is basically limeade over ice with a light beer. Ladies that don't like beer, may like this; it's like a beer cooler! We have also served it with vodka and ginger ale, or rum with a splash of coke. They still sell more beer and wine, but it was fun to come up with something different. Jean Piere (the owners' son) loves it and has a couple every day, he's even learned how to make it.

David has been helping Mike tend to the boats, moorings and boat maintenance.  He, Mike and some of the guys removed our generator about a week ago. David used wood to make a ramp over our engine and then it took five guys and a “come along” to get it off the boat. Our generator weighs about 250 lbs. It was pretty much the same for Mike's Perkins. It was quite a sight of them moving it them. The Mechanic will repair them and then send them back on the ferry. The mechanic is going to rebuild the engine and has quoted us a price of about $469. US, plus shipping. Can't beat that! The hard part will be for David to re-install it, since he had to cut all the wiring to get it out. It was to arrive yesterday, Saturday, but apparently they didn't have room on the ferry as Semana Santa (Easter celebration) has begun.

Some of our good friends have left French Cay and are heading to the Sapodillas, (Jerry, Debbie and Michelle on Czech N Mate, Elda and Wayne on Big Fun, and Kathryn and Enrique on Pelican), the Rio Dulce and the states. We have had a blast with them! Elda and Kathryn just love to dance and (entertain). They have recently made a video, "The Sarong Sisters"! I think they could have a permanent gig in Roatan and have suggested that their Agent call me!!! These girls could go to the TOP! LOL!

Hopefully, we will all meet again next season, though that is questionable right now. The Roatan Mayor has evicted the cruisers from the mooring field in West End, effective the end of March. Apparently, he owns a hotel in West Bay and feels that the cruisers are damaging the reef, poaching, etc. etc. Jerry, former Dockmaster at Fantasy Island has posted the unfolding story on the Cruisers Net. He is also trying to get the word out to the local business owners and media, so many of us have sent him our opinions. It is sad that someone can do something that will affect the livelihood of the locals without a thought. Of course, the income from the cruisers cannot compare to the money spent here by tourists from cruise ships and those that fly here to dive, but we do make a contribution to the local economy.

Since the story first broke, we have it on very good word that French Cay will not meet the same demise as West End. However, everything changes and I don't think anyone knows for sure how this will all play out. We're all just hoping that we will be able to come to French Cay and anchor in the future and enjoy Roatan.

We had yet another Cook-off. This time it was a Casserole Cook-Off. Ellen from Patience won First Place with her Eggplant Parmesan. Second and Third went to Lauren from Tachikaze Maru; she presented a very good Chicken and Vegetable Casserole and a Pineapple and Cream dessert casserole.

Paul, Lady H, prepared a very good Tamale Casserole, but the judges passed him by this time. I made a Mexicali Chicken Shepherds Pie. I hadn't planned on entering, but David said I should since at about 4 pm, Paul was the only one that had prepared a dish. We ended up having about 6 dishes! We're all looking forward to next Tuesday, but haven't come up with a theme yet.

Mike and Lilo, Brooksy Point, have a male and female German Shepherd and the female gave birth to 5 puppies the other day! They are so cute! They are planning to keep all of the puppies. That's a lot of dog pooh! I was teasing the children about this. They said, “It's okay Susie, we just dig a hole!” LOL!

Our new friends, Lauren, Floyd, and Archer, Tachikaze Maru, left this morning for Isla Mujueres, Mexico. They will then move onto St Petersburg to haul out and store the boat. Then they are headed for Washington State. Several other boats, Southern Mist (Faye and Kent) and Chanticleer (Roberta and Stephen), and Foreigner (Jan and Bill) are leaving for the states as well on Friday or Saturday. We are sad to see them go. It's going to get pretty quiet around here!

Brooksy had an Easter Dinner and Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday. It was a lot of fun. Lilo and Mike invited some of their friends with small children. They could hardly contain themselves waiting to eat dinner so they could get to the candy!! We hope all of our family and friends in the states had a nice day planned as well.

It's taken longer than expected, as usual, to get the generator installed. But I am happy to report that it is in and IT WORKS!!! Hallelujah!! Now we can finally put this on the back shelf! David worked so hard to make this happen and I am so happy he can add it to his list of successes!

Cliff and Jessica - Amistad

Brooksy Point hosted a Calypso Party last night, aka Surprise Birthday Party for Jean Piere (Mike and Lilo's son and also for Cliff on Amistad who turned 75!!  He is one interesting fellow. He actually designed the motorcycles for Easy Rider back in the 60's! I am writing a book about the people we have met cruising and he is definitely a contender!

Jean Piere turned 13! He got lots of gifts, most of which was cash! I'm sure he is a happy camper today! It was a great party complete with a Limbo dance. Manuel (crewing on Positive Latitudes) won a bottle of Rum for winning the contest! It helps to be 20 something and limber! Ellen on Patience gave him a challenge though! LOL! 

We have definitely met some interesting people this time in Roatan. Suzanna traveled from the Czech Republic to Roatan to crew on a boat.  Sadly, that didn't quite work out for her and she is traveling in Guatemala right now.  Suzanna, in particular, was also fortunate to meet Jerry and Debbie on Czech and Mate.  He is a turkey farmer from the midwest, but is also Czech!  We have met people from Rome,  a family from Austria (Bruno, Isabel, Nicolas and Paula.  We met Reini and Petra from Austria last season.  There is also a guy here from Russia.  He came here to buy a boat, supposedly to sail it to Anartica??? He isn't the friendliest person we've met, so I doubt I will ever hear his story.  I have been collecting email addresses from everyone in hopes of getting their stories. 

The picture posted on the blog cover page is from French's 44 (don't know what the 44 is about).  Cavi (the owner) has a restaurant on one side of the harbor.  On the reef side of the harbor (picture) is his own island, where he lives and plays.  He brings tourists from the cruise lines over by boat to spend a day snorkeling, sunbathing, visiting the monkeys, parrots, macaws at about $35 US a head!!!!  It is just lovely, but bring your bug spray!  He graciously allows the sailboat cruisers to partake free of charge on the weekends.  It has become our Sunday ritual.  Come join us!!

Yesterday when we went on the weekly grocery run to Eldon's we ran into our friend Betty from Punta Blanca and she told us that the Policia actually caught the bandito that robbed us!  That is great news!  Mucho Gracias to the Policia!!  I wonder who has our laptop??!

The last of the cruisers in West End arrived at French Cay yesterday and it was due to rough weather and not because they were evicted!  The "mooring balls" have been removed, but the lines have been left and so the cruisers had just attached their own floats.  Ballsy!  Apparently the mayor got so much heat from his decision he has backed off. 

We want to test our rigging, so we may just take off for next weekend and go to Guanaja. Sounds like a plan!

Stay tuned!