For more than an hour the mama and baby bottle-nose dolphins swam circles around Imagine. Actually it was more like ovals. They pair dived and rolled, catching fish and frolicking. It was as if they knew they had a captive audience. The baby never strayed far from mama as the wild creatures maintained a safe 20 foot distance from the anchored boat.
It was one of those aha kind of moments when you know that there is beauty and hope for a world that seems to have gone astray. Under a nearly cloudless sky, swimming in the crystalline waters of Elizabeth Harbor off Great Exuma Island in the Bahamas, the dolphin duo became a reminder that all of Earth's creatures have a role to play in this world that we share.
It seems that our old world is wearing out. As populations explode and wilderness is devoured by bulldozers and backhoes, there are fewer and fewer spaces that wild creatures can call home. Ecosystems have become compromised and pristine areas endangered as man continues to look for paradise.
The solemn beauty and magical elegance of the colorful coral reef plays an important role in the survival of our scarred and tired planet. While these majestic formations only account for one percent of the ocean surface, over 25 percent of all marine life begins here.
Andros Island in the Bahamas is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world. Only the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Meso American Barrier Reef along the Yucatan Peninsula are larger. Of the world's reef systems, Bahamian reefs account for nearly eight percent of that total.
An established reef breaks up wave action and protects seagrass beds and mangroves, from erosion. In turn the mangroves and grass beds protect the reef from light filtering silt, freshwater runoff and pollutants. The simple beauty of a mother and baby dolphin fishing was all that it took to remind me of how fragile our world can be. Many of the fish that will feed baby dolphin began life around a reef.
In some areas Bahamian reef systems already struggle for survival. Climate related events such as hurricanes can damage a reef. Pollution from golf course runoff, sewage and damage from development continues to threaten this underwater world.
Invasive species have been attributed to creating an unbalance in the ecosystem of the Bahamian reef. In the early 1990's the red lion fish (pterois volitans) could only be found in aquariums and in the South Pacific and Indian oceans. The popular aquarium fish was thought to be released in Florida waters during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. This prolific species live under rocks, rocky shores and reefs. It can grow up to 18 inches and live as long as 10 years. It's spines, while not deadly to humans, contain a toxin that protects the predator from other predators. The lion fish has been found as far north as Rhode Island.
Scientists at Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas discovered that the lion fish has a voracious appetite for native fishes, and can reduce the population of those native fish by up to 85 percent over a five week period. (Dr. Mark Hixon, Oregon State University).
With few natural predators, other than large groupers, the lion fish has adapted well in West Indian waters. There is open season on the lion fish and divers are encouraged to eliminate and report all that they see. It is easy to understand why this fish is considered invasive.
However, U.S. Executive Order 13112 defines "invasive species" as "an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
While the environment in the Bahamas and the United States might survive the invasion of the lion fish, there is another more damaging invasive species that may prove the most destructive of all. That species is man. Around the world, men and women waste important resources like water and fossil fuel. Plastic is dumped into oceans. Lights are left on. Trips in a vehicle are not synchronized to maximize time or fuel. Trash piles up in the form of recyclables and non recyclables. Medical waste washes up on shores. There is always a newer, better, and not really needed, gadget to buy. Food is wasted. Mega housing clusters appear where stately forest and productive farmland once stood.
Waters of of many rivers and lakes are not as clear. Deserts are being watered and rain-forests cleared. Lights dim the brilliance of the skies. Poor stewardship of our planet has already caused environmental harm. Song birds are disappearing. Asthma is on the rise and storms seem to be getting more damaging.
Perhaps it is too late to stop man's destruction, but there is certainly time to slow it to down. Living on a boat has taught me how live with less. I am careful to protect sea grass beds and reefs from the destructive gouge of a 45 pound anchor. My carbon footprint is only a fraction of what it once was. Can I improve. I'm certain of it.
Sharing a moment with mama dolphin and her baby was what I needed to remind myself that I want this experience for those who follow. Fifty years from now, I want my grandchildren to share a moment like this with their children. Our planet is capable of healing. If left alone Mother Nature will sooth and erase the scars left by man. The question is, will man allow it?
May 7, 2013
April 30, 2013
Regatta butterflies
The traditional Bahamian sailing sloops move like graceful white butterflies, tilting left and right, crossing and racing over a field of blue. Encouragement is shouted from small boats following the fleet. On land spectators line the shore rooting for their favorite sloop. Sea wall sailors yell instruction and dismay as would the armchair quarterback or backseat driver.
