Great Guana Cay is Great 4-10-09

We wanted to make sure that we see all the big islands here in the Abacos and went 10 miles east to Great Guana Cay on a calm, cloudless 73 degree day. This is what calm seas look like but we never seem to have this for our bigger crossings. We easily picked up a Dive Guana mooring ball ($15 per day) in Fishers Bay and then took the dinghy into the free Grabbers dock. The bottom here is grassy in places and we wanted to make sure that we were holding.

Each cay has a distinct style and Great Guana has so much going for it. It has a 5 1/2 mile ocean beach with the 3rd largest barrier reef 75 yards offshore. It is definitely not Man-O-War as this cay has 2 of the largest beach bars in the Abacos—Grabbers and Nippers. Grabbers is decked out in sunny welcoming yellow, has a pool, free internet, bocce ball, great conch fritters and the best sunset view on the island. Nippers is located high above the ocean, has multi-level decks painted in neon shades, has 2 pools and is famous for its Sunday Pig Roast and Barefoot Man Concert every March.

Like Man-O-War and Elbow Cays, golf carts are the major mode of transportation along its narrow curvy lanes. Like the other cays, Guana has small bright pastel houses for residents in town but the foreign “second homers” are building huge multi-million dollar versions on the ocean and in the hills. Orchid Bay Marina is an upscale marina with a price to match but we did enjoy their white veranda.

We had a wonderful walk on the ocean beach and met Dwight and he took our picture and joined us back at Nippers. He has lived on Leisure Lee on Great Abaco since 1997. Contrary to popular opinion, Americans can own land here in the Bahamas and do not have to have a Bahamian sponsor but it takes a lot of lawyers to get it done.

Top off a great day with a colorful sunset with boaters at anchor all signaling the event by blowing conch shells and then having a full moon for a second course. Perfect.

Wishing you a Happy Easter and hope it's getting warmer in the northland.

Finding the Treasure in Treasure Cay 4-7-09

We left Man-O-War a few days ago to make the 17 mile trip to Treasure Cay in light wind with a slight chop—a perfect powerboat day. High clocking winds are forecast and we are going into Treasure Cay Marina rather than anchor in this protected harbor as we are having a few problems with our generator completely charging the batteries (we need to run it longer) and the macerator was tripping the circuit breaker (discharges quickly and less time needed).

Treasure Cay is not really an island but a peninsula on Great Abaco Island and is a resort development with a spectacular 3 1/2 mile beach, Coco Beach Restaurant on the ocean side and Spinnaker and Tipsy Seagull Tiki Bar Restaurants on the Sea of Abaco side, 150 slip marina, pool, golf course, rental condos and dive shop. Close by is an interesting array of shops, including La Florance Café and Bakery and the largest grocery shop in the Abacos, Golden Harvest Supermarket, which would be more like a small IGA on the mainland. With all of these amenities, Treasure Cay is more of a tourist destination than a Bahamian village and we prefer the latter.

On our first day, we did major beach time as we knew it would windy and cold the next two days. We enjoyed the complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas and did long walks on the hard pack beach at low tide. I tried it at high tide also and it was like slogging through 12 inches of snow. I love to walk and found miles of roads that wove back and forth between the ocean and the Sea of Abaco with ‘Greenways to the Beach” signs posted to indicate trails to various beaches.

Then the ferocious winds started and howled for 2 days with wind gusts to 42 mph. There is a land parcel here on Sunrise Point offered for a reduced price of $799,000 but the previous house was blown over in a hurricane. Even though new homes are being built with reinforced concrete and cement, Mother Nature will always win. We were glad that we were securely tied to a dock. We almost lost our AGLCA burgee as one line broke off. Moored and anchored boats had a very hard time and about 8 of these boats came into the marina and had some very difficult docking maneuvers.

We were delighted to have the company again of Lew and Florrie from “Harmony” and Canadians, Patty and Emery from “Honeywind”.

Junkanoo is a Bahamian Christmas festival which is actually more similar to Mardi Gras with elaborate, colorful costumes and dancing. This year, the local Treasure Cay Explorers won the Junkanoo competition and were scheduled to do a performance here on 4/8 but it was postponed at the last minute until Tuesday, 4/14. This local talent is the real treasure of Treasure Cay. However, Bob and I had talked about starting to head east towards FL when we get weather windows. Will we get to see the Treasure Cay Explorers Junkanoo on 4/14??? Stay tuned.

Sojer Day on Man-O-War Cay 4-4-09

We dinghed in to M-O-W for the first annual Sojer Day Celebration. This 2.5 mile long island has 300 local residents who form a close-knit community, are very conservative and religious, and are proud of their Loyalist heritage. All of this was celebrated today with family members coming from the other islands and Key West to renew their ties and share their history. It is also a fund raiser for local needs, including a new high school. We did see a few teens sporting i-pods and talking about souping up their golf carts for speed and sound so you wonder how many will stay here.

The Opening Ceremony was memorable for the enthusiastic performance of the M-O-W primary school students in full costumes and leading the audience in hymns and “Britannia, the Pride of the Ocean.” Several small homes were open to showcase photos, tools and artifacts from past generations. This was Uncle Will’s home and is now called Kolnonia Kottage. William Albury started boat building at age 14 and this led over time to establishing Albury Boats and the Albury Ferry Line which provides transportation amongst the islands.

Festivals always mean food and we were hungry. Here’s Bob in a very long line waiting for a conch chowder dinner. It was worth the wait and the portions were heaping. Everyone knows Lola's Bakery up on the hill but she also sells cinnamon rolls and fresh bread from her golf cart daily and she will not take "no" for an answer,

The afternoon events included a sisal rope making demonstration and the Junior Sailing Club racing amongst the moored boats in the harbor. These young sailors were very quick and agile and made their forbearers proud. The last gaff wooden schooner made in 1964 in the Albury yard was also on display. It is now named the “William H. Albury”, is 70 feet long and has 2,100 sq feet of sail. It is now the flagship for the Bahamian Adventure Sailing Program.