The next stop? Back to Little Farmers Cay on our way to George Town to yet again meet up with Wayne and Beth (Gypsy Moon) and later in the week, Peggy and John (LVD). While here we might as well try to fix the generator….AGAIN! We continue or love-hate relationship with this piece of equipment (a Fischer Panda). We love having it when it works…hate spending the time and MONEY! to fix it. The few hours of use we have gotten out of it currently puts the cost at about $100/hour to run it (repair costs only…not original equipment cost). You do the math! Henry, from s/v Phoenix volunteered to come over and assist in the repair. Ed crawled into the ‘pit’ to remove the head and do the investigating. Ah, the head gasket is broken and a push rod is
being chewed up by the compression spring. Didn’t that head just get replaced last October? There is water in the cylinders. Oh my, isn’t this why we had to get a new head…last October? A portable Honda 2000 is starting to look attractive! We could have purchased two of them by now!We are back in George Town for the National Family Island Regatta. Sleepy George Town transforms itself for this event. Small kiosks (shacks) are erected along Government Dock and the temporary setup is called the ‘Fish Shacks’ where conch, fish, ribs, chicken, guava duff (nummy dessert) and, of course, beer are available at the shacks. Large speakers are erected and pulsating music (LOUD! with enough base to serve as resuscitation if you have cardiac arrest) plays from mid-morning until the wee hours of the next day. Bahamian boats, from surrounding islands, arrive for days on large boats
before the sailing races begin.We hear that you can sometimes volunteer to crew on one of the boats for the races…and this gets Vicky excited! While walking mid-day around the Fish Shacks with Beth, Vicky had a tall Bahamian named ‘H’ approach her and say, “Hey beautiful, how would you like to crew on our boat the Six Sisters”? Wanting to crew on a boat, and with that incredible compliment, how could I say no! The next day I am to crew on Six Sisters.
The traditional Bahamian sailboats are amazing. They are nothing like a cruiser’s modern sailboat. No winches, no auto pilot, no engine, simply the wooden boat, rudder, sails and lines…all of which are often in need of repair! Ed took Vicky to Six Sisters, which was anchored in Kidd Cove, a few hours before the race to help them ready the boat for the race. Sails and lines were in the process of being checked. One of the lines, at the top of the mast, was fouled so we brought Six Sisters over to the large, two-decker mail boat at Government dock and laid up next to it. After much ado, the crew got the line unfouled and we made our way to the starting line…with only minutes to spare before the race began!
The anchor is dropped and the sails are lowered at the starting line as we take our place, number 17. The one-minute gun goes off and we readied ourselves to quickly hoist the sails while bringing in the anchor. Oh, and also trying to miss the surrounding boats! The starting gun goes off and Six Sisters is off and running. Cooking! Wow, this boat is fast…could we have a chance at winning this race? We are in the front running!
The anchor is dropped and the sails are lowered at the starting line as we take our place, number 17. The one-minute gun goes off and we readied ourselves to quickly hoist the sails while bringing in the anchor. Oh, and also trying to miss the surrounding boats! The starting gun goes off and Six Sisters is off and running. Cooking! Wow, this boat is fast…could we have a chance at winning this race? We are in the front running!
There are cruiser’s boats on the perimeter of the race course. The wind direction brings the race boats close to these boats. We came so close to one boat that the bow sprit actually ‘shaped’ through our jib sail! It is time to tack toward the first mark. Vicky is on the pry. There are two 
boards that cross the mid-ship perpendicularly. When the boat heels to port the boards are out to the starboard and you slide either way out on the end or move in trying to keep the boat on an even keel. When the boat tacks you must slip under the mast, pull the board to the other side of the boat and quickly get your butt out on the pry to keep the boat from tipping!
Time to tack! Ready set…GO! Wait, something is wrong! Darn. Our jib sheet got stuck and we struggle to come around. We needed to fall back and then come about again. Could it be? Suddenly we are in last place! Well, nothing to do but finish the race now. Six Sisters is a fast boat so we manage to catch up and overtake two boats during the final lap so we manage a third from last place. There are three more days of racing…tomorrow we will do better!
Steve, another cruiser who was sailing with us, couldn’t make it the next day so I encouraged Ed to take his place, telling him that he had to experience it. Ed was all in so the next day the crew took off early to sail a bit and work out the bugs before the race began. Wow, we are looking good! It is time to make our way to the starting line. The anchor is dropped and the sails are down. We are ready! Then, out comes a boat carrying two Bahamians who were to sail on the boat but hadn’t shown up earlier. With the addition of these two men Captain Rev had to admit that there was too much weight on the boat. Ed and I volunteered to get off and we hitched a ride with Butch and Jacquie from Tropic Bird in their dinghy. Ed didn’t get to race but he got to experience sailing on a Bahamian boat. What fun! Truth be told…my butt was happy to not be on the pry for another day!
That night Gypsy Moon, LVD, Tropic Bird and Boto head to the Fish Fry for libation and dancing in the streets. It is Jacquie’s birthday so we must celebrate! All of that sailing and then dancing the night away…we are slow to get up the next day and just a little stiff! Oh, are we glad we decided to do this cruising business when we were younger!