This year the National Family Island Regatta celebrates its 60th anniversary and the very young nation of the Bahamas celebrates is 40th year of independence (July10). Maintaining national unity in the archipelago of nearly 700 islands and cays that separate the country can prove challenging. Those challenges have given Bahamians both strength as a nation and a cultural legacy of life on the water, of sailing and reaching out to their nearby neighbors.
The National Regatta is held each April in Georgetown, Great Exuma. The event brings participants and spectators from Family Islands throughout the Bahamas. Boat builders and sailors from Acklins, Ragged, Andros, Great Guana, Staniel, Long, Cat, Abaco, New Providence and other islands begin arriving on mailboats and ferries the weekend prior to the event.
The camaraderie is there, but also a fierce competition among the participants. The sailors of Staniel Cay have been highly successful over the years with their sleek white and blue Class A boats, The Lady Muriel and Tida Wave. On the back of a T-shirt the message was clear, "On land, We friends."
Along Kidds Cove, and road leading to the government dock and Regatta Point, food shacks and conch stands spring up overnight. Souse, steamed mutton, cracked conch, conch fritters, plantains, peas and rice and other native Bahamian dishes draw lines at dinner time.
Friends reunite, hug and catch up. Strangers don't remain that way very long. The nation may be separated by islands, but Bahamians are not strangers. Each person seems to have a relative or friend on each island. The festival of Regatta continues all over Georgetown. At Regatta Park, vendors sell homemade goodies and souvenirs. The straw market boasts a variety of T-shirts, hats and straw work to commemorate the event. All along the one way road throughout town, vendors sell their goods. Visitors and Bahamians smile, nod, and have a great time.
The tension and excitement builds as Georgetown's population swells. Music plays a large part in the five day event. Across Elizabeth Harbor, on Imagine, we can hear the bass from powerful speakers begin a thump, thump in the morning that lasts through the wee hours of the next.
Regatta goes out with a bang on Saturday with music by the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band which just happens to be celebrating its 120th anniversary. Leading up to the finale, the Barretarre Performers, the Exuma Youth Marching Band and other Bahamian entertainers will keep the festivities going. Bahamian children climb into trees and on rooftops to get a great view.
The Bahamas Office on Tourism reports that an estimated 65 boats compete in the five classes which are A, B, C, D and E. About $325,000 is spent facilitating the Regatta. The Government is a major sponsor together, committee fundraising, and help from a number of corporate entities and local businesses.
Bahamian history recalls that Regatta began as the age of sail began to wane, giving way to motorized boats. The working fleet of Bahamian smacks and sloops were not in good repair. A group of Bahamian and American Yachtsmen came up with an idea to hold a race for the working craft throughout the Bahamas. They knew that Bahamians were up to the challenge and many would upgrade their vessels for a chance of bragging rights and glory.
According to the history of the National Family Island Regatta by Harland Bottomly, In April 1954 nearly 70 Bahamian sloops, schooners and dinghies gathered in Elizabeth Harbor for three days of sailing An Out Island squadron formed after the successful regatta to make this an annual event. That organization lasted through 1987 when it became the National Family Island Regatta Committee.
Today, Danny Strachan leads as Chairman and Commodore of the committee. He said that while the event began humbly to test the skills of the workboat owners, the regatta has turned into a premier sailing event in the country that brings visitors and people from all strata of society in harmony and friendship.
Each year the committee honors Bahamian sailors who have led the way and distinguished themselves in the growth and development of sloop sailing. This year's honorees are Captain Emmett Monroe of Ragged Island, Brooks Milller of Staniel Cay, Captain Harry Harding of Long Island and Eleazar Johnson of Acklins. All have left their name in the annuals of regatta fame.
The sailing sloops of modern day are now made for racing and not carting fish, sponge, sisal, or goods. The boats are sleeker, the masts taller and the booms longer. When the start gun blasts, anchors are pulled, sails are raised and the aquamarine harbor is decorated with colorful sloops and flowing white sails. The butterflies of regatta flit along, seeking advantage and the finish line at the end of the course.
The regatta celebrates sailing history. It is a cultural event. It is a celebration of boat building skills of Bahamians living throughout the islands. It is most definitely an authentic Bahamian celebration. It is a time to experience how others live and a time to make new friends.
