Today is the Day

We joined the crowd yesterday waiting outside Isles grocery store in Staniel Cay. The freight boat had come in and customers waiting outside were helping to unload boxes of produce so as to expedite the process. No one would be allowed to enter the store until boxes were emptied and everything was in place. We found Carolyn and Keith from Whim waiting with the rest. Whim had seemed to follow us for days down the ICW - or were we following them? We would anchor somewhere and turn to see Whim anchored as well. When we last met Carolyn and Keith, we agreed that we would get together next time so they're coming by later for drinks. Once in the store, we were part of the general free for all - everyone quickly picking up food treasures (spinach! avocado! cucumber!) - and then we joined the long line to the counter where 3 women worked quickly enough considering they had no fancy cash register to call up prices.

That morning we had moved from Big Majors (home of "pig beach") to anchor closer to Staniel Cay - all the better to nip in for shopping and guest pick up. In more challenging weather, not many anchor here so we were wary but we did find a spot with apparent good holding. For added excitement, at low tide our depth sounder reads 00! - but Bob was generous when he entered the keel offset so we are not really grounded - it just looks that way.

We've ditched plans to stay at the yacht club for the early part of the week while the kids are here. A predicted Sunday night blow from the west changed our minds. On the banks side west of the Exuma islands (where we are) protection from most wind directions can be found except from the west and then it gets more difficult. All morning, we listened to boats booking Sunday night stays at marinas - but at Staniel Cay, we've been told, "You don't want to be on our docks in a west wind" - so we'll stay anchored here tonight awaiting the kids' arrival this aft. and then tomorrow morning, along with Gemini and Chanceux, we'll go back to the protected anchorage at Pipe Cay. By then we'll have the "fast boat" we've rented from Raymond "Breadboy" Andrews and we hope to have the kids follow us in the fast boat - with Sean at the helm. Once there, we can use our boat as a jumping off place for a day of sight seeing adventures. (We haven't yet asked where Raymond got his Breadboy name.)

So - Krista, Sean and Michelle arrive this afternoon - and we've decided that rather than rent a golf cart, we'll dinghy up the little inlet to the airstrip to greet them and then put their bags in the dinghy for Bob to bring back while I walk the travelers to their "Nautica" cottage overlooking the bay (while almost - overlooking the road next to the beach overlooking the bay). This morning we are going to the All-Age School fund raiser which just happens to be on the beach in front of the kids' cottage. We'll take some breakfast food to leave in the cottage and then we'll join Joe and his fiancee Jodie for the fund raiser lunch.

Today is the day. It's warm, clear and beautiful and couldn't be a better day to greet the visiting three.