Bright (Stop)Light, Big City

We've back in Marsh Harbor for the past day and a half. Marsh Harbor is the third largest city in The Bahamas after Nassau and Freeport and also is home to the only stoplight in the Abacos. It's biggest asset, probably, is the large harbor with excellent holding, meaning we can anchor worry free.

After we set our anchor yesterday we took a very wet dingy ride to the fish store (no luck), and then decided to head to the other side of the Harbor to check out the Jib Room Bar/Restaurant at Marsh Harbor Marina. As we were dingy'ing up to the marina we spotted Eva Marie, the boat which docks next to us in Deltaville. We called out for Kenny, and he invited us aboard, and then to the Jib Room for a drink and to catch up. He's been down here for awhile - he took the outside route down and it only took 6 days!

Me, Ben, and the Camera Timer

Fishing in Hope Town

We ended up staying in Hope Town for two nights. Both days we were in Hope Town we headed over to the beach around 1:00 pm and watched an older man and woman escorting a very older woman with a cane a short distance down the beach. Then they all stripped down to their bathing suits and went for a dip before coming back out of the water and walking back up the beach. The first day Ben and I had already decided it looked a little rough and cold to go for a swim. We told the threesome that they were braver than us, and the man told us that the oldest women is 96 and has been swimming off the Hope Town beach for 51 years!

Pink Sand!

The second day we were inspired to go snorkeling off the beach. The water was cold, but we were ok in our wetsuits, and it warmed up as we moved around. Apparently, the water was not quite as clear as the time Ben went with Dan and Sarah, but we saw several fish and plenty of coral and it was nice to get in the water. Ben also had his new Hawaiian sling, but did not see any fish big enough to spear, except for two Nassau Grouper, which are out of season. He was excited to practice with his new toy though.

It was very calm the day we left Hope Town, and not great for sailing, but we decided to go out into the Atlantic via the North Man-O-War cut and try our hand at some fishing - no luck. We spent that night on a mooring ball in Man-O-War's Harbor. The following morning Ben got a much needed haircut. Between the haircut and shaving in Costa Rica he is looking very clean cut.

Conky Joe's, Marsh Harbor

Today we did some much needed boat tasks - mainly filling up on water (at $0.30/gallon) and gas, and taking showers. We also attempted to go for a little sail, but with the dials reading 0.0 knots of wind we decided instead make it a day for exploring Marsh Harbor. We found lobster at a small store with a dingy dock, had lunch at Conky Joe's, checked out the Art Show and then decided to purchase WiFi for the day - allowing me to simultaneously listen to the UVA-Wake Forest Basketball game and post this blog! Oh, Conky Joe's had the most tender conch we've had the whole trip. It was excellent.

Ben at Conky Joe's, Looking very clean cut