This year the National Family Island Regatta celebrates its 60th anniversary and the very young nation of the Bahamas celebrates is 40th year of independence (July10). Maintaining national unity in the archipelago of nearly 700 islands and cays that separate the country can prove challenging. Those challenges have given Bahamians both strength as a nation and a cultural legacy of life on the water, of sailing and reaching out to their nearby neighbors.
The National Regatta is held each April in Georgetown, Great Exuma. The event brings participants and spectators from Family Islands throughout the Bahamas. Boat builders and sailors from Acklins, Ragged, Andros, Great Guana, Staniel, Long, Cat, Abaco, New Providence and other islands begin arriving on mailboats and ferries the weekend prior to the event.
The camaraderie is there, but also a fierce competition among the participants. The sailors of Staniel Cay have been highly successful over the years with their sleek white and blue Class A boats, The Lady Muriel and Tida Wave. On the back of a T-shirt the message was clear, "On land, We friends."
Along Kidds Cove, and road leading to the government dock and Regatta Point, food shacks and conch stands spring up overnight. Souse, steamed mutton, cracked conch, conch fritters, plantains, peas and rice and other native Bahamian dishes draw lines at dinner time.
Friends reunite, hug and catch up. Strangers don't remain that way very long. The nation may be separated by islands, but Bahamians are not strangers. Each person seems to have a relative or friend on each island. The festival of Regatta continues all over Georgetown. At Regatta Park, vendors sell homemade goodies and souvenirs. The straw market boasts a variety of T-shirts, hats and straw work to commemorate the event. All along the one way road throughout town, vendors sell their goods. Visitors and Bahamians smile, nod, and have a great time.
The tension and excitement builds as Georgetown's population swells. Music plays a large part in the five day event. Across Elizabeth Harbor, on Imagine, we can hear the bass from powerful speakers begin a thump, thump in the morning that lasts through the wee hours of the next.
Regatta goes out with a bang on Saturday with music by the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band which just happens to be celebrating its 120th anniversary. Leading up to the finale, the Barretarre Performers, the Exuma Youth Marching Band and other Bahamian entertainers will keep the festivities going. Bahamian children climb into trees and on rooftops to get a great view.
The Bahamas Office on Tourism reports that an estimated 65 boats compete in the five classes which are A, B, C, D and E. About $325,000 is spent facilitating the Regatta. The Government is a major sponsor together, committee fundraising, and help from a number of corporate entities and local businesses.
Bahamian history recalls that Regatta began as the age of sail began to wane, giving way to motorized boats. The working fleet of Bahamian smacks and sloops were not in good repair. A group of Bahamian and American Yachtsmen came up with an idea to hold a race for the working craft throughout the Bahamas. They knew that Bahamians were up to the challenge and many would upgrade their vessels for a chance of bragging rights and glory.
According to the history of the National Family Island Regatta by Harland Bottomly, In April 1954 nearly 70 Bahamian sloops, schooners and dinghies gathered in Elizabeth Harbor for three days of sailing An Out Island squadron formed after the successful regatta to make this an annual event. That organization lasted through 1987 when it became the National Family Island Regatta Committee.
Today, Danny Strachan leads as Chairman and Commodore of the committee. He said that while the event began humbly to test the skills of the workboat owners, the regatta has turned into a premier sailing event in the country that brings visitors and people from all strata of society in harmony and friendship.
Each year the committee honors Bahamian sailors who have led the way and distinguished themselves in the growth and development of sloop sailing. This year's honorees are Captain Emmett Monroe of Ragged Island, Brooks Milller of Staniel Cay, Captain Harry Harding of Long Island and Eleazar Johnson of Acklins. All have left their name in the annuals of regatta fame.
The sailing sloops of modern day are now made for racing and not carting fish, sponge, sisal, or goods. The boats are sleeker, the masts taller and the booms longer. When the start gun blasts, anchors are pulled, sails are raised and the aquamarine harbor is decorated with colorful sloops and flowing white sails. The butterflies of regatta flit along, seeking advantage and the finish line at the end of the course.
The regatta celebrates sailing history. It is a cultural event. It is a celebration of boat building skills of Bahamians living throughout the islands. It is most definitely an authentic Bahamian celebration. It is a time to experience how others live and a time to make new friends.
