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A benefit of the boat being so still was that I was motivated to make the netting for the hatches and companionway.  A stronger motivating factor was the mosquitoes.  For three days, Bob designed and I sewed the no-seeum netting into "throws" to fit over the hatches and companionway.   The throws were weighted with fishing weights secured in a binding around the edges.  Quite successful, I must say.  I began a throw for the entire cockpit but didn't have enough weights to complete that project.  It's quite a luxury to have the sewing machine aboard the boat.  After three days of sewing, my back and shoulders were aching so I put the awning project away for another day.

Another activity was snorkeling for lobster.  Venturing forth in the dinghy, I would stay in the boat to pull the catch off the spear while Bob went into the water with mask, fins, gloves, and fishing spear.  Three days we went out and not even a glimpse of the spiny creatures.   

The weather had calmed so we decided to leave the marina and go to the anchorage just off the town pier.  We went out and anchored where other boats were waiting for a "weather window" to go south.  The next leg of our journey was going to be an overnighter.  I was still smarting from the wretched Gulf Stream crossing so I wanted the weather to be perfect.  We met the people on Dos Tejuanos (two Texans) and Lagniappe.  They also were waiting for weather.  They invited us over and we planned to go with them.  Each afternoon, we would listen to the SSB for Herb, a Canadian weather expert who interprets weather data and then advises cruisers and fishermen about weather conditions and his opinion as to whether it will be safe to make a passage.  Each day for two weeks, Herb said not to go the next day but maybe in a couple of days.  It became a joke that we would be able to vote in the next Rum Cay election!

There was no e-mail on Rum Cay so we could neither send nor receive messages.  The island did have a grocery store, two variety stores with some groceries, a restaurant with a sand floor, and a five-star restaurant at the marina.  The latter cost $30.00 per person for a meal prepared by a chef with Japanese training.  Adding drinks and 18% gratuity, a couple could easily drop $100.00 for a meal.  We decided that was a luxury we could forgo although many cruisers did enjoy an evening there.

We also enjoyed the festivities of Rum Cay Day, a homecoming and fund-raising event.  A ceremony was broadcast live on Nassau radio for two hours with a lot of speeches and recognition of dignitaries from other islands who had flown in for the affair.  People listening to the broadcast thought there were hundreds of people in attendance.  Actually, the radio station was using canned laughter.  Best of all, there was food.  The locals prepared their best dishes and served them at the park in front of the government dock.  Fantastic eating, wahoo fish salad, highly seasoned sautéed tuna, slaw, potato salad, wonderful macaroni and cheese, and cakes.

During the wait, Neal on Dos Tejuanos shared information with me about the SSB radio.  I now have our radio programmed and we have actually transmitted.  We can listen to NPR (National Public Radio) through the Armed Services Radio, the BBC out of England, and weather frequencies among many others.

The One Stop Grocery Store

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