More Georgetown info from the Falling Rain
Last night we celebrated reaching land, in general, and our southernmost destination, in particular – with some conch chowder and punch - after waiting on a long rhomb line (ha). Just about everyone we’ve ever met so far on the waterways, is here in Georgetown. There are over 300 boats anchored in the harbor, which represents more than the resident population. Today we toured the town – unlike Nassau, there is no American fast food (phew) or resort like atmosphere (phew again). It has another world feel, and is pretty similar to the settlements we’ve been to (i.e., Staniel Cay, Blackpoint) - but larger geographically, more populated, and more cars. As for Internet, there are no free hot spots – service ranges from 20 cents to 40 cents per minute, so it’s a good thing these were composed in advance. There is a Bateleco office and phone booths; mail can be received in the food market, as well as the post office – we’ll have to check into this. We’re not quite sure how long we’re staying – maybe mid March?
Sunday, February 27th:
Today’s four walls are bow, stern, port, and starboard – it’s sooo windy that we’re staying right here at anchor. Do you smell that? It’s the thank-you-for-the-wind-generator-blades-broken-by-the-trading-vessel-at-2am cornbread. Actually, the market was only stocked with thank-you-for-the-wind-generator-blades-broken-by-the-trading-vessel-at-3am cornbread mixes (the 2am variety and milk are the most popular mail boat commodities), so we just added an hour to the baking time.
Mama's Bakery
UPS propane office
straw market, George Town
Monday, February 28th:
Question: What happens when you cross “The Love Boat” with “Fantasy Island”? Answer: Welcome to George Town – the Bahamian island destination of cruisers
Now don’t pretend you never watched any episodes from either of these back to back prime time classics. Do you remember Julie? Sure you do. Well, her equivalent orchestrates announcements on the 8am Cruisers Net – subdivided into the categories of community (did anyone lose a blue watch at the dinghy dock?), thoughts (one of which compared life to toilet paper), regatta, and activities. Under sailing regatta, I’m still trying to decide whether to enter the blindfold dinghy race, sand golf tournament, or purchase a pet for the opening ceremony pet parade. This decision alternates with my daily activities quandary – should I sign up for beginners bridge at Volleyball Beach or aquatic aerobics at Hamburger Beach? Maybe I’ll further ponder these options as I carve my conch horn – I don’t want to miss joining in with the other cruisers at tonight’s sunset conch serenade. I know, I can discuss the pros and cons of my participatory choices over the 8 pm good-night VHF sign-off, when boaters send each other sweet dreams wishes. Okay, so as not to appear the sarcastic cynic (what do you mean, how will you recognize me?...) – I will admit that the beaches are pretty, the water is chlorine turquoise (65th Crayola color), it’s nice to have nearby peers for Jonas and Elias, and access to key (as opposed to cay) services is convenient.
This reality is juxtaposed with the local settlement reality. For instance, I began today seeking the UPS office. Silly me, I didn’t realize it was the place that sells propane. I asked them their mailing address, so as to know where to have mail sent, but was instructed to check back later, when the owner came in. I strolled past the car rental/liquor store establishment (friends don’t let friends drive without purchasing rum), to the Internet Café – whose Internet was down – I was instructed to check back later. While waiting to check back later at the two aforementioned locations, I bought a coconut turnover at Mom’s Bakery – Mom sells her fresh baked breads and pastries, from her van, three mornings per week, and sends each customer off with a hug and “bless you” (lots of allergies here).
Although we’re really dealing with the everyday realities (as many of these cruising books keep reminding us – but often feels/sounds more like play – except when out to sea – which then again, is by choice…) – family, school, neighbors, chores, safety, health, weather…the differences between the two paragraphs above makes one wonder about the true nature of reality – hey, sounds like a potential Cruiser Net “thought for the day.” So as to make this transition to New London more gradual, do you think Thames Hilltop can organize a Neighbors Net – you know, where we listen in on each others’ conversations…Although today’s connecting with back home people should reduce occasional homesick bouts, it somehow seems to achieve the opposite.
This idea just in…maybe I’ll see if they need a volunteer to staff the George Town Library – then I’ll see if I can find someone – ha! – Actually, today I stopped by the library, open Monday through Friday (sometimes Saturday), 10 to noon. Now that I think about, aren’t those the hours the island children would be attending school? The library is really more like that book bank image – it has 2 small rooms, books are donated, and staff are volunteers. Some books are for trading and others are for lending – with no limit regarding number of books or number of days – borrowers just need to become a member for a one time $3 fee – that sure beats the island’s Internet rate. There’s some general organization – children’s area, fiction/nonfiction – but no cataloguing of their inventory, nor any programs. I was just talking to Brenda about finding our niche amidst the boaters “activities” – she discovered a weekly bible study for women – this library thing sounds like a perfect niche for me. Okay, I sold myself – I’ll check on it tomorrow.
