Good weather with scuba dives...

...for Ron, that is!! But yes, it was finally sunny and calm today, hooray! Ron went out diving with Valentine's Dive Center this morning as planned, biking over to the dive shop with all his gear. I know he was really looking forward to it, and upon his return, said it was great to dive again. It's been a while on the dive front, since the weather has not exactly been conducive, with it being so windy and rough! As it turned out, Ron and his dive buddy had the boat to themselves, so it was like a private charter, and the dives were worth it. The reefs here are healthy and vibrant, so Ron enjoyed himself immensely. The highlight of the day? Seeing a huge manta ray, just outside the south cut, gracefully swimming along.

Naturally, Ron was destined to see something fabulous, as I'm still on "no-dive status" after my skull fracture. ARGH! But...I'm focusing on the advantages to patience, namely, the goal that I will dive again, some day! So, I enjoyed my bit of solitude during the morning, sitting on the back deck in the sunshine, catching up on some correspondence and necessary phone calls, finalizing Ally's spring break travel plans, doing laundry and tidying up the boat a bit. Nothing earth-shattering, and rather relaxing, actually! 

After Ron returned, the rest of the day was low-key. He rinsed his scuba gear and we relaxed on the boat, watching other boats come and go, generally just enjoying everything, and nothing, in particular. We ate aboard this evening, just a modest dinner and tucked in on the couch afterwards, watching more of the Winter Olympics. I'm kind of embarrassed, but I find it difficult not to shudder at the speeds the downhill skiers are going -- being somewhat fresh from my accident, I can barely watch! With age comes wisdom...perhaps? Kind of hard to believe we used to skydive, now isn't it?? :) Just enjoy the moment, where ever you are! 

Valentine's Day, Island Style!

Pink and pearly conch shells on display in Dunmore Town

We awoke to a bit less wind and a bit more sunshine today...hooray! We indulged in a leisurely morning, with Captain/Chef Ron spoiling me yet again with an unbelievably delicious lobster-veggie omelet as part of our "Valentine's Day champagne brunch". We chatted on the docks with some of the other cruisers afterwards, all sharing stories of the wicked winds we suffered the other night: tales of bowlines snapping, seat cushions blown away, descriptions of forays out in the rain and high winds to wrestle on additional lines for safe-keeping, etc. While it was a hard night for all, it seems like we had it relatively easy, compared to some of the boats that received a pounding out on the more exposed piers! You never can tell!

The fishermen's pier, near low tide, as we cycled into town

We took a relaxed bicycle ride into town, heading into town with the faint hope that the Piggly Wiggly might be open on Sunday, as we needed a few pantry items: eggs, lemons, limes, and potatoes. Brilanders seem to be devout church-going folk, so it was no surprise that most stores were closed, with the exception of a very few. We did find a fruit & vegetable stand on Bay Street that had the majority of things we needed, so we purchased those and stocked up on some fruit as well, before venturing to yet another store to find the eggs. 

Empty street on a quiet Sunday

Ron at the Big Red Convenience #2 fruit & produce stand

A sampling of their wares

A sign on a nearby straw market stand 

We meandered along on the back streets, eventually returning to Romora Bay, where we spent the remainder of the mellow afternoon. We spent some time rinsing off the boat -- it desperately needed a good bath after the salty rime that totally encrusted the rails and brightwork during the last few days. We also spoke with Ally a few times via Skype, who was en-route back to Maryland at long last. It's a good thing she's finally able to fly back, as yet another snow storm is predicted to bear down on the eastern seaboard tomorrow night. What crazy weather!!

The remainder of the evening was quiet; we spent some time at Sunsets, listening and dancing to the fun reggae and "rake & scrape" of the Brilanders, as well as chatting with some of the folks that were here this weekend for a wedding on Pink Beach. We eventually walked over to Acquapazza, a gorgeous Italian/Mediterranean restaurant "down-island" for a late dinne, That too was great fun, as by chance, we met up with a captain from a boat at Valentine's whom we'd met on the ferry ride back to Equinox a few days earlier. We ended up trading all sorts of stories of boating, diving, lobstering and travel, and generally enjoyed ourselves. It shouldn't surprise me when we run into folks we know here, since the island is so small, but it always catches me off guard a little. Always fun! And, as they say, "it's better in the Bahamas"! We have to agree -- it was a great Valentine's Day!

High Winds, Yet Again...

I don’t know what is happening with the weather this year!! It certainly has been quite a winter: from the incredible amounts of snow in the northeast, record low and freezing temperatures in the south, to the lack of snow in Vancouver during the current Winter Olympics, it’s been crazy. And, true to form, the cold fronts and accompanying winds have cranked back up in the Bahamas now that we’re back aboard the boat. ("Why is that, Captain Ron...?") I’d like to think that the two are not related, but it sure is starting to feel like that where ever we are, the bad weather follows!! But, considering how most folks on the east coast must feel about the snow and freezing temperatures, I know I shouldn't complain!! What's a bit of wind, after all??

