We desired a bit of solitude and protection from the north wind for a couple of days.  We tucked into a little inlet called Hetty’s Land on Great Guana Cay.  We walked inland from the beach to explore the island after Captain Fishless fished and I snoringly snorkeled.  Hetty’s is not a popular stop so we were surprised to find an interestingly marked path.  The path is not walked enough to leave a recognizable track so some thoughtful sailors hung washed up flotsam every fiftyish feet to guide you, a white crab pot hanging from a palm here, a yellow flip flop on a bush there, a bit of orange line hanging from a scrub tree over yonder, marking the way.  I felt like a child on a birthday party scavenger hunt.

The trail led us through a mushy salt marsh, under tickling palms, around shin scratching brush, and up a rocky climb to the dramatic beauty of the atlantic side.  Ah!  Captain Notusuallysopoetic exclaimed, That must be the color cerulean.  Cerulean is a magnificent color of blue green and also the boat name of our friends Robin and Christopher.

The sea was striped with vivid varying hues.  The water crashed noisily against bleached white rock boulders.

 

There were small caves that water would rush through and a view to a distant horizon to get lost in.  We gobbled it up with our eyes and rushed back leeward to hail our friends on Soul Divers.  Come check out this path, we called, Bring your gear, spear and beer.  There could be lionfish here!  We all trudged back over to the windward side.  There were no live coral heads to hunt on but the beauty alone was worth the hike.

 

That night Soul Divers had us over for homemade, amazing tamales.  I didn’t think I would taste anything better until Captain Breakfastisthebestmealoftheday fried up leftover tamales with fried eggs on top the following morning.  Best.  Breakfast.  Ever.

Matt and Sadie took all of the line and rode out of their deep, narrowly partitioned anchor locker to search for their troubling leak.  They filmed the box by lowering down their gopro as only a five year old razor skinny kid could stand inside of it.

Happily, they concluded the leak is not structural but more of a seepage through a rotted area.  An easier fix than structural but it would have to wait until they can hall out the boat.  Captain Livestofixormix was happy to take a look and help come up with a temporary improvement.  In the end, they decided to plug the lowest drain hole so as not to take on as much water on the seas.  Some creative, loose engineering went on to plug the hole and tie a line on to the plug to remove it if necessary underway.

Having solved the world’s problems by noon we decided to celebrate.

Sangria Saturday
On the Bahamian Sea
A slow buzz with soft edges
My Cap’n and me

Peanut butter cookies
For lunch with friends
Baritone laughter
Time stalls and bends

Sunshine through closed lids
A smile tugs at my lips
The Cap’n is telling jokes
That I’ve heard quite a bit

Clear waters calling
Gunkholing for reefs
Tossing a line to mermaids
Shelling on the beach

Sangria Saturday
On the Bahamian Sea
A slow buzz with soft edges
My Cap’n and me