April 10, 2013
Long Island, a Tropical History
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Deans Blue Hole |
Suddenly, in the midst of deep aquamarine waters, I am a middle school student answering questions about the Tropic of Cancer. The Tropic of Cancer is officially the most northerly latitude where the sun appears directly overhead at noon on June 21. It dissects the Bahamas at 23 degrees north, 26 minutes and 76 degrees west. It crosses through Little Exuma, Exuma Sound and the shallow banks of the southern Bahamas. As the line circles the globe, it also passes through Mexico, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India and China.
The seasons at this latitude are not as noticeable as in northern climates. Weather hovers in the low 70's during winter and low 80's during the summer. In the Bahamas, the summer season brings humidity, black face gulls and bugs. Exotic fowers bloom.
Tropical storms and hurricanes become a dangerous reality for Bahamians living on either side of the invisible line.
 |
Sponging was once a large industry |
The long 80 nautical mile island is aptly named. It is seldom more than four nautical miles wide which makes it appear as a long narrow strip of land curving slightly as it rises from the sea.
On the Atlantic side, rocky weathered reefs line many of the beaches. Light blue aquamarine water of the near shore area turns dark becoming a brilliant royal blue as the waters deepen. Many of the Atlantic side beaches require a hike across the island. Paths are carved out by machete through jungle like foliage. These paths usually include a rocky incline that gives way to sand as one descends to the ocean. Cruisers keep the beach paths marked and open.
Imagine's captain, Ed, hacked through the overgrown foliage clearing Path108, named for the telephone pole number along Queens Highway where the three-quarter mile long twisting and rocky path begins.
Unfortunately, many of the hard to reach Atlantic side beaches are filled with plastic debris. Shoes, bottles, lines, headless dolls, buckets, medical waste, wood, and other trash litter the high tide line. The remote areas make it nearly impossible to clean these particular beach expanses.
Life on the Island is laid back. It is easy to hitch a ride from one end of the island to the other. Employment is limited and many of the young move to Nassau to find work. Long Island is one area of the Bahamas where farming is successful. Not only do the people depend on it for their own use, but much is exported to other Bahamian islands. Sheep and goats are prized and raised on Long Island. A mutton festival is held each winter on the island.
The island's history is rich with both tragedy and adventure. The Lucayan Indians were probably the earliest inhabitants of this island they called Yuma. Lucayan artifacts date back to 500 A.D. The fifteenth century brought Columbus and opened the era of exploration. The Spanish used the gentle native population as slaves and brought disease that would eventually wipe out the Lucayans.
The period of 1750 through 1838, is referred to as the Loyalist Period. Loyal British citizens living in the Americas wanted no part of the Revolution. Many were given land grants from England. They left plantations and homes in the colonies to begin anew in British controlled lands. Slavery made little difference as the immigrants learned that the rocky soil would not grow the cotton or tobacco that grew prolific in the fertile soils of the American colonies.
By 1900 those who remained on Long Island took up small farming, pineapple growing, sponging, sisal making and salt harvesting. A 1926 hurricane washed the 10-to-14 foot deep water out of the Salt Pond and Thompson Bay area. All people could see was sand to the horizon. Locals rushed out to gather stranded fish. More than 200 died that day when the winds died and the water rushed back before thegatherers could run back to shore.
Long Island has so much to offer in both history and scenery. It is home to Deans Blue Hole, the deepest blue hole in the world. It dips down nearly 670 feet opening into a 4000-foot deep underwater canyon. The location is the home of the AIDA free diving championships each year. Amidst the shallow aquamarine water surrounding it, the blue hole appears as a small dark blue pond surrounded by rocky cliffs and native foliage on one side and a white curving beach with ocean waves lapping the shoreline on the other. The water is cold in in the hole. The drop off is dramatic from a couple of feet to nothing.
Long Island is a mix of modern establishments and historic family settlements. Wild pigs roam the southern end of the island while marinas and resorts bring an influx of visitors to the northern end. Acres of abandoned salt ponds left by Diamond Salt Crystal, old churches dating back to the early 1700's, straw making, and regattas all speak about the culture and history of this welcoming and beautiful Island. Living on a boat not only brings back memories, but can be quite educational.
March 26, 2013
Life is a beach
It is mid March and winter has begun to give way to spring. Gardeners are planning what crops to plant. Early crocus erupt bright purple or yellow against the drab coat of winter. Spring is on its way. Beach lovers long for the crash of surf, the spray of salt mist, and the bright rays of sun warming bare shoulders.
