April 17, 2023 Russel Island beach, Ponderosa gift shop, Buddha's, Spanish Wells

We picked up John and Tami and went to Eagle’s Landing for breakfast, our favorite.  We love their Johnny cake breakfast sandwiches.  We always visit with the owner, very sweet. 

the walk towards the road from our dock

the walk from the road back to the docks

We dropped off Dave at the boat to work on the AC and outboard.  I picked up laundry to take to their cottage.  It was supposed to rain all day, so while it was nice, we took a road trip tour of Russel Island.  We found goats and banana trees along the road.

At the west end of the island, we hiked to the south shore.  We walked along a deserted, undeveloped beach and looked at water critters, starfish, was biscuits, chitin, snails, a live sponge, and a couple things we need to identify.  It was a beautiful beach and day.  

a live sea biscuit

 

you can see the track from moving

a live sponge

the underside of chitin

 

 We went back to Spanish Wells and to the Ponderosa gift shop.  We had seen the owner, Delroy, on Saturday night at the church fair.  We had arranged to pick up fresh eggs from
Him.  I also found some gifts.  Delroy has license plates on the wall of his gift shop.  I brought hi one from South Dakota with Mt Rushmore on it.  We was very excited and put it up right away next to a Minnesota plate.  He didn’t realize they were actually physically neighbors.

The weather was still really nice, so we decided to go to the beach near their cottage.  It was just after low tide.  We hike out onto a sandbar and enjoyed the warm water and beautiful view. 

this is what happens when you don't check the lens of an underwater camera

 

not a touristy beach with chair and umberllas

We took showers at their cottage, then picked up Dave to have dinner at Buddha’s, and happy hour.  We also gave the owner’s wife, Joanie, a South Dakota License plate to add to their collection.

joy ride in the buggy

parrot cage

happy happy hour

We made to back the boat before the rainstorm moved in.  Dave had made a “lookie bucket” today.  He tried weeks ago and the plexiglass broke.  But he found another piece on the boat to make a new one.  They some in handy to look underwater.  We check our anchor or look for conch, or good places to snorkel or fish.  
He also worked on the AC.  We had mounted the 20 hp outboard on the stern so Dave could change the impeller.  Today, Dave rotated it on the stern motor mount.  It was a little tricky by himself, since it weighs about 100lb.  He planned to change the impeller, but didn’t have one on board like he thought.  He will check with the local Mercury dealer in Spanish Wells tomorrow.