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"Time Enough" in the Bahamas III Cruising Experiences |
March 7, 2000
But what do you do all day? That's a question that cruisers often here from their non
cruising friends. Well, one thing we don't do is hurry.
Everything is done at a relaxed pace. Time enough is our motto as well as our boat. And
everything seems to take longer to do. Doing laundry or taking out the trash may involve a
half day expedition. Let me take you through a "typical" day.
Really I have to start the night before. Whatever we do all day seems to wear us out
enough so that we are ready for our bunks by 8 PM. This seems to be true for most other
cruisers too, so there is not a lot of late night socializing. So it's early to bed, early
to rise-very early. In fact we usually rise two or three times during the night, just to
check that we are still where we started; check anchor, wind direction, sea condition, look
at the stars.
The first grey light of dawn comes about 6 AM. The first thing I do is to put on the
tea kettle, not only for tea but also to have warm water for washing up. After I've
performed my ablutions I take my tea up on deck and Carol gets her turn. If there has been
rain or a heavy dew, it is what Carol calls "a good chamois morning". I like to take a
sponge and chamois and wipe down the decks, a peaceful and satisfying task to perform while
sipping tea and watching the sun come up. If the decks are dry, I get to just sit and
relax. I think this is my favorite time of day.
At 7:15 the first weather report of the day comes on the VHF radio from Frank on
Summer Magic. The weather is of great interest to cruisers; it determines if you will be
able to sail and in what direction, if it will be calm enough and warm enough for swimming
and diving, if you need to move to find better shelter or should hunker down right where
you are, your whole plan for the day. Summer Magic is a decrepate cabin cruiser anchored
in wide open, beautiful, isolated Bakers Bay. Frank has lived there full time for years,
and both he and his boat look it. He is called the mayor of Bakers Bay and is one of the
friendliest and most helpful people I have ever met. He gets his weather information from
short wave radio, weather fax, and first hand observation. From where he is anchored he
can look out and check sea conditions in Whale Cay passage.
After Frank's rendition of the weather we have breakfast, usually a simple one of milk
and cereal. Then we both do some stretching exercises, Carol below decks and I above. And
there is always clean up and boat keeping. If things aren't cleaned up and put away
immediately the boat quickly becomes a hopeless cluttered mess. So we try to keep things
shipshape.
At 8:15 the cruiser's net comes on the VHF. The net is the glue that keeps this
floating village together. It is overseen by Pattie of Blue Dolphin, which I just learned
is not a boat but a house. Pattie must have done some time as a cruise ship social
director-her upbeat cheerful voice is a pleasure to hear every morning. After good
mornings she switches to Barometer Bob for another weather report. Then comes other on the
scene reorts, including Frank again. If anyone listening has any questions or comments
they can break in at any time with their own VHF. Next come community announcements.
Through this Carol and I got roped into playing music for the Man O War school fair and
assisting at a spay and neuter clinic. Last week a group was assembled to help rebuild a
house for a 97 year old man. Once again, anyone with an announcement is encouraged to come
forward.
To be Continued
Bob Ahlers
TIME ENOUGH