Feb. 22

This will be our last posting from Clarence Town. We are leaving early tomorrow morning and going to Hog Cay anchor then go with friends to Georgetown. We will be in Georgetown Monday. Our friends with 90% of our electronics left today from West Palm and should be into Georgetown end of next week.

Our friends from Spencer, Iowa are coming in Feb 25 and we are so excited.

Finally pictures.

I told you I would send pictures of the clouds that had the lightening that struck us so here are 2 pictures.

Berries along the road and flowers

Sunset

a home along the water

We pray for safe sailing tomorrow back to Georgetown.

Feb 12

Today we left Conception about 6:30 and got to Clarencetown about 3, we were able to sail the whole way. We are here for several days as the winds are changing and this is a safe harbor and we can do internet again.

We have been here by car and now by boat, there are several places we would like to visit again while we are on Long Island but on the opposite side.

Feb 13

we dinghied into town for lunch and use the internet so I can send pictures then groceries.

We are here until Saturday when we are going back around Long Island, anchor and then go on Sunday to Lee Stocking Island and Leaf to meet friends from New Bern..

We both have to be back to Georgetown as we both have company coming about the same time.

Fair winds

Feb 11

I know, I know....just another day in paradise.

Today started out normal, coffee, listen to Chris Parker weather then lets snorkel. We went with friends from VT and had so much fun, started at 11 and the guys wanted more so Barbara and I wanted to walk the beach so the guys took their snorkel gear and went with us. We walked across the island and we checked out the beaches and the guys snorkeled the reef all around the one side of the island. 

Not sure how many of you know I am a real woos. There was a huge rope about 4 inches in diameter and Barbara said lets see where it goes. She climbed it so easy, it was not steep. So I thought ok, I can do this. Low and behold I made it and the view was wonderful. Looked out over all the reefs and saw the guys snorkeling. Now had to get down, down goes Barbara and then comes Joyce, slow like a turtle and got down. When I told Bo what I had done he could not believe it.

About 3 the guys were done and we both went back to our boats, showered and them gathered at our boat for a snack.

Let’s blow the conch horn time and then about 7 we both started getting our boats ready to leave early tomorrow.

The front coming will have strong winds out of the west so need to go someplace where we are protected so we are going to Clarence Town along with Ted and Barbara. It is about 45 miles so will take about 7 hours.

One of these days will be able to mail these along with pictures, been 4 days with no service so play card on the computer and watch the satellite dish. 

Bo is putting in the route in the chart plotter then The Unit time again.

Keep a smile in your heart. Hugs to all.

#1  Yes the bottom another day and the same sight

#2 my fish placemats a lady on the island makes and my broken shells for napkin holders. We still use linen each day, hard to change an old farts ways

Feb. 10

Another day in paradise.

This morning Bo took me to the beach while he looked for places to snorkel. We went to several beaches and went back to the boat.

Bo went snorkeling around our dinghy and a huge ray and nurse shark swam by the boat. If that had been me I would have flown out of that water and not gone back. Bo being a diver is use to this.

This afternoon about 2  we were going with another boat from  Burlington, VT in our dinghy’s around the island to a channel that went inside the island. Once inside  we were able to see so many turtles and sharks.We had to watch where we were going as their were lots of sand bars so very shallow. Another boat came to talk us as the guys were snorkeling in a 12 ft deep pit. When the other boat got ready to leave they got lost so waited for our two dinghies to lead them out. It was 4 when we started back to our boats.

By the time we got back to our boats the sun was getting ready to set so had to have Bo blow his conch shell to ring in sunset.

Supper,showers and another DVD show of the Unit we have all 4 seasons. Last year we watched all of the Raymond shows, Johnny Carson, and Dotown Abbey. A friend is bring the next season of Dotown Abbey when she comes so will watch it all again. We have watched the series Rome, John Adams and lots more. The Public Broadcasting has wonderful series.

Tomorrow is another beach and snorkel day. The weather is going to change  and the winds are going to change  direction so we need to move Wednesday. We will make the most of our last day here in Conception. 

Clear skies and sailing breezes.

#1 this is where Ted and Bo snorkeled for several hours this is around the other side of the island

#2 and #3 the beach right in from of the boat

Feb.9

We sailed to Conception today, across the Atlantic to an island that is protected. I know all of you are so tired of” WOW” this is double  “WOW”. There is nothing on this island except palms, scrubs trees, coral, rock and sand so you have all of God’s beauty right at your door step.

There were 4 boats when we got her about noon and now there are 7. 

We got our snorkel gear and got in the dinghy and headed to the beach. We anchored the dinghy out from the beach and snorkeled. Bo really liked it as there were lots of colorful fish, for me nothing is as spectacular as that purple fan yesterday. He continued to snorkel and I snorkeled to the beach and then started to look around. This is a beautiful beach again. It must be 4 miles long and I only walked not even 1/4 of it. There is a path that goes over to the other side and on this side there is trash and junk. The side we are in might be called the Caribbean side and the other the Atlantic side even thought it is  all in the Atlantic Ocean.

