Alabaster Bay, Governor's Harbor, then Rock Sound

On the 24th of January, we arrived in Alabaster Bay and Gone With the Wind was anchored there.  Barb and I saw them eating a late lunch as we walked by on the beach at Cocodimama's Resort.  We were headed to Barb's favorite beach on the East side of Eleuthera to beach comb so we simply waved a hello and had a brief word.  After a good long walk and a long walk along the beach, we returned empty handed, but happy to be in paradise.

The pink sand beach on the "ocean side"

The next day we had nice (expensive) lunch at the resort.

Cocodimama's street side

Cocodimama's beach side and dining

I got a good WiFi connection in the lobby

I could see Jupiter's Smile at anchor

That evening we invited the crew of Gone With the Wind aboard for "sundowners" and had a good visit with this very nice couple, Liam and Annie.  As I mentioned in the blog piece about Harbor Island, they have sailed half way around the world from Sydney, Australia and they have interesting stories and a beautiful boat.

On the 26th, we moved on to Governor's Harbor and shortly after, Gone With the Wind anchored nearby. Barb and I went ashore to get some groceries and do some exploring.  That afternoon, Rogue Brit, a Hunter 466 came into the anchorage.  

(left to right) Rouge Brit, Gone With the Wind & Jupiter's Smile in Governor's Harbor with our ship's tender (dinghy) Big Red in the foreground, left

The wind had turned out of the Southeast now and that was the direction we wanted to sail so we decided to stay in Governor's Harbor for a few days, until the wind shifted.

We were encouraged by a shop owner and the librarian to go to the weekly Friday fish fry, a community fund raising event which begins at 5 PM.  Well, it really begins around 6:30 and the food is not ready until around 7, but that was all just fine as we talked and got acquainted while we waited.

Annie, Jay, Barb, Liam, Trevor & Christy

Give your order and it is written on the back of the styrofoam container along with your name

Then wait for your name to be called, pay $10 and enjoy

Barb and I both had fish, peas and rice and cole slaw.  Chicken and pork were also available as was macaroni and cheese and french fries.  It was a fun time and we returned to our boats around 9:30.  The event went on into the night and early morning.  The next day, I spoke with the librarian about the evening remarking that most of the patrons of the fish fry were tourists.  She replied, 'yes, until about 10 and then the locals begin to show up, after the tourists have left.'  Bahamian people are typically night people it seems.  The local youngsters had been practicing for their junkanoo competition (a combination marching band and costume event like Mardi Gras) the previous night and this night the adults were partying.

During the day children were sailing their boats

The next day, Barb and I hiked to the East side of the settlement and found the ocean beach and walked half its length to a blow hole.  Again, we found no treasures to bring back with us, but we enjoyed the walk over the hill.

A nice house on the hill overlooking the harbor

Liam and Annie invited the crew of  Rogue Brit, Trevor (the ex Brit) and Christy from Nevada, and us over to  Gone With the Wind for sundowners and we had a very nice visit with our new friends.  We returned to our boats after dark and Barb prepared a lobster tail for our dinner.  It is not nearly as good as Maine lobster, but it was still a treat.

On Sunday, Liam, Annie and I helped Trevor and Christy with a short list of boat improvements and trouble shooting on Rogue Brit.  We then all went to lunch at a nice restaurant overhanging the sound where Liam teased the good natured waitress, entertaining us all.

The wind was forecast to shift to the Northeast and strengthen considerably so Barb and I decided that we would leave early on Monday to take advantage of that and head to Rock Sound farther down the island, about 25 miles away.  I had spoken to Chris Parker, our Marine Weather Center guru and he suggested that the wind would increase as the day progressed and would provide a "screaming beam reach" in pretty calm seas down the lee side of the narrow island.  His prediction was pretty much correct and as we turned around the point to enter the Rock Sound harbor the wind was blowing about 22 knots.  Rogue Brit traveled along with us and Gone With the Wind left the anchorage two hours behind us.  They covered the distance in about half the time, arriving just after us, having measured a top speed of 17 knots at one point.  Gone With the Wind lives up to its name!

The sailboat Sea Biscuit is in the harbor.  We know them from our time in Roatan, Honduras, in 2009, and from our eventful return trip to the USA from Isla Mujeras, in 2010.  It will be good to begin February with a reunion with them.

Barb and I dinghyed in to shore and went the grocery store just north of the main part of the settlement to get some things that we couldn’t find in Governour’s Harbor and after a walk around, returned to the boat meeting the crew of New Attitude, Jack and Linda along the way.  The next day we went to shore in town to do laundry at a very nice, not so cheap laundromat, walked to the Ocean Hole Park (a blue hole where the fish expect to be fed) and paid for a few days of internet.  We scouted out Sammy’s Place as a meeting place for the cruisers on the nine boats in the harbor.  In 2006, Pat Wharry on S/V Shamrock organized a cruiser’s lunch at Sammy’s Place and some of those people have become long-time friends, so that event is a fond memory that we thought we might duplicate.  We had a successful day doing chores.