Adventures of Luck of a Fool: June 11, 2015 Junkanoo party on Elbow Cay

This morning one of our sapodillas was ripe enough to eat. So I took a picture to share with you. It is very sweet and almost grainy and crystal like in texture. Dave wants to figure out something to cook with them. He mentioned adding them to sweet potatoes. I thought that would be too sweet since they are sweet already. And he said “oh yah, like nobody ever adds brown sugar and marshmallows to sweet potatoes.” I guess he’s right. So we’ll see.

full sapodilla on the bottom, half before and after eating it, seed in middle, oreo on top for size comparison. I think one side was bruised where it hit the ground

Now that we are free to be away from the boatyard and back on our own schedule, we started projects again today. I started with laundry and cleaning the heads while Dave started scrubbing the boat. He cleaned the fenders and dock lines and tucked them away. Don’t plan to be at a dock until we’re back in the US.

Then he started on a project that has been on the list since we bought the boat. He started cleaning the woodwork on our toe rail and then will put a finish product on the teak. I remember when we were back in Alabama and wanted to start cruising. I took our list of major projects and marked “BW” next to the ones we could do once we were in “blue water”. Well here we are and about ready to return. He realized after scrubbing the woodwork that a coating was put on over the varnish. Probably a quick fix to make it look nice to sell. So he thought he better scrape that off. He got about 1/3 of the boat done. Part way through, I realized the chips were landing on our hatch screens and smaller pieces were coming through. So I had to close them while I finished cleaning :(

While it was high tide, we decided to move the boat. At low tide we touched bottom. We could feel it bumping. And the helm wheel would move, which meant the rudder was also touching bottom. Dave had moved it from side to side to try to dig a trench for the rudder as it was touching only lightly. He also took the dinghy off of the davits and that lifted us inches.

I talked Dave into moving the boat about 2 miles south near a marina that was having a Goombay Celebration tonight. Goombay is a drink special in the Bahamas. I heard it announced on the VHF radio this morning on the Cruiser’s net. I called Sea Spray marina for the details. They have dinner starting at 6:00, live “rake and scrape” band starting at 7:30 (Bahamian rhythm band). Then at 9:00 they have a Junkanoo Run Out. I believe that’s what she called it. I had to ask her 3 times. And them explain what that is. There is a band and dancers in costume that parade through the deck area.

The dinner was buffet style with choice of one, two or three meats for different prices. I had the chicken and Dave had the chicken, fish and BBQ ribs. I picked the wrong one. The chicken was dry. The band had fun dance music, but nothing we recognized. And the Junkanoo parade was fun to see. Our guide book says that “Junkanoo is a festival parade of brightly costumed revelers making lively music in the streets originated in the Bahamas by way of Africa. Over the years it has developed into a competitive event in Nassau with costumes, floats and music from rhythm instruments. Boxing Day and New Year’s Day are the big events and start after dark and goes until morning." So this is a small group from Marsh Harbor that parades locally. We actually heard them on shore back in Marsh Harbor from our boat one night.

Dave could care less if we had seen them or not. I have come to the conclusion that if I want to see the world, Dave will take me there, but I will have to see it by myself or with friends and family. I’m sure I will have plenty of offers after people read this.