STANIEL CAY EXUMAS, BAHAMAS
I need to start by saying sorry to Aunt Peggy. I have deprived her of her bedtime stories for sometime now. I will really try to make this a daily thing again like it used to be!
It has been a lot of work and not a lot of play. Wednesday we finally found the right tools to press in the new bearings and wear ring on the jet pump housing on the jet boat. Everything came together nicely and it was a great accomplishment to fix the entire jet drive of a jet boat while in the Bahamas. The owners son and I took it out for a test drive and the thing popped right out of the water and up on plane. It was so quiet and smooth. Shortly after cleaning up our tools we took off for Sampson Cay, which is only a short trip north. Our friends, Beach Girl, were there and it was fun to see them again. I hopped in the water with the third lung to clean the running gear (shafts, props, rudders, etc.) and the owner and his son came in with me. After we were all finished we were swimming around just enjoying the 85-ish degree water and we saw some Jack Crevalle (sp?) swim by. The owner wanted me to try and spear one. I got the spear and swam after them. I got one but he got off the end of the spear. Just like that sharks were everywhere. It was fine because they were nurse sharks for awhile, but they definitely knew something was in the water. I stayed calm and just kept an eye on all of them when suddenly a lemon shark came out of no where and hit my spear with his tail....time to get out of the water. I let the owner and his son get out first and to my surprise didn't see the lemon shark while I was waiting. I am not scared of sharks anymore...for the most part :-)...unless there is blood in the water when we are spearfishing. That is when accidents (feedings) happen.
Thursday I spent most of the day inside the boat. I had to rearrange my crew quarters as Jessie would be taking the top bunk and she needed some drawer space. The owner and his son took off in the dinghy to help the island internet guy fix the internet at Little Hall's Pond, Johnny Depp's private island. I finished up getting the boat clean and then tore it all apart again. I took everything out of the refrigerator, lined it up alphabetically, and entered it in to an excel spreadsheet. I then did the same thing for all of the food in the cupboards and in the pantry. It took me a long time, but I could tell you every detail about all of the food we have on board now. It was also nice to clean the cabinets and fridge shelves. That night I went and hung out with my friends, Val and Nuno, who were in town for a two day charter. For those who forgot they are the crew on the 65' Sunreef Catamaran "Sparrow". I played some guitar, made some mac and cheese and went to bed. Another nice and slow night.
Friday I woke up earlier than expected...about 5:30. My stomach was at hell's gate and wanted to make me pay. After a visit to the head I stayed in bed and moaned. The owners son finally came down around 10:30, curious as to why I wasn't out of bed yet. I moaned and said it has been hell on earth since 5:30. The rest of the day was nothing but rest. I managed to get out of bed around 2:00 PM and lay on the couch and watch the Masters. I was feeling better by the end of the day and was glad because my parents were on their way.
Saturday I got up and started washing the outside of the boat right away. It took most of the morning and after we were done we took off for Staniel Cay. It was only about an hour now until my parents and Jessie would be landing! It was a hot day. Washing the boat was spent drenched in sweat and I had to peel it off my back. I took the scooter down to the airport and to my surprise they were just stepping off of the plane!! We took them straight to the bar and had a nice cold Kalik! Afterwards we came back to the boat and had our opening ceremonies jumping off the top of the boat. While swimming around we noticed that it was slack tide. We hopped in the dinghy and I took my parents and Jessie over to Thunderball Grotto in the dinghy. There were a lot of people there but the west facing wall still proved to be colorful as the sun dipped lower in the sky. We saw a lobster in one of the less traveled holes and the coral was magnificent. My parents last trip to the BVI's was great, but I will tell you that their next trip to the BVI's will not be as great! The water visibility is explained best by the owner, its like a swimming pool. Now that I think about it, that doesn't even do it justice.
After the grotto I took them over to the swimming pigs. I didn't tell them that we were going there, I wanted it to be a surprise. As we idled through the anchorage and up to the beach I kept them occupied talking about the boats. Suddenly Jessie lit up "OH MY GOD THE PIGS!!!" They swam out to greet us but we were snorted at when they found out that we did not come bearing gifts. After the pigs we went out and did a circle around Steven Speilberg's 282' motoryacht "Seven Seas". You can google it (blue hulled 86 meter boat). For our last stop I took them to Sandy Cay, which is one of the many "private beaches" in the area. My dad about lost it, called me a jerk a few times, threw his hands in the air and yelled "I made it!" We walked out on to the tiny little strip of sand that was just starting to present itself with the tide. I think my parents are in love.
That night we had dinner at the yacht club and then went down to Big Dog bar for the band. That was where the party was at. It was a lot of fun, and opening ceremonies were a success.
Now as I write the coffee is on, people are just starting to show their faces, it is already 80 degrees outside, there is not a cloud in the sky, Jack Johnson is well in to his first set on my iPod. Discussion has already started regarding the continuous slide show that is displayed 24/7 on the huge iMac with all of our pictures from last summer and the trip.
"Johnny Depp is a pirate freak I guess, he loves pirates", regarding one of the pictures taken from inside his house
"There isn't much to that house is there?"
"No he's a very simple guy"
"How to you go and buy a fricken island geez"
Sound Waves Out
No comments:
Post a Comment