Our first full day here in Great Harbour Cay. I’m delighted to avoid the spelling mistakes that Americans make and get back to using my ‘u’s in words like Harbour. Harbour has its roots or is it routes or rout (Not sure the u serves me well here) from germanic language. Most likely the Old English ‘herebeorg’ or shelter. Notice that there is not a ‘u’ in that word?
I started off the day getting the circus bike out of her bag and assembling and unfolding the thing to resemble the picture I have in my head. The important part of this process is to make sure the locks on the folding parts are secure. Not saying this ever happened to me, but it could happen. Those things can fold up like a cheap suit in full flight. I’m not sure they have an appropriate surgeon here to remove a circus bike so afflicted.
Not yet having my phone converted to Bahamian I don’t have ready access to electronic maps. They gave us a piece of paper (not necessarily to scale (and not showing hills)) that shows relatively where stuff is. Off I went, I had to scoot around the harbour and various other water and finally arrived at the community. They have a few grocery stores, school and liquor store. They also have something that ends with ‘burial society’. This requires some sleuthing. Since no sleuth is readily available I will look into it.
I’m back. I googlized this burial society. Apparently it is a women’s group formed 77 years ago. I can only assume from the members and the name it is likely why: the men seem to fear and respect the women and there arn’t a lot of men around… The building with the sign ‘Northern Star Burial Society’ has no windows. If I go by that place again, my feet will be a blur on that circus bike. Jimmie and I will have to watch Sue and ML in case they get drafted into this society… Tabernac (Actual burial society reference)
After my excursion into town I decided to tackle fabricating brackets to hold my bartered solar panels. I had some starboard on board and with some cutting and the crafty use of holes, ‘Bob’s your uncle’ we were in business. I have to make a few little changes to actually steal energy from the sky but we are closer.
I went for a second ride late in the afternoon. I was searching for access to the beach on the ocean side of Great Harbour Cay. I found that there is a lot of homes on the ocean. Most of which are slathered with no trespassing signs. I did find a sign that said beach access, but a local said it was missing it’s arrow. He remedied that by pointing ‘down de road’. I kept going. At the airport I found another sign, this one complete with arrow urged me on further. The road paralleled the air strip, an air strip that by now seemed to be 20,000 feet. Just when the pavement ended another sign.
I think I made it to ‘Shelling beach’, Number 4 on the map (not to scale (not showing hills)). It was beautiful and will be a trip today or tomorrow for us all I think.
It was pizza night here at the marina. The staff coordinate the pizza ordering and you buy a block of time to receive your pizza. Ours was half traditional and half with lobster. It was some good. I had some trepidation and skepticism not unlike the first time I tried the ‘Lobster Mac and Cheese’. But, this was better. We spent a nice evening in the glow of Jimmie’s radar screen. It seems to work and after our exploration last night I took on the task of finding a manual and sorting it out.
It is time to end this. For the last few days I have been straining the coffee through a thing called a coffee sock. The material is more like that found in tighty whities but the jury is out on the effectiveness.
more later with pics