However, last night we endured another nasty blow as a storm front moved through with gale force winds of 35-40 knots sustained, that blasted us from the south, west and then the northwest. We initially were somewhat sheltered in our slip, being on the north side of the marina office as we are, so the howling winds out of the south weren't slamming us too badly. But, once the winds clocked to the west, we were getting hit square on the beam with 3’ waves, so we were rocking and rolling most of the night. Not exactly a comfortable night for me, with the pitching and rolling, but then again, Mother Nature was not to be ignored! 

It was mid-day Saturday before we got off the boat (being blown away from our finger pier as we were) but as the sun poked holes in the clouds, we decided to take a bike ride into town. We found ourselves enjoying a bit of lunch down town along the shoreline, on the sunny front porch of the Harbor Lounge. The fish in the islands is so fresh, whether its grouper, snapper, hogfish or something else, it's hard to resist, as all is delicious whether found in fish tacos or fish sandwiches.  

Ron walking up the stairs to the Harbour Lounge Porch

Ron and I enjoyed a pair of grilled grouper sandwiches while watching all the portside activity. It seemed to us that many more tourists are in town, as folks were out and about this holiday weekend with Valentine’s Day tomorrow and President’s Day Monday. In fact, I was amazed at the traffic, and couldn’t believe the number of scooters and golf carts zipping about. (And, I admit cringing, watching all the little kids perched in the back seats of so many of the carts flying along the streets at fairly high speeds....all accidents waiting to happen, in my humble perspective!!) But, there was a lovely hum to the air with all the activity and we enjoyed it. 

We stopped by Valentine's Dive shop, where we were greeted by Shawn, one of their dive-masters. He had heard we were back on-island, and was happy to see both of us doing well. Ron arranged to go out diving with them in the coming days, weather permitting, which Ron is greatly desiring. Then, after biking back to the boat, it was a leisurely late afternoon of baking bread, napping, and watching some of the skiing and skating events in the Winter Olympics. Dinner was  courtesy of chef Ron, who's really been enjoying cooking quite a bit lately. Thus, I was the lucky recipient of a gourmet dinner of steamed asparagus, cous-cous and a perfectly done filet mignon with a red wine reduction sauce that was out of this world! Hmmmm.....come to think of it, perhaps windy days aren't so bad, after all!

Back aboard!

View of the Atlantic approaching Pink Beach after our return

Karyn testing the Atlantic waters on Pink Beach 

at Harbour Island -- it was a tad chilly!

Yes, we are back in the islands, and back aboard Equinox! Despite mixed emotions at parting with Ally, schedules all worked out, as Ally is happily spending time with friends Kim and Al for a bit before heading back to school. We flew out on Thursday afternoon -- Ally dropped us off at the airport, spent some time at the beach, then returned to the airport to pick up Kim and Al, so it all worked out quite well, serendipitously! Our flight was uneventful and short, with nary a hitch. We took a ferry back to Harbour Island from North Eleuthera Airport and within a half hour, were reunited with Equinox once again! Everyone at Romora Bay was so sweet, happy to see us back, pleased and relieved that I'm doing so well. It's a bit embarrassing to have to rehash the story yet again, but...hey! Life is about all the stories you can tell, right?? After a sunshine-filled walk to the beach and back, Karyn enjoyed a much-needed nap (an essential thing during her recovery) aboard the boat. In the evening, we were delighted to see CJ again, one of the great bartenders at Sunset Bar and Grille here at Romora Bay, where we had a light dinner while listening to the Brilanders play. It's truly lovely -- and so appreciated -- to be back! 

Friday was bright and sunny, with light winds out of the south -- fabulous! We were actually quite busy today, as first on the agenda was a bicycle ride to the Piggly Wiggly for fresh vegetables, dairy items and bread. (And yes, I wore my helmet -- one cracked skull is enough for a lifetime!) We returned to the boat to stow and stock the refrigerator before taking Tingum, our dive tender, out for a spin to check things out and get the engines running. Batteries were, um, a tad recalcitrant as the battery switch was left on, unfortunately, but a portable power shot fired them up and the batteries then recharged as we cruised out to the Devil's Backbone and back. It was choppier than we expected, but we were just out to see how my head fared underway and how my sea legs were. So far, so good, although we were careful not to go pounding through any rough waves.

Ron rinsing down Tingum after our cruise 

Once back on land, with the tender cleaned, we took yet another bike ride back into Dunmore Town for a late lunch. We meandered a bit, not pushing things, and found our way to the Rock House for lunch. If you are not aware of the Rock House, it's a high-end luxury resort with gorgeous views of the town harbor to the west and a lovely al fresco dining area, alongside a gorgeous courtyard pool with private cabanas to the east. We'd heard it was the place to go amongst the rich and famous, (clearly, we don't fit either category) so of course, when we walked in, there was no one there. Yet, it was such a beautiful day, it was irresistible. We sat poolside and had a great lunch! 

