Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas

Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas
0 nm
Wind: E-SE 5-10 knots

I’m in the lobby of the Peace and Plenty, where internet access is $5 for a half-hour. Karl’s just been to the grocery store to buy us apples and oranges and eggs, and Plan B has invited us over for hors d’oeuvres this evening. I feel warm and content--we have friends, we have family that loves us and worries about us, and we’re someplace where we can get all the things we need for the next several months. Everyone we meet is heading to Luperon, in the Dominican Republic, three French-Canadian boats, our Australian friends, another young couple on a 27-foot boat that’s ahead of us, everyone. It might be good companionship down there, but if the harbor’s full of boats, I’m not sure it’s the best place to be for hurricane season. Even the hurricanes feel far away, though. As the Gentleman’s Guide says, what are the chances that they’ll come and hit our little patch of earth? If one does, I’m sure we can find a patch of mangroves to hide in.

I’m feeling a little guilty, as always when I use the internet, because I’ve overstayed my half-hour and the ladies in the office are glaring at me. That price is a little steep, so I don’t feel too many moral qualms. Karl’s getting a little fed up with the Bahamian men forever hitting on me. It’s a little bit like mid-century Italy here. They say it’s worse in Cuba and Jamaica, that men will cut right in between a lady and her companion, but Karl’s already sick of it here. I keep trying to explain that it’s merely a cultural difference, but I’m not sure he buys it.

The people everywhere are a little overwhelming, and it’s not quite as friendly as at Farmers Cay. They’re more used to cruisers, and I feel the need to be a little on guard against graft. I have a Bahamian gentleman lounging on the couch next to me, waiting to get my attention, among several others who have already offered to be tour guides. I love the Bahamians, but it’s hard to know when one is being taken advantage of. Our friends in Pegasus took a tour of Andros with a guy they thought was their friend, who then presented them a bill for $100 at the end of the day.

This is even the first place where I've had some worries about leaving our boat open. Sometimes we'll lock it anyway, just as a deterrent, but here we're close to shore. The boat's in view if I peek around the corner, but it's still just a little weird. I almost think my qualms have more to do with being in the big city again, after so long in isolation. All these people! All this bustle and hustle! I can't deal with more than one of them at a time.

I better take off, before I rouse the indignant ire of the kind office ladies, and before I get too much attention from my gentleman caller. We'll be here for two weeks, and my fondest hope is that I'll be able to post photos before we leave. We have some great ones--fish, starfish, white sand beaches, all that jazz. I'll do my best to pirate some bandwidth. I hope I haven't been too whiny the last couple of weeks. It's been rough, and I hope I've come out stronger.