Well, I guess that March clue may have been an insult to your fine tuned treasure hunting skills. What’s that? You say you need the second part of the clue? Sometimes I think life is like a treasure hunt (uh oh, that sounds a bit too much like yet another Cruiser Net thought for the day), you have to be aware of the clues around you that are guiding your path.
Tuesday, March 1st:
Well, after a grueling interview about my background in Library Sciences (I knew those correspondence courses would serve a purpose), followed by a reference check (if only the library had a reference section) – luckily they didn’t have access to that “wanted” sign in the NL post office about my overdue record and library card alias names – I landed the position! Sure, there’s no salary, insurance, or hours past this Saturday’s 2 hour slot, but I figure I can work my way up the ladder (while I’m shelving). Training starts Thursday, and I am the Saturday staff person, allowing it to be open on that day. In the meantime, I’ll practice my sshhing skills (good thing I have 2 loud boys), loosen up my wrist muscles (for book stamping), review the placement of the Dewey decimal, and fashion my hair into a bun. We “overheard” the volunteer Library Coordinator trying to contact other boaters, using a mysterious GTL (George Town Library) handle, to guilt them into returning their books. After observing my intimidating personality, I wonder if they included library policing in my job description. I may need to nurture my relations with today’s resident volunteer, who scolded me for not yet returning our pile of books – she seemed to soften when I let her know I only checked them out yesterday (a fact not generally recorded on the file cards). As with Charlotte’s Web and Pig Beach, life seems to mimic our evening story time – it was just yesterday we borrowed Curious George Visits the Library.
 Public Library |
find the nonteen ringer on Volleyball Beach
squall aboard
Wednesday, March 2nd:
Today’s Cruisers’ Net announced that a woman from one of the boats was giving haircuts on the beach - I never saw so many cruisers with Mohawks this afternoon. Also on the Net, another boat announced a meeting for Women Are Bored – when I showed up, I was surprised to find all these eager boaters, before learning I was attending Women Aboard. According to the George Town VHF etiquette, you hail another on channel 68, then designate your talking (working) channel by saying something like “go to 72 and up,” since many of the channels are busy with conversations, so you work your way up from 72 until one is free. I tried “go to 72 and down by prime numbers,” but for some reason we lost each other.
I’m sorry to make this so short, but I need to hurry over before regatta registration is full for the conch blowing contest, dress up as the opposite sex bocci (sp?) ball competition, and catch a coconut in a bucket dinghy tournament.
Friday, March 4th:
After a night of cramming, I arrived to my library training early, only to find the door locked and no trainer (the one who previously scolded me about being TARDY with my one day borrowed books). Lots of boaters arrived and another volunteer – who ended up breaking into a shuttered window (not protected by Acme Alarm). When the key holding trainer did appear, she showed me the ropes (not to the shuttered window), in between school groups from the next door primary school. Actually, she ended up being pretty nice – she’s been the volunteer librarian since its opening, 30 something years ago – she’s elderly and possibly British – her name is Pat. However, a power struggle has already begun. Another volunteer (not Pat or Kathryn - also British but the younger window climber – both island residents) – we’ll call her Volunteer Control (for the purpose of this narrative) has been organizing the children’s room books for the past three years (she and her husband – who sometimes announces the Cruisers’ Net – are retired and cruise here each winter). Anyway, when we were hanging out there a few days ago, Volunteer Control denied my offer to help apply color coded tape to book bindings. Elias told her he loved her but she denied that too, saying he didn’t know her long enough. When I tried busying myself in between “orientations sessions,” as school groups visited, I once again kindly asked Volunteer Control if I could help her shelve books, but she told me that she had it all under control. Then she asked not so innocently about which days I’d be volunteering and how long we’d be staying in George Town, and reminded me that she had been responsible for organizing the children’s room books thus far. Then I wrestled her to the ground over the red tape (okay, well it makes for dramatic reading). So, my Saturday job (when I’ll be the sole staff) entails unlocking the padlock (vs. breaking in), recording funds collected (for membership, audio tape deposits, bags of books – they actually have more than their shelves can contain) in the black and white marbled grade school notebook, collecting/shelving returned items, and bagging books for cruisers going south to bring to islands with very few books (which I asked someone to announce at a cruisers-going-south meeting that I knew about – can’t keep me back from that connecting community resources thing.) I even timidly yet radically introduced the concept of offering coffee on the porch (I was going to borrow a real coffee pot, donate my real coffee, and buy real cream) for patrons (with proceeds going to the library) – but my idea was renounced for competing with the Bahamian establishments that serve coffee, as well as it being a space issue. I figured I wouldn’t share my coffee snobbery just then – no space is too small for good coffee…Anyway, I still have the position – although I may jeopardize it when I “accidentally” mix up the color tape labels after I close Saturday. How much of this do you think is resume worthy? Actually, the real point is that for me, it’s all personally worthy.
