It\u2019s Saturday morning and we are on a mooring in Wardrick Wells, a national park and wildlife refuge here in the Bahamas.\u00a0 As we headed south a few months ago we passed through here on our way to George Town to meet up with our boys, Rob, Chris and friend Kandice.\u00a0\u00a0 While we had stopped here already, we only stayed for one night as we were still in \u201cdelivery mode\u201d and in a hurry to get to George Town.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We didn\u2019t have the luxury of stopping for long as we had a deadline and we were going to make it.\u00a0 Stopping was more about ticking off a list of destinations while waiting for weather.\u00a0 We were in a rush and while it was fun to visit, we really didn\u2019t have time to relax.\u00a0 Deadline of not, we were not in the \u201ccruising mode\u201d.<\/p>\n
Now, after three months we are moving a lot less and looking around a lot more.\u00a0 Yes, the weather continues to be a major consideration as to where and when we move but there have been plenty of days when we have stayed put because we wanted to even if the weather said \u201csure, you can go\u201d.\u00a0 And when the weather isn\u2019t cooperating we feel virtually no pressure to move.\u00a0 That\u2019s nice.\u00a0\u00a0 In the interest of total transparency, I may never be completely comfortable with staying put, but I have made great progress, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n
However, I\u2019d say that we have reached a state, or certainly Brenda has, where staying put is not a terrible thing.\u00a0 I can\u2019t recall when I have spent more time reading than I have in the last three months. \u00a0Excluding the hours spent on planes that were delayed buy snow or on some sort of mechanical gate hold back in my travel days.\u00a0\u00a0 Now it\u2019s different and while I haven\u2019t kept track, I\u2019ll bet that I have read a dozen books, perhaps twenty since leaving home.<\/p>\n
When we were preparing for this trip a question that we were often asked was \u201cwhat do you do all day on the boat?\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Folks that have not sent long periods aboard just can\u2019t imagine what one could possibly do to keep occupied for days, weeks and months on a small boat.\u00a0 It\u2019s funny, but we are never bored.<\/p>\n
Today it was dark when I got up and actually a bit chilly by Bahamas standards, in the high sixties.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Since the wee hours of today I finished a terrific novel, \u00a0Black Cross by Greg Iles.\u00a0 While it is fictional, it is a gripping account of life in a Nazi concentration camp.\u00a0 I won\u2019t say more but I recommend it highly.\u00a0\u00a0 The whole breakfast and lunch thing, some housekeeping and some maintenance on the water maker and other piddly items plus a walk on the beach kept me busy.<\/p>\n
You\u2019d be amazed how much time can be taken up with shopping for groceries.\u00a0 Going shopping?\u00a0 Forget making a list, when you go into one of the pint sized little stores in the Bahamas, some little bigger than a small bedroom, you have to buy what they have and if the mail boat hasn\u2019t been there in a few days there\u2019s not likely to be much selection at all.\u00a0 Produce is usually limited to onions, potatoes, carrots and perhaps green peppers.\u00a0 \u00a0About a month ago we spied something exotic, \u00a0a avocado, the only one we have seen in perhaps two months.\u00a0 Without hesitation, we bought it.\u00a0 Not quite like shopping in the states.\u00a0 Actually, it\u2019s been more than a week since we have been anywhere with any sort of settlement, much less a store.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The good news is that we will likely be somewhere by mid week where there is at least a little grocery.\u00a0\u00a0 Not a lot of \u201crunning out for a few things\u201d here.<\/p>\n
Here in the park, a 25 mile stretch of islands that are protected,\u00a0 there is no fishing or taking of wildlife.\u00a0 The water is clear and blue and the snorkeling is first rate.\u00a0 Unfortunately,\u00a0 while I had my underwater camera with me yesterday it malfunctioned and none of my photos came out.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be going again before we leave here so I am sure that I expect that I will have plenty of photos to share.\u00a0\u00a0 While I have not seen a single lobster in the months in the Bahamas, \u00a0there are plenty here and I am sure that I will take some great photos, again.\u00a0\u00a0 Yesterday when I was snorkeling I spied a large lobster, perhaps 3\u2019 in length sitting on the sand near a coral head.\u00a0\u00a0 I looked at him and approached.\u00a0 He did the same until we were nose to nose.\u00a0 When he touched me with his antenna we both jumped and he backed down.\u00a0 I was amazed by how aggressive or more likely, curious he was.\u00a0 I guess that even lobsters know when they are safe.\u00a0 The fish were also pretty relaxed and seemed to be more curious than afraid.<\/p>\n
Well, how do we fill our days?\u00a0 I too am amazed at how quickly the days go by but they do.\u00a0 Yes, one does blur into the next and the weeks go by, but it\u2019s a pleasant blur and I feel blessed to be able to experience this.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Generally the mornings are consumed with chores and the afternoons with exploring.<\/p>\n
The other day, in Compass Cay, a bit south of here, I did a little fishing and caught a little fish. \u00a0Don’t worry, I threw him back. \u00a0Alas, nothing “table worthy” for Bob the mighty fisherman. \u00a0Nice looking fish.<\/p>\n
As I sit here the view in the harbor, which is protected from nearly all directions, is one of shades of blue.\u00a0 At low tide there are huge sand bars that cut across the harbor separated by deep blue channels where the park has placed moorings.\u00a0 The boats are lined up with the current and if you watch you can see huge rays glide by every so often.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/fish.jpg\" "\\"OLYMPUS")
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