Thursday, February 5, 2015

After breakfast, we quickly got the dinghy in the water and the outboard on the dinghy. It’s about a mile away to the Ferry dock and town. I want to do some grocery shopping and we are also walking to the natural Hot Springs with Bob and Jeanne. First thing though, Phil was on a mission as he left our old Nevis/St. Kitts flag at home so we need to find a new one. We went in store after store, but no flag. Instead we were given the suggestion to go to Price Buster store about a 10 min walk from the Hot Springs. We got separated from Bob and Jeanne, but figured that we could meet up with them a the Hot Springs, which is what happened.

The Hot Springs are about 3/4 to 1 mile outside of town. There are a few sections of the spring that are more natural that feed into an area that has rectangular stone retaining walls with an area where you can wade below you knees. Just before the retaining walls was a thin local man bathing himself nude. He was there for over 30 min bathing himself and didn’t care who saw him with all his glory hanging down between his legs. Bob and Jeanne changed into swimsuits so they could go to another covered section that was like a hot tub to soak. Phil walked in the wading pool, but I didn’t myself. The water is 108F and me being as hot as I was, I didn’t want to feel hotter. I sat down on a stone bench in the shade and started knitting my socks. Phil left to check out the Price buster store for the Nevis flag while I waited.

After a few minutes, a local woman, Lornet, joined me. She is the head librianian in town and talked about how she was taught to knit at school. She comes to the hot springs to soak during her vacations, as I imagine many locals do. There are sections of the spring for the men and down the way around a corner is the section for the women to bathe. It was very nice talking with him and I’m glad she stopped to share the bench.

After awhile, Bob and Jeanne were done soaking and loved it and Phil return with the Nevis flag. What a relief!! We went up the hill to the old Bath Hotel where people had come to enjoy the hot spring. Down the street we walked and toured the Horatio Nelson Museum. It’s in a smallish building and was interesting enough to see once. Then we walked back to the Bath Hotel to the back balcony to see a beautiful view of the Harbor. On our way home we passed a small square and stopped at the Tea House Chinese Restaurant on the 2nd floor. We haven’t had chinese food since we left. I had Broccoli chicken which was good and Phil had Sweet & Sour Chicken which turned out to be a little too sour.

On the way back to the dingy dock is the Farmer’s Market inside a open air building which is open on Tues Thursday and the big market on Saturday. I purchased some small bananas, chayote and cantaloupe. we also got a few things at a small grocery store and were home by 230pm. All that walking made us tired so we both took naps.

At 5pm a gentleman called “Changes – Changes” and I looked to see a man swimming with snorkel gear on. Leo is from a Manta 40 Catamaran moored behind us. He had a C&C 30′ so we talked for 20 minutes. We took quick showers and then went to Robyn and Barry Smith’s boat SV Smart Move for cocktails. I met Robyn down in Grenada and she is a WWS’r too (Woman Who Sail FB Group). Bob and Jeanne came also and we had a great time chatting. Robyn and Barry are leaving for Saba Island tomorrow and will be in the BVI’s for March. I do hope we get to see them again!

I had wanted to add photos, but having technical issues. So will try to add photos later.