Still Here

Peter has been working on taxes, and I have been trying to find ways to amuse myself or be useful. There is only so much cleaning to be done. There is too much chop and not enough consistent sunshine to make snorkeling appealing, although I may go this afternoon despite lack than optimal conditions. Also, it would be great if the clouds actually produced sufficient rain to put some water in the tanks, but the showers have been brief and usually light.

Yesterday afternoon, we went to Chat 'n' Chill for a while. We talked to other adults and watched the kids compete in an obstacle course a couple of adults had created as a social activity. I watched the laughing gulls, squawking loudly, circling around in the sky, and landing on the beach. It is the beginning of breeding season, so the handsome males have jet black hoods which set off the pure white circle around their beady black eyes. 

Breeding male laughing gull

After Chat 'n' Chill, we bounced over to George Town, literally, as the surface of the water was quite choppy. (We would have gone earlier in the day, but there was a cut in electricity on the island.) Our fresh food supplies were very low: no fresh milk, one egg, no bread, half of a white onion, a quarter of red onion, two tomatoes, a few cloves of garlic and about a pound of carrots. Was the bumpy ride worth it? Not really. Most of the time, the inconsistent availablity of fresh food can seem quaint and part of the ambience of the Bahamas, but yesterday, it just made me frustrated. In Exuma Market, the shelves for milk and bread were full, but there were no eggs and the produce section was woefully understocked. I had hoped to purchase oranges, bananas, avocados, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables, but they were all missing. I was only able to supplement my meager supply with a pound of mushrooms. The next boat transporting in produce does not arrive until Monday. Sometimes, I miss when cashiers in supermarkets in the States ask "Did you find everything you needed?" with the expectation that your reply will be affirmative. It would be a ludicrous question here. Very grumpy, I needed to buy candy for myself at the check-out counter, something I have only had once before since we left California in early February. Sometimes, chocolate is essential.

In an hour, we are going to another boat where training on using the life sling is being held. Fortunately, we have never had to use ours as we have had no man overboard event in our sailing career. Getting practical experience is not something that one wants to be doing when there is immediate danger.