The Librarian is in
Missa Gaia at George Town anchorage
boating friends Bronwin and Brenda
Friday, March 4th:
Just when we were getting too complacent, being at anchorage for days, the wind took its turn showing its force (obviously forgetting that Aesop fable about the sun’s gentle warmth more effectively convincing the man to remove his coat) – 45 knot squalls, amidst heavy rains. So, we moved to the other side of the harbor – blocking some of the resulting wave action but not some of the vying for turf action. Up until today, the boaters have all been so accommodating, but we must have moved into the love thy neighbor - not, section of town. From all sides they were hollering (I think we showered this week…) and waving (not as in hello) to us – even making mock VHF calls that our anchor was slipping. We really weren’t too close to them, but then again, Miami may have been too close. One boater – ironically named Rainbow Connection (as in that sweet song from the Sesame Street movie) really showed us – the whole family was on their deck screaming (and they even knew sign language). Well, I guess we won’t expect to receive invitations to dinner, banana bread, and laundry services from this set of neighbors, just so long as they don’t conch our windows.
I’m beginning to feel like a Swiss Family Robinson member – which was, once upon a time, one of my favorite movies – although we’re not exactly Swiss, and didn’t they live in a treehouse? Yesterday I did a lot of boat time – Tom and mostly men folk went to a weather workshop – they learned to make calm winds. (Brenda and I are planning to take an island tour – which includes an herb component - if we could only track down the guide). Today we were debating whether to cross the very choppy harbor on dinghy to go to the beach with Dance, but Elias decided it for us with his 103.3 degree temperature. Tom and Jonas are building a toy size sailboat for a children’s day activity (I only do backhoe costumes). Meanwhile, I read half the book shelf to a sick Elias. Did you know that when sharks bite down hard, a dozen or more of their front teeth fall out. Teeth in the next row then move forward to take their place – a shark can go through 50 rows of teeth in a year. There’s gotta be a foolish joke here somewhere about aquadontists – oops, maybe that was it…snuck through while I was typing.
My latest course assignment deals with comparing the resourcefulness of heroines in fairy tales. I’ve been able to incorporate my readings into Jonas’ homeschool reading – do you think I will lose points if Jonas reads “Sleeping Beauty” for me? It’s kinda neat to read and evaluate these stories – bits of each were floating around in my brain, but lots of pieces were missing (not from my brain - of the fairy tales, I mean).
Wednesday, March 9th:
My mind’s tangent this morning went something like this: he has 103.3 temperature under the arm, and the child health care books recommend you check with a pediatrician (yea, right mon) if it’s over 104, but since this is under the arm, is it really 104.3, and which temperature taking mode is the book referring to? And besides not eating, he’s also hardly drinking, so maybe he has strep throat, as well as dehydrating, and did he have a bowel movement yesterday? I can’t remember. So is this somehow related to that never discovered K’nex piece? And he also mentioned that his abdominal area hurt. That ham radio connected doctor had told us we had 24 hours to have surgery if the piece was causing blockage. Maybe we’ll check that island clinic – if only we had a dinghy. I could wait until Tom returns from the errands but if he’s waiting for milk and internet, that could be half a day. I do remember hearing that the boat with the RN, who gave me advice last time, is in this harbor. She said his temperature reading, under the arm, is quite high, and since I never found the piece, it could still be a potential problem. What was that insurance we have about flying the patient and family to Florida for medical attention? Okay, I’ll call Dance for a shuttle to land. Phew, they’ll be here in a few minutes, although the clinic’s hours could not be obtained by them or us. Wasn’t that the clinic the boaters were collecting donations for, to purchase their first x-ray machine? Time to think about why I didn’t take him in yesterday when he had this fever.