As a child, a trip to the beach meant 34th Street in Ocean City, N.J. It meant sand laced bologna and cheese sandwiches on a corner of a sandy blanket. After hours of riding waves on rented blue and yellow rafts, those gritty sandwiches were quite tasty. The day ended with one trying to find a comfortable position to sleep that didn't aggravate the sunburned face, back and shoulders.
Years later... many years later, I now spend most days heading for the beach. Living on a boat in the Bahamas gives new meaning to the phrase, hitting the beach. Leaving footprints in the sand, frolicking in the surf, and beach combing continue to a major role in beach usage. But that is only the beginning.
Fellow live a-boards have found many interesting ways to utilize the nearby beaches. Beaches offer nearby land based destinations where one can disembark and stretch the legs. At the height of the season, February through early March nearly 300 boats anchor along the beaches of Elizabeth Harbor in the Exumas. Every day there is another beach event.
Traditional fun volleyball begins at 2:00 p.m. each day. Early morning yoga draws nearly 30 boaters who spread out their towels, stretch, and breathe as water laps softly in the background. Overhead, soft needled casuarina trees sway ever so slightly in a light breeze.
On Thursdays, budding artists learn to watercolor, weave a basket with silver palm or tie decorative knots. The art on the each group brings amateur and professional artists together. Nearby, a group of cruisers play dominos. Others learn the game of bridge. Another day someone might offer a knitting seminar or a session about maximizing solar panel output. One can even learn how to make a conch shell horn.
One morning, a cruiser might announce an open invitation for sundowners on the beach. The rule is to bring a snack to share, boat cards, and a beverage of one's choice. It might not be as formal as a Chamber of Commerce mixer, but it offers boaters a way to meet fellow cruisers and to exchange information. On beaches everywhere, cruisers bring in books and compact discs for swapping. There are sand sculpture events and for the ultimate sand trap, one can even try their skill with beach golf.
At Hog Cay in the Jumentos, sundowners also include a green flash watch that begins as the sun dips into the sea. If visibility is clear and clouds are absent, cheers go up when the green flash blinks as the sun sets below the horizon. That is when conch horns begin to sound. Some evenings cruisers get together on the beach for a impromptu jam session. They bring guitars, banjos, harmonicas and cymbals. Some bring kazoos. Others have brought bagpipes, or violin. One boater played the saw.
When in the out islands, cruisers sometimes cook dinner communally on a fire pit fashioned out of rocks. Each brings food to grill and a covered dish to share. Following dinner the auxiliary fire pit is used for the trash burn. Since there is no place to dispose of garbage, all paper and plastic is burned on the beach. Cans and jars are retained until the boater heads back to civilization.
Boaters who venture to the far southern Bahamas are a creative group and hold events known as Beach Junk Wars and Beach Olympics. The Atlantic Ocean beaches are covered with junk; lumber, bamboo, plastic drums, medical waste, nylon rope, old shoes, bottles, and anything that floats can be found along the high tide line. Hard hats and welding helmets might become wild looking Junkanoo masks. Coconuts and string turn into to bras. Puppets have been made from doll parts washed ashore and wind chimes from bamboo and floating seed pods.
Beach Olympics include kayak racing, swimming, and hermit crab racing. Hermit crabs are scavengers and prove easy to gather with a some dinner scraps on the beach. The nocturnal critters, up to four inches in the shell, have no clue that they will become the next beach Olympic contestant. Numbered with red fingernail polish, the critters are placed in the center of a large circle. The winner is the first one out.
The cruisers at Hog Cay have made a bocce ball court on the san d. Rope tied to an old plastic bread tray found on the beach becomes a zamboni to smooth the sand. Small plastic floats washed ashore become the balls. A small raised molded strip around the diameter of the float allows for one way rolling. Those who forgo bocce ball can fanny dip in the clear shallow water along the shore. Boaters bring a drink and sit together in the cooling water at waist level.
On Valentines Day, the residents of nearby Ragged Island host a party on the beach for the cruisers at Hog Cay. During the event, the boaters hold an action of donated items to benefit the all age school on Ragged Island.
Cruisers walk, jog and hike along the Bahamian beaches. They collect sea glass, sea shells and sea beans. They haul wood from the beach for the fire pit. Sometimes they find neat artifacts. I've found a wooden mortar and pestle. For cruisers a large part of life centers around the beach. It serves as a community center, a classroom, a playing field, watering hole and library. We share stories and make new friends. We celebrate, we console, and we give back. Yes, life is a beach.
