Georgetown

Georgetown
1/19/12
23 30.60 N 75 45.65 W

I was very sad after Richard and Tuula left - it seems we say goodbye more often than we say hello.  We left the marina the following day and intended to sail to Georgetown to hang out for a while - we had to go so far off course to keep wind in our sails that we thought we might as well head toward Rum Cay which was to be the following stop on our way to the Dominican Republic. We anchored in Calabash Bay on the northern tip of Long Island, this really marks the end of the Exumas chain.

My bread has just come out of the oven and Don is questioning why it doesn't look like the bread you purchase in the shops- ie flat on top so it makes square slices whereas mine has a risen top like a high top.  Hummm - how anal is that - he is suggesting different ways to make mine look more like the shop variety - I am ignoring him.  I hope he is trying to be funny, he appears serious - he may not get to taste my beautiful looking bread !!!

Rum Cay is a tiny island well off to the North from the normal run of islands the cruisers visit.  It was a bustling busy place when the salt mines were operating, those failed when a hurricane destroyed all the salt pans, then pineapples were farmed.  Those also failed and the island went from 5000 residents to the current 60.   We are anchored in the bay and went ashore for a look around.  The marina is a sad affair - it is tiny and consists of a cut from the coral of approximately 50 metres wide with a wooden plank sidewalk along one side with a few small platforms jutting out for yachties to alight from the boats to the planking.  All this comes at various angles and some you walk on at your own peril - Irene wreaked havoc on this marina.  The Marina has been sold and the new owners are going to strip it back and rebuild - it appears a very safe calm place to leave your boat if you don't need infrastructure or entertainment.  You can get a meal at two local restaurants but it is advisable to give the restaurants/cafes/private homes as much notice as possible.