Jan 24













Good News!! My Ibm laptop has returned from the land of the lost and I will now be able to add pictures to the blog!!!
Today we had a rare treat. The cruisers have organized a trip to Barreterre for a Family Regatta Race. We boarded to bus at 12:30 rode about an hour to the next island north of Great Exuma. When we arrived the preparations were moving forward and it seemed the whole community had turned out to watch the races. The weather, which started out with light and variable winds and overcast, cleared up and turned into a beautiful day. The atmosphere was very much like a county fair and the local ladies were making ribs, chicken, conch fritters, and other delicacies.

The boats that are used are essentially one design and are based on Bahamian working fishing boats. The races were once to get back to dock with the fresh catch as the first to arrive generally got the best prices for their catch. The boats are single mast forward rigged ( very similar to a cat boat) with the boom trailing over the transom by a great deal. The boats are shallow draft with no keel to speak of and the heel is controlled by boards that are extended over the sides and crew are hiked out to counterbalance the heel. There are four crew and tacking is an adventure as there are no jib sails and the boom sweeps just over the deck so crew have to duck under the boom to gain the tack.

The races are begun with all the boats at anchor and when the start is given a crew member in the bow takes up the anchor line to get the boat underway and raises the sail. The course is as triangular course with strategy and crew skills critical. The races are hotly contested and the finishes can be very exciting.

Kathleen and I spent the afternoon watching the races and enjoying the food and music ( there was a DJ and lots of local music) and generally having a good time. We got back on the bus at 4:00 PM and were back in Georgetown around 5:00.