BY THE NUMBERS

Big goodbye to friends that flew back to Toronto this afternoon. The generator problem was fixed but then weather was not in our favour to travel anywhere. Thank goodness for Palm Cay Resort here with a beach and pool. Better than being stuck in downtown Nassau Harbour. Now that it is a goodbye to friends it is also a goodbye to the Bahamas. We leave early in the morning for Chub Cay, then Bimini and wait patiently for the big crossing of the Gulf Stream. Our bodies are here in Bahamas but our minds are in Ottawa, Canada already, homeward bound. Here is looking back to the last couple of months:

700
Nautical Miles travelled (1,295 km or 805 miles)

4
Snorkel excursions

24
Nights in marinas (not happy about that at all! 2012- we spent 6 nights in marinas)

3
Pizzas we ate at the Palm Cay Billfish restaurant

6
Pounds of hamburger was fried up for spaghetti sauce

225
Generator hours

69
Days in the Bahamas

34 
Days of overnight guests (all left snow and went back to snow!)

48
Toilet paper rolls were used!

4
Pork Loin roasts done in the crock pot with apple juice (delicious)

4
Champagne bottles were consumed

2 
Champagne glasses broke

4
Liquid sunshine days

3 
Grouper Fingers platters Paul and I shared at Staniel Cay Yacht Club

31
Kleenix boxes used

1400
Dollars in fuel since topped up in Key Biscayne, FL in January

2
Cases of beer on board?? ! ( think not, maybe a 1 should be in front of the 2)

5
Times Paul drove on the right side of the car on the left side of road here in bustling Nassau! Remember half of the cars here have steering wheel on left or right. Confusing when looking at a guy right beside you.

7
Days without a generator!

16
Hours Paul was trouble-shooting the generator by phone or text to a mechanic in Nassau

1
Time Shannon fell off the paddleboard trying to get parallel to Time Out to get off.

We have a six hour day travelling tomorrow but it looks good.

I am in the picture... see the reflection.

STILL NIGHT AT PALM CAY MARINA

Everything was super calm last night! Look at the awesome reflection of our bow. I had to take a picture.

We enjoyed the beach yesterday and today. Paul, Doug and I drove to the airport today to get a part delivered to the airport from Florida. Steering wheel on right, drive on the left. Gear shift on left and signal on right, have to remember this as the wipers go on if you forget!!

Generator is running and seems to be back to normal. We will anchor out for the day tomorrow at Rose Island outside of Nassau. We all want to jump in off the swim platform, snorkel and swim.

Hmmmm, life is good if I'm in the salt water and taking a picture of the beach here! Generator working or not working!

"STRANDED IN NASSAU"

How bad could it be being "stranded" at Palm Cay in Nassau? Hmmmmmm!

We have Doug and Vicki here from Toronto but because of generator problems we are "plugged" in at a marina. Bet hey.... do not feel sorry for us (other boaters do hahahahha). A beach, a restaurant, a courtesy car, good food, good company! How bad can it really be.?

Every three months a car show is here at the marina! Yes Bernie!

I took a few pics, a dream time for all the car owners and car lovers. Hmmmm.... this red one is awesome!

We took the courtesy car again today (Paul driving).... steering wheel on left side, driving on the other side than what we are used to plus..... lots of traffic circles. Tell me "who drives backwards in a traffic circle?" yep, heard a horror story, a traffic circle is great... miss your exit keep going around. Too funny.

RBC Bank is here so off we go plus a few other stop over places with the car! What did our parents do without a GPS????? Oh yes, they argued a lot and divorce happened??

NORMAN'S CAY SUNSET VIEW

This is tonight's view! Awesome. We head to Nassau tomorrow. Another beautiful night in the Exumas.

BOATER'S NIGHTMARE!

When one is a boat owner, death is bad! Sinking is pretty bad! However the next one on the "bad" list is a non-functioning generator! This is TIME OUT right now. If we don't have a working generator, we don't boat any more. After two days of trying our best and with the best of the best in the anchorage, we have to say good-bye to the Exumas and head back to Nassau. Paul was on the phone with a mechanic there and he is on "standby" for us. The unfortunate part of no generator is we have to ration water (no watermaker now), we can't cook with the stove-top/microwave, we had to unplug a freezer, batteries are low. And a multitude of other inconveniences. This is a boater's nightmare! Once in Nassau at Palm Cay Resort we can plug in and have some conveniences we are accustomed to. 