Saturday night is the wrap up of Regatta and a lot of fun. The Royal Bahamas Police Band is the highlight of the night. The streets are packed with spectators who were treated first to the local Exumas High School Marching Band. They will be a tough act to follow! After the parade the trophies from the sailing races will be awarded followed by more music and libations at the Fish Shacks.
Regatta is over and a lot of boats are starting to make their way back home or to other parts further south. We say ‘Goodbye’ to many of our friends and start making new acquaintances. We have decided to stay in George Town for a few weeks until we are certain our ‘tick thing’ is OK (more on that) and then we will be heading north toward the Abacos.
The ‘Tick Thing’ - The Reader’s Digest version. There are Brown Tick is the Bahamas and it has taken the lives of several dogs so everyone if diligent about treating their dogs properly and vigilant about checking them for ticks. Our dogs are actually so well medicated that the ticks don’t want anything to do with them. Oddly enough, most folks aren’t worried about ticks and….humans! We weren’t! Well, it appears that one of the ticks we found must have laid larvae on our boat, in Vicky’s bin where she keeps her bras. They got onto her back and were snacking on her for their first meal. They leave behind a toxin that itches to beat the band! A visit to the doctor and the vet confirmed that it is indeed tick larvae. So begins the bombing of the boat, the numerous loads of laundry in hot water + bleach, the non-stop spraying and cleaning. It has been two weeks and we seem to be under control of the situation. It takes 10-12 days for any illness to show up if it was transmitted by the tick. So far…so good! If you are reading this and you want more detailed information…because we are now Brown Tick experts….we have a ton of statistics and advice. Simply email us at svboto@yahoo.com
The next plan is to go to Cat Island, Eleuthra, the Berry Islands and the Abacos so stay tuned.
boards that cross the mid-ship perpendicularly. When the boat heels to port the boards are out to the starboard and you slide either way out on the end or move in trying to keep the boat on an even keel. When the boat tacks you must slip under the mast, pull the board to the other side of the boat and quickly get your butt out on the pry to keep the boat from tipping!Time to tack! Ready set…GO! Wait, something is wrong! Darn. Our jib sheet got stuck and we struggle to come around. We needed to fall back and then come about again. Could it be? Suddenly we are in last place! Well, nothing to do but finish the race now. Six Sisters is a fast boat so we manage to catch up and overtake two boats during the final lap so we manage a third from last place. There are three more days of racing…tomorrow we will do better!
Steve, another cruiser who was sailing with us, couldn’t make it the next day so I encouraged Ed to take his place, telling him that he had to experience it. Ed was all in so the next day the crew took off early to sail a bit and work out the bugs before the race began. Wow, we are looking good! It is time to make our way to the starting line. The anchor is dropped and the sails are down. We are ready! Then, out comes a boat carrying two Bahamians who were to sail on the boat but hadn’t shown up earlier. With the addition of these two men Captain Rev had to admit that there was too much weight on the boat. Ed and I volunteered to get off and we hitched a ride with Butch and Jacquie from Tropic Bird in their dinghy. Ed didn’t get to race but he got to experience sailing on a Bahamian boat. What fun! Truth be told…my butt was happy to not be on the pry for another day!
That night Gypsy Moon, LVD, Tropic Bird and Boto head to the Fish Fry for libation and dancing in the streets. It is Jacquie’s birthday so we must celebrate! All of that sailing and then dancing the night away…we are slow to get up the next day and just a little stiff! Oh, are we glad we decided to do this cruising business when we were younger!
Saturday night is the wrap up of Regatta and a lot of fun. The Royal Bahamas Police Band is the highlight of the night. The streets are packed with spectators who were treated first to the local Exumas High School Marching Band. They will be a tough act to follow! After the parade the trophies from the sailing races will be awarded followed by more music and libations at the Fish Shacks.
Regatta is over and a lot of boats are starting to make their way back home or to other parts further south. We say ‘Goodbye’ to many of our friends and start making new acquaintances. We have decided to stay in George Town for a few weeks until we are certain our ‘tick thing’ is OK (more on that) and then we will be heading north toward the Abacos.
The ‘Tick Thing’ - The Reader’s Digest version. There are Brown Tick is the Bahamas and it has taken the lives of several dogs so everyone if diligent about treating their dogs properly and vigilant about checking them for ticks. Our dogs are actually so well medicated that the ticks don’t want anything to do with them. Oddly enough, most folks aren’t worried about ticks and….humans! We weren’t! Well, it appears that one of the ticks we found must have laid larvae on our boat, in Vicky’s bin where she keeps her bras. They got onto her back and were snacking on her for their first meal. They leave behind a toxin that itches to beat the band! A visit to the doctor and the vet confirmed that it is indeed tick larvae. So begins the bombing of the boat, the numerous loads of laundry in hot water + bleach, the non-stop spraying and cleaning. It has been two weeks and we seem to be under control of the situation. It takes 10-12 days for any illness to show up if it was transmitted by the tick. So far…so good! If you are reading this and you want more detailed information…because we are now Brown Tick experts….we have a ton of statistics and advice. Simply email us at svboto@yahoo.com
The next plan is to go to Cat Island, Eleuthra, the Berry Islands and the Abacos so stay tuned.
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