We got back to the boat and washed off everything that was full of salt and then showered.

Sunset was spectacular as always so have lots of pictures, Bo did the sunset conch  shell as always and he was the only one.

Tomorrow we are going to walk on the beaches early  then snorkel and take the dinghy along the beach and check things out, there are several other places to check out.

I was able to take pictures from the boat into the water and you can see the bottom and it is 12-15 ft of water, will send one it is awesome.

#1 sunset

#2 Bo snorkeling by the boat

# Yes you are looking at the bottom, see the sand and the depth is 15 ft.

Feb 8.

Today we left Long Island and came to Calabash Bay. We were able to sail some and motor some.

Calabash is suppose to have the most beautiful  beaches and they are right, I have never seen so much

WHITE BEACHES, BEAUTIFUL SAND.

We walked the beaches for awhile then took the dinghy and anchored it out by the boat as there was a reef so wanted to snorkel. It was gorgous and the biggest, purple fan, huge and lots of fish.

Came back to the washed some shells and fixed lobster for supper, I like Maine lobster so much better.

We are taking the motor off the dinghy tomorrow morning and tie up the dinghy and go across to Conception, this is a protected island you can take shells but nothing else. They are suppose to have great snorkel places so we will see.

God has blessed us with so much beauty so please take the time and sit back and take a look.

Clear Skies.

Bo and Joyce

Thursday Feb. 6

Today we took a quick trip back to Max's for another release for Bo, while there they gave us some beans that are about 20 inches long and the beans inside make noise like marockas, so cool.

I went back to Sea Breeze and got ice tea some cool fish placemats and Bo took the car back and filmed some more.

Tomorrow he is coming back to Mikes Long Island Breeze to film and tour the grounds. They have beautiful 2 story cottages  to rent and you look out on the bay with great breezes. We will have lunch here and them go back to the boat.

Life is slow and time means nothing to you or the people. We might have to dinghy over to several places and just look for some shells.

Friday afternoon we plan to go to Hog Cay then to Calabash Bay for a day then head over to Conception that is a island that is protected so you can only take shell, nothing else.

God's beauty is at our doorstep every day we just need to take the time to take a breath and take it all in.

Feb. 5

Today was another adventure left the dock at 9:30. We headed north on Long Island with friends from Canada.

 We shelled for several hours at several different beaches. 

We then headed to a place that was suppose to have great snorkeling on the Atlantic, we got there and it was too rough so did not go. 

We then drove on to a Columbus Monument at the far end of the island. This trip was also about 30 miles.

We stopped at a plumbing store for our friends then to the grocery store as the boat had just come in so had fruit and produce.

Got back to the dock about 5:30 another great day.

picture #1 was the Coral Garden on the Atlantic where we were going to snorkel as you can see rough,they had cut steps so you could get to the water to snorkel.

picture #2  Christopher Columbus Monument Bo by monument and Bill and Cathy walking back

picture #3 This is the best I could do with getting his name and date from the monument

#4 sorry somehow it got mixed up, this was a cute picture from heading south as we drove down a rough road and kids were just getting off the bus, they are so excited to have pictures as this is a treat, no computers in homes.

Clear skies.

Jan. 4th

Today we rented a car with friends from Michigan and headed south on Long Island. It was so fun. The car was delivered about 11 am. It is about 30 miles south and of course being English cars you drive on the opposite side of the road. Bo is an awesome driver.

First we stopped at Max’s Conch Bar, a place right along the road and had lunch, fresh conch salad, grouper fingers and beer. After about 1 1/2 hours we left and went to the bottom of the island to a beach and did a little shelling. We were now on our return trip headed north. We then stopped in Chestertown and visited 2 churches and headed to Dean’s Blue Hole. You have to read about this, it is 600 plus feet deep and this is where they free dive. The 4 of us snorkeled here and saw some beautiful fish but to look down the black hole was  errie. There was a man practicing free diving and only went 150 ft down, he then climbed to the top of a cliff and jumped into the water.

We then stopped at a fresh fish market and bought 4 lobster tails and 4 # of hog fish so now we have a few good days of eating.

We got back to the Sea Breeze about 7 pm, showered, ate ( one of Bo’s favorite meals from his grandparents, can chili, cheese and freetoz). We watched another several shows of The Unit and hit the bed about 9. ready for another day but this time headed north with friends. 

Picture # 1 was Max's Conch Bar and Dan, Laurie and Bo setting there.

              #2 is one of the churches,St. Peter and Paul Church built by Father Jerome 1908

                 #3 Deans Blue Hole, free diving contest is Nov. 9-19. They have a statue of 3 divers that drown here. One went down and got into trouble the next went down for help, he got into trouble and the 3 went down and all 3 drown. One of the family happened to be there when we were there watching  the divers practice and talk to us. You can look it up on the internet.

                #4 sorry this is Max's sign.

Buenos nochos