 

View of the pool  and cabanas from the alfresco dining area

To the west, the harbor, as seen from the dining room

The late afternoon was, as usual, nap time for Karyn, before a quiet evening aboard. It felt great to simply just be here, and appreciate the sunshine as the sun set over the mainland of Eleuthera to the west.

Welcome back aboard, indeed!

Back to the Islands!

Well, Karyn received good news in her follow-up appointment with the neurologist this past week!! Her recovery is progressing well and she's feeling better every day, although naps are still vital to her energy levels. Nevertheless, hearing it from the doctor was reassuring, and he spent a good bit of time going over the most recent CT scan. He pointed out areas where the scan showed significant healing of the skull fracture, and how things are healing nicely. While Karyn still has to take it easy for the next month or so, she can now begin resuming normal activities within reason, and, best of all, she was cleared for travel back to Equinox! 

The last few days were spent trying to get Ally back to Maryland in time for school and Model UN. Unfortunately, with yet another huge record snowstorm hitting the Mid-Atlantic region, BWI, Dulles and Reagan airports closed. Rebooking a flight was a moving target, as the few available flights back to Baltimore we'd rebooked kept getting cancelled. Trying to get through to the airlines each time to rebook was no easy task but we persevered, tediously waiting on hold (along with all the other travelers who were snow-bound) until we managed to get through and secure a flight for Ally, for Sunday. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best we could do with the limited number of flights available....there's just no arguing with Mother Nature!! The airlines did the best they could, considering the weather conditions, and the region is still digging out from under the immense piles of snow received.

As for us...we had to rearrange some flights for ourselves, having made our unscheduled return to the States earlier in the month. We'd tentatively booked a fight back to Eleuthera for Thursday, thinking that Ally would be back to school by then, although we were waiting on the doctor for the final word on travel. Then, with the snowy northern weather, things were ... flexible, shall we say? After a lot of discussion, it was decided that Ally would stay and visit with friends until her Sunday flight, and we would fly out as scheduled. Yep...going back to the islands!!

Mid-winter...break?

No, Mother Nature is not giving anyone much of a winter break, with the record snowfalls in the Baltimore-Washington area anywhere from 24" to 31", along with near-blizzard conditions. There were notices calling for "extremely hazardous" winter weather conditions throughout the state, and most folks were snowbound for more than a day. Brutal winter continues!

But...while Mother Nature is not cooperating, Ally's school, Oldfields, IS having its "Mid-Winter Break", a welcome two-day vacation following the first weekend in February. Worried about air travel with the huge winter storm approaching the east coast, Karyn and Ron rescheduled Ally's flight plans early Thursday morning, and got her booked on the only available earlier flight out of Maryland, which was that same afternoon. Whew!! Thus, on Friday as the snow blanketed Maryland and rest of the mid-Atlantic states, we were more than relieved that we changed Ally's flight, as most flights out of BWI were cancelled that afternoon. (Ally's original flight was Friday at 5:55 p.m...and was cancelled. If we hadn't changed her flight, we wouldn't have seen her this weekend.) We are feeling SO lucky!! Ally's here and we're together -- in warmer Florida weather -- so we're thrilled, as it's been over a month since we've seen her. We're having a nice time together!

Karyn continues to improve, and is getting her stamina back bit by bit. She's scheduled to go back to the neurologist next week, and we'll see if she gets clearance to head back to Equinox with Ron for further rest and recuperation after Ally flies back to school. Keep those well-wishes coming -- they're working wonders!

Ups and Downs, Flowers and Well-wishes

Well, clearly recuperation is never a straight path, is it? Karyn is doing well for the most part, but there are good days and bad days, as with everything. She had a great visit with Sandra, Ron enjoyed a short break down in the Keys, but here we are, back to the reality and tedium of Karyn needing a LOT of rest in between her moments of feeling fairly strong. She's had very limited time on the computer or phone (doctor's orders) but hopes to get back on-line more consistently soon. On the downside, there are still a couple hurdles to overcome, but hopefully time will assist with doing so, and thus, we're proceeding with optimism. 

Just a few of the flowers that have arrived...

amazingly beautiful, all!

On the upside, the huge outpouring of support and concern since Karyn's accident has been just incredible. So many, many folks have phoned, sent get-well wishes, have e-mailed, and/or sent flowers or little gifts, that it's truly humbling. We've heard from people from all walks of life, from all over the country: family, friends, neighbors, the dear folks at Kadey-Krogen, and so many, many others in the boating community, from boatyard owners to fellow cruisers. Every single message and phone call has been deeply appreciated -- we can't express our thanks enough, or express how much they've meant to us!! While most folks understood the severity of her accident right away, we both realize now how very lucky Karyn is to have come away so lightly from such an accident...as was said before, it definitely wasn't a laughing matter! Being optimists though, humor now has a place, taken along with a huge dose of gratitude! Gotta laugh, gonna heal!! Again, thanks to you all!!