That was exhausting, even in the retelling.
Anyway, we found Tom in between the grocery and internet/propane place. The clinic was open – off to a deceivingly good start. In typical non-island time fashion, I asked how long the wait might be – which was met only with quizzical shrugs. So we sat next to the dramatically coughing lady. When they said that the doctor had stepped out, we didn’t realize it was to court (as another waiting patient informed us) – hopefully not for a malpractice suit. Almost 4 hours later, the doctor examined Elias. As he looked at the form with the Connecticut, USA address, he asked if we were residents here. Anyway, to make a long story not so short, he had an ear infection in both ears and infected tonsils. On a positive spin, the 4 hour wait allowed Elias to have a bowel movement, eliminating (so to speak) that K’nex fear from my repertoire. He prescribed 2 medications – one the next door pharmacy had, the other it didn’t. They checked to see if it was still to be unpacked from this week’s mailboat delivery, but it hadn’t come in. One of the nursing staff kindly drove us to another pharmacy which would have it, but it was closed – the pharmacist took the afternoon off. She then drove us to yet another pharmacy, which displayed a “closed” sign on its door. Tomorrow, the clinic is “supposed” to have the medication delivered from the first closed pharmacy – but the clinic’s VHF isn’t working, so I guess calling ahead before crossing in the forecasted ferocious marine weather isn’t an option. Meanwhile, Elias’ temperature has reduced, he was eating jello and popsicles, and drinking milk. All this makes me appreciate the 2 blocks to L&M, 10 minute wait at Dr. Giserman’s, and stocked CVS. Medical needs are a bit unnerving on a boat and in the Bahamas.
Thursday, March 10th:
Here are the results you’ve been anxiously awaiting: Notchka (dog on Dance) won 3rd place in the pet contest. Last year’s 1st place winner passed the torch on to Pea Brain – an iguana. Unfortunately, we had to miss the festivities, since we were searching the island for medicine that went with the prescription – we found some in Fort Lauderdale (not). Actually, Tom is braving the 3 foot waves in the dinghy – at least we’re on the town side of the harbor (although we were a little concerned when we noticed the weather guru heading to the other side) - to retrieve it from the clinic (which dubiously promised to have it), as well as visit the grocery store, since Thursday is the day chocolate is in stock (seriously). My request for eggs, however, may not have been one of my wisest ones, as he broncos back – it almost sounds like it could be a regatta event – the marine version of the egg on a spoon race.
Today a wild new front came in – heavy rains, 30 knot winds, high seas – Jonas vomited while at anchor, and I missed my library volunteering. Talking about the weather as a conversational filler takes on a whole new dimension these days. Remember that macho regatta chair? Well, he wasn’t going to let the weather “rain” on his parade plans – do we think he’s a sailor or something?! – and was sticking to the land based regatta registration schedule (I was hoping to sign up for the wallflower event), across the treacherous harbor for most boats – until the VHF mutiny. A few hours later, pretending it was his idea, he exercised his leadership skills and modified the risky plans. Big fish in a little pond – appropriately comes to mind.
Later that day...we do have Elias’ medicine (and a dozen intact eggs – go team!, and a giant Cadbury bar), although they’ve replaced the wild berry flavoring with coral flavoring. One bottle has a sticker, with the instructions written in washable marker, and the other requires that we read the enclosed information prior to use – guess what they neglected to enclose…
Friday, March 11th:
Today was ladies’ day out. This was reason enough to be psyched, but we were also looking forward to the well reputed island tour. Silly us…we thought that since we had registered (and were towards the beginning of the list), we’d get to go. When we arrived, the bus was full – partly with people who had never registered. When we explained this to the guide, she shrugged and said they had already gotten on. We opted not to drag the illegitimate attendees from the vehicle. Every cloud has a silver lining (unless it has a squall), so we took our time anyway – roaming and lunching – and still have a tour day in the bank. As suggested, we returned for the 2:30 tour, but low and behold, they were running late, so there would be no 2:30 tour. Maybe we’ll try your approach, slumbering in line in sleeping bags during the preceding night. So, Brenda, Bronwyn (Welch name) from Nammu, and I painted the town red (the mailboat brings paint on Fridays). Actually, we had a nice conversation over steamed grouper, pigeon peas and rice, and plantains. We talked about how women seem to more desperately need time and space of their own and with other women, at least based on our own needs and observations. Maybe it has something to do with filling oneself back up, before giving again to others.
streetscape