Big Winds and Pete's Pub!

It was a still and quiet night on anchor. Karyn awoke at midnight to check on the anchor, to make sure it wasn’t shifting or dragging...nope, the night was still as could be, with a misting rain quietly pattering on the foredeck. It’s moments like that, looking at the palm trees on the shore with the rain making diamonds out of the moonlight on the midnight water, which makes one truly aware of how unique the moment is. It’s a fraction of time never be repeated, experienced only by the one looking out at that moment, that precise second. It was pure magic, no other words describe it.

In the morning it was blustery and cloudy....with NOAA weather forecasting an increase in winds as yet another cold front is bearing down on the Bahamas. While we’re not in northern Minnesota (-37 degrees, I believe) I shouldn’t complain, but it’s still damn cold here with the north winds. We tried to take the tender around John Cash Point to Marsh Harbour, but we turned around once we saw how exposed and rough the Sea of Abaco was to the north. Who needs to get wet when you don’t need to??? So we returned to our anchorage at Snake Cay, which is so protected and lovely...on the back deck we are in the lee, in the sunshine, and enjoying it. Going elsewhere only proves rough it really is, and how lucky we are to be tucked in here! Winds are forecast to be NW 20-25 kts, with winds of 30 knots tonight. Brr!!

Of course, the winds didn’t prevent us from taking the tender south to Little Harbour, for lunch at Pete’s Pub. All very exciting, from the crashing waves at North Bar Cut to the narrow and thin entrance of Little Harbour, when we saw a little blue boat approaching us....as we tried to figure out what the guy wanted, we slowed down, only to spot a tiny dog in the water!! The blue boat was clearly trying to rescue the dog, some white terrier type; it was swimming as hard as it could, but was being swept out by the outgoing current. Complicating matters, every time the little blue boat got close, the dog would change course and swim away from its rescuer. Ron slowed our boat, and pulled near the dog, which promptly swam away yet again. After some jockeying around of the boats(during which time Karyn was stripping off jackets and clothing, preparing to jump in the water to get the darn dog) our two boats lined up just right for the guy in the other boat to get close enough to be able to grab the swimming little demon. Folks on the shore were waving and yelling, all happy the dog was safe, and Karyn was happy that she didn’t have to get wet....would have been brutal in these cold north wind! Still, a happy ending for the little Toto dog.

Pete's Pub, as seen from the beach

Pete’s Pub was nearly silent, this being the Monday after New Year’s. All the tourists are gone, and only the locals (happy that their dog was safe) were there. As we walked to the bar, Karyn noticed yet another Miles Aweigh sticker....they’re like little bread crumbs here in the Abacos!! We’re following their trail, how fun is that??

Another bread crumb....

Soon we will blazing our own path, but in the meantime, we keep cracking up every time we find one of their stickers. We had a delicious lunch (Karyn had grilled Queen Triggerfish -- something she’d never had before, but was a delicious mild white fish -- while Ron had a well-done Angus beef burger with bleu cheese). The only downside was that the famous Johnston gallery was clearly closed -- the padlock on the door announce that -- so we will have to return another time to peruse and appreciate the bronze sculptures and other artwork within.

In the meantime, we are hunkering down in our cozy anchorage and appreciating the warmth of the sunshine -- when it actually hits the back deck, where we are in the lee from the winds!