From Guana and Man O War Cays

Hi everyone.
The weather has been untypical of the Abaco spring.  It has kept us in marinas for the most part this week but we are hopeful a high pressure area now in Mexico will bring a return to the normal weather pattern of sunny days and light breezes from the SE.  We are still travelling more or less with about 5 other cruising boats.  We seem to always wind up at the same marina or anchorage.  Some days we leap frog one another but we eventually seem to wind up in the same places.  It has been fun to get to know people from all over the south east USA.  Thanks to my my college buddy BJ we even met some local folks here on Man O War Cay who are live aboards.  They were very helpful in directing us to all the places to visit.

We left the Green Turtle Club Marina on Green Turtle Cay Monday the 14th under threatening skys but a rising tide.  After 3 hours of motoring in "on the nose" wind of about 10 knots and rain that often kept us from seeing "the nose" we passed through Whale Cay Channel which is notorious for rough seas in certain conditions.  We avoided the certain conditions.  We anchored in Fishers Bay off the north side of Guana Settlement and attempted to dry out.  We were in company with Freelance, Wings, Persephone and later Uteca Wren.  All boats that we had met before either at Green Turtle or West End.

We did find some time between rain drops to visit Guana and it's little settlement.  We also visited "Nippers" which is perhaps the most famous bar and restaurant in the Abacos.  Nippers is perched on a bluff about 50' above the beach with an absolutely astounding view of the Atlantic and the close in reefs that protect Guana.  Photos to follow.  The big attraction for us was that Nippers offers free local and international phone calls to customers.  Needless to say, we became customers but with one small problem.  Modern technology such as speed dial means that we don't memorize anyone's phone number.  Diane finally remembered Dana's number and called her for a brief chat.  Nippers is one of those places that is part bar, part restaurant, part civic center and part telecommunications center for the island.  Somewhere I read there are about 450 full time residents on Guana.  Nippers probably employs 10% of the population.

OK - photo time
The first 3 are naturally - Nippers

This one below is of downtown Guana Settlement. We found another post office (only open on Thursday afternoons).  We also found the house on the bluff overlooking the ocean that we rented with our children way back in '99.  That brought back some nice memories.

So, two night at anchor near Guana and it's off to Man O War in (you guessed it) a rain storm.  Entering the cut in the rocks to Man O War's harbor is a knee shaking event for first timers.  Sharp rocks are apparent above the water line and you imagination can only think its worse below the water line.  I'm not sure there was a 50' opening.  It certainly felt like 50".  Since it rained a slow steady drizzle most of the day we only got to visit BJ's friends for a few minutes before being driven below to dry out.  The treat of the day was an ice cream bar that had the absolute best ice cream since the last place we visited.  We found the local post office here open only on Thursday, the phone company office only open on the first Wednesday of the month and the only bank in town open every Thursday from 10 to 2.  Life moves at a different pace than we are used to but we are beginning to like it.  Our two nights and two days here were mostly rainy so we don't have any good photos of beaches, sun sets and sun rises.  But, here's what we got -

Yes, Ed - "there be dragons"

M O W is noted for boat building.

Our internet connection is getting a little goofy so we will try to send more photos later.  Tomorrow (Friday the 17th we are going to Hope Town is search of a restaurant and a swimming pool).