Whew!

3.18.11

We are finally getting a breather after almost 3 weeks of whirlwind activity! We had a great time in Long Island and rushed back to be here in time to collect the first of our guests, Jeremy and Jon. They were here for most of the Regatta events and had a blast just swimming in the crystal clear waters and hanging out with the other cruisers. They played Sand Trap golf on the beach, went snorkeling, played volleyball and we even had a bonfire with a bunch of our friends.
Towards the end of their trip, Chelsea flew in so that at one point, there were 5 people on our little boat! It was much better than I had anticipated. No one complained about sleeping accommodations (thanks in part to extra Bahamian Rum Drinks!) and everyone kept their stuff tidy enough that the boat wasn't too cluttered! We all had a blast and were sorry to see Jeremy and Jon leave.
With just the 3 of us left, we had more relaxed beach days. We attended the closing party of the Regatta and had a blast listening to some of the cruisers playing in a pickup band.
We went to sundowners with some cruisers we met in Marathon who finally made it down to Georgetown. And we all learned how to play a conch horn! It was a blast! I of course, was a natural...haha.
Chelsea and I spent a day on the East beaches searching the sand for Hamburger and Heart beans - large brown beans that float all the way across the Atlantic from Africa. They are supposed to be good luck for sailors since they have endured the long journey. But we had no such luck, hopefully we will find one before the end of our travels!
One of the couples we met here in Georgetown decided to upgrade to a larger boat and purchased one here in town. We went over with a few other couples to be witnesses for the christening ceremony - a superstitious ceremony for renaming the boat that involves lots of champagne and invoking the spirits of the wind. It was great fun and awesome to be part of such a big moment in their lives!
After a week full of fun and sun, we said our goodbyes to Chelsea and sent her back to the States.
Although we have had lots of fun sharing our lives with our friends, it is equally nice to have peace and quiet back on our little boat. It is time to get back in the swing of things and get the mothership back in sailing condition. She has had plenty of rest and so have we. We are all eager to be out in the open ocean again.