Need a Vacation......

"General Announcement !! "General Announcement !! " Volleyball on the beach at 2:30....Dominoes at 2:35....Beach Golf at 2:40....Bridge at 2:45.....Tennis at 2:50....Hold 'em Poker at 2:55....AA meeting at 3:00....Softball at 3:05....boat parade at 3:10....Coconut Challenge at 3:15...Regatta Tee-Shirt sales all day !! The VHF (marine radio) blares these announcements starting on "the net" at 8:30 am and continues throughout the day. The winter season in George Town culminates with "Regatta" which occurs during the first two weeks of March. Regatta is the championship playoffs of all the activities, together with a "no-talent show" and dances. Think of constant cruise ship type activities without the ship !! It was time for Persephone to go on vacation (or, simply, get otta town...along with
16 other boats I counted leaving.)

So, yesterday's sail was 35 miles east to Long Island. The anchor dropped in Thompson Bay which is about the middle of the island on the west side. Thompson Bay/Salt Pond appears to be a quite, small community which will be explored today. There are about 30 boats here in the anchorage (versus over 300 in G/T). The local "restaurant" (a Bahamian lady who apparently cooks out of her house) has offered to do a buffet dinner tonite for the cruisers in the harbor. Cruising friends have promised her Bahamian fare is delicious and not to be missed. The most recent head count for dinner was over 30 people and growing. It was fun listening to all the boats calling in by radio to make their reservations. (So much for getting away from the crowd !!).

The plan is to leave here tomorrow morning and sail north to Calabash Bay near the top of Long Island to spend the night. Calabash is supposed to be very remote and unspoiled. After that, the plan is to round the top of Long Island and sail 15 miles further east to Conception Island; which is tiny, uninhabited and part of the the Park System. There is a reef which extends a couple of miles north of Conception which features world class snorkeling (and hunting). Persephone will be vacationing at Conception for several days before returning to G/T (after Regatta).

As many of you know, I have to be in Connecticut for work during the week of March 15th. I will be flying to CT on Sunday and returning to G/T on Friday. Upon my return, plans will be in high gear to begin the migration south to the Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic and on to Puerto Rico. After my return and soon as the weather cooperates, the southbound trip will continue. (After nearly 6 weeks at anchor, I wanted to give Persephone a "shake-down" before heading south in open Atlantic waters).

Finally, Persephone is currently at 23 degrees 21 minutes north...."so what you ask" ??!! Well, we are 9 miles south of the "Tropic of Cancer" (23 30.00 N) The Tropic of Cancer is the latitude line that marks as far north as the sun travels above the equator during our summer. The sun sits above this line on the first day of summer; June 21st. Geographically, this line divides the true Tropics from the sub-tropics. So, this morning Persephone is finally anchored in THE TROPICS.

"Ratso Rizzo"