Additional Post on a Windy Day

Peter and I were looking for a place to eat that we had not visited before, but when we arrived around 3 p.m., lunch was over and the dinner hour had not yet arrived. However, we found that the lovely little library was open, so we stopped in. There have been significant rearrangements there, with an expanded children's section  and additional rooms. Also, two rooms now comprise a small museum with interesting and informative displays of old survey maps and photographs, tools and glassware and tableware from the colonial period, Junkanoo costumes, woven objects, shells and more. Peter found a book to check out and we bought raffle tickets to support library improvements, in this case a composting toilet since there currently are no facilities for volunteers, staff, children or other visitors. 

Part of the museum at the George Town Public Library

Hunger was a stimulus for us to move on, and we sought out the food vendors on the grounds of the Bahama Music and Heritage Festival at the Government Dock. Peter chose sheep tongue souse (a hearty soup) and I had coconut duff, a delicious dessert. I usually am not a big fan of cocunut desserts, but as I consumed this one, it occurred to me that I could taste the freshness of the coconuts, probably harvested the day the cake and topping were made, and elsewhere, outside the tropics, the coconut is bland by comparison.

There were many musicians on the stage, but performances had not really started yet. They were just jamming and entertaining themselves. Even so, the music was rhythmic and melodic--and loud! We found the volume tolerable at the back of the venue. It was apparent that real performances would not be starting for some time, and we wanted to be back at the boat before dark because of the wind and wave conditions, so we picked up a few things at Exuma Market and left the dinghy dock in Lake Victoria (a natural pond that was connected to Elizabeth Harbour by blasting out a passage through the limestone ridge separating the two bodies of water decades or maybe a century or more ago). We saw the local traditional sailboats racing to the south, and we steered that way to see these small, sleek craft with there extended booms and large sails underway.

Bahamian musicians jamming on stage

Racing traditional boats, Elizabeth Harbour

Two people sailing a locally built sloop

Back on Mantra, we relaxed and played backgammon and then enjoyed the sunset. After a call to my dad, a shower and dinner, it will be time to the typical early bedtime in the tropics.

Peter blowing his conch horn as the sun sinks on the horizon

Sky at the transition between sundown and twilight

The wind finally has settled down to under 15 knots and the crests of the choppy waves no longer foam white, and we are expecting a peaceful night.