Today, boys went snorkeling at the Thunderball Grotto at low, slack tide, went to Samson Cay during low tide and walked the sandbar and then headed over to Staniel Cay Yacht Club. At the Yacht Club they ate conch burger, delicious. Of course, they drank a Pina Colada again!

Last day in the Bahamas for these guys!!

Paul and son Matt, Samson Cay, low tide. Beautiful here!

PINA COLADA ANYONE?

These two have escaped Canada's cold for a welcoming Pina Colada in Palm Cay Resort here in Nassau!

The "mountain man" is our son Matthew and the other is his best buddy (for 10 years) Matt!

Do they look happy? We are leaving Nassau Sunday morning bright and early for the Exumas. Snorkeling, (with a beard?), swimming, more pina coladas?, swimming pigs at Staniel Cay and of course turquoise waters.

NORMAN'S CAY IN PICTURES

A private home with their dock nearby where we anchored. Beautiful. I paddleboarded over in the morning, saw 2 rays just sitting at the bottom of the water.

Leaving Time Out behind to do an adventure on Norman's Cay!

Here is Norman's at low, low tide, full moon just a night previous! Super hot this day.

I call this the "sand dollar" beach. I got a whole handful after just 30 minutes of walking the beach.

Found a great Conch for a great shell. This we may make into a conch "horn". The tip is cut off so one can blow into it at sunset. An an anchorage, one can hear a many "conch horns" going off (conch rhymes with honk, if wondering the pronunciation). And is great eating, conch burgers, conch salad, conch salsa. Delice!

EXCURSION DAY

Bring out the fins, bring out the mask, bring out the snorkel! We are invited to snorkel with 15 other people  in the anchorage. Ray and Susan picking us up in 30 minutes! Pack a lunch, pack some beer and wine! Get the towels, get the salt water towels to sit on! Cut the cheese, wrap that Dry German Sausage up! Do we have ice? Where is that swim suit I wear for snorkeling? Yes, 30 minutes later we are in their dinghy along with 5 other dinghys, some ahead of us, some behind us! We are a caravan on the water.

Sophie is not our dog but she is every boater's dream dog. A sweet girl. Now, she does not like to be last in the pack of all the dinghy's ahead of us! So she barks and barks! The second beach/snorkel place we went, we made sure we were first! Too funny.

From one snorkeling spot to the next, we had 4 tenders tied up to each other and slowly made our way. I can't capture them all in one frame.

Beautiful! A new beach nearby that we can dinghy ourselves to show our guests (Doug and Vicki, and Matthew with buddy Matt)

Beautiful new places. This is outstanding and so nearby to our anchorage!

I usually paddleboard every morning and some afternoons.... look what I found?

We are heading to Nassau for pick up of son and friend. Here is Norman's Cay today when we arrived at low-tide, beautiful.

MARCH HERE ALREADY?

We said good-byes to son and girlfriend so we are alone for a short time before other son arrives with his buddy. What do we do all day? We may go into Staniel Cay for shopping or may not, we may go out for lunch or eat at boat, I may paddle board at 9am with the others here in the anchorage or I may not, I may kayak. I might snorkel at low/slack tide or may not. I may have a glass of wine! We are in this anchorage for only 2 more days. We leave Thursday morning to start heading back to Nassau to pick up son. So, tomorrow a cocktail party at someone else's boat to say good-bye to us and good-bye to others leaving for Nassau but not coming back. Their time is up.

Went to Staniel Cay to walk and shop. Great Day.

Look at all the shades of blue!

Sun setting in our anchorage and the waters are very calm this night.

I paddle board with Susan and Sophie! Sophie does not do too much work. Once at the beach she runs a bit and then back on board to return to boat.

Yes, the dog is smiling. She lies down sometimes, very relaxing for her.

Other Canadian Sayings from Bill Casselman's book

Anger....

"I'd rather be pissed off than pissed on."

"I couldn't warm up to you if we were cremated to together."