As a child, a trip to the beach meant 34th Street in Ocean City, N.J. It meant sand laced bologna and cheese sandwiches on a corner of a sandy blanket. After hours of riding waves on rented blue and yellow rafts, those gritty sandwiches were quite tasty. The day ended with one trying to find a comfortable position to sleep that didn't aggravate the sunburned face, back and shoulders.
Years later... many years later, I now spend most days heading for the beach. Living on a boat in the Bahamas gives new meaning to the phrase, hitting the beach. Leaving footprints in the sand, frolicking in the surf, and beach combing continue to a major role in beach usage. But that is only the beginning.
Fellow live a-boards have found many interesting ways to utilize the nearby beaches. Beaches offer nearby land based destinations where one can disembark and stretch the legs. At the height of the season, February through early March nearly 300 boats anchor along the beaches of Elizabeth Harbor in the Exumas. Every day there is another beach event.
Traditional fun volleyball begins at 2:00 p.m. each day. Early morning yoga draws nearly 30 boaters who spread out their towels, stretch, and breathe as water laps softly in the background. Overhead, soft needled casuarina trees sway ever so slightly in a light breeze.
On Thursdays, budding artists learn to watercolor, weave a basket with silver palm or tie decorative knots. The art on the each group brings amateur and professional artists together. Nearby, a group of cruisers play dominos. Others learn the game of bridge. Another day someone might offer a knitting seminar or a session about maximizing solar panel output. One can even learn how to make a conch shell horn.
One morning, a cruiser might announce an open invitation for sundowners on the beach. The rule is to bring a snack to share, boat cards, and a beverage of one's choice. It might not be as formal as a Chamber of Commerce mixer, but it offers boaters a way to meet fellow cruisers and to exchange information. On beaches everywhere, cruisers bring in books and compact discs for swapping. There are sand sculpture events and for the ultimate sand trap, one can even try their skill with beach golf.
At Hog Cay in the Jumentos, sundowners also include a green flash watch that begins as the sun dips into the sea. If visibility is clear and clouds are absent, cheers go up when the green flash blinks as the sun sets below the horizon. That is when conch horns begin to sound. Some evenings cruisers get together on the beach for a impromptu jam session. They bring guitars, banjos, harmonicas and cymbals. Some bring kazoos. Others have brought bagpipes, or violin. One boater played the saw.
When in the out islands, cruisers sometimes cook dinner communally on a fire pit fashioned out of rocks. Each brings food to grill and a covered dish to share. Following dinner the auxiliary fire pit is used for the trash burn. Since there is no place to dispose of garbage, all paper and plastic is burned on the beach. Cans and jars are retained until the boater heads back to civilization.
Boaters who venture to the far southern Bahamas are a creative group and hold events known as Beach Junk Wars and Beach Olympics. The Atlantic Ocean beaches are covered with junk; lumber, bamboo, plastic drums, medical waste, nylon rope, old shoes, bottles, and anything that floats can be found along the high tide line. Hard hats and welding helmets might become wild looking Junkanoo masks. Coconuts and string turn into to bras. Puppets have been made from doll parts washed ashore and wind chimes from bamboo and floating seed pods.
Beach Olympics include kayak racing, swimming, and hermit crab racing. Hermit crabs are scavengers and prove easy to gather with a some dinner scraps on the beach. The nocturnal critters, up to four inches in the shell, have no clue that they will become the next beach Olympic contestant. Numbered with red fingernail polish, the critters are placed in the center of a large circle. The winner is the first one out.
The cruisers at Hog Cay have made a bocce ball court on the san d. Rope tied to an old plastic bread tray found on the beach becomes a zamboni to smooth the sand. Small plastic floats washed ashore become the balls. A small raised molded strip around the diameter of the float allows for one way rolling. Those who forgo bocce ball can fanny dip in the clear shallow water along the shore. Boaters bring a drink and sit together in the cooling water at waist level.
On Valentines Day, the residents of nearby Ragged Island host a party on the beach for the cruisers at Hog Cay. During the event, the boaters hold an action of donated items to benefit the all age school on Ragged Island.
Cruisers walk, jog and hike along the Bahamian beaches. They collect sea glass, sea shells and sea beans. They haul wood from the beach for the fire pit. Sometimes they find neat artifacts. I've found a wooden mortar and pestle. For cruisers a large part of life centers around the beach. It serves as a community center, a classroom, a playing field, watering hole and library. We share stories and make new friends. We celebrate, we console, and we give back. Yes, life is a beach.
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