Thursday, April 2,
Today we found out there is a bus, Gibson Bus, that will ake us to the Airport where the locals are waiting to welcome in their relatives arriving on the BahamasAir plane.  There a DJ set up music leaving the huge speakers in the back of the pick up truck and got out the stand for the computer – electronics to play the music.  The Bahamians like their music LOUD!  Close to the DJ, a local man had a makeshift bar set up with hard liquor and the mixers to go along with it for $5 a drink.  Karl and Hanne from Silbermove were there with us.  One family was wearing the same pink T-shirts.  At this airport the plane lands and comes close to the small terminal building.  Then everyone deplanes down steps to the tarmac and directly on the other side of the fence are the families welcoming them with shouts and cheers, hugs and kisses.  Once everyone had arrives and had either gotten seats on the bus or rides with families, we continues to the park.  There we met Jhn andAnn from Nantucket Island, who also owns homes near Pittstown.  She is a nurse who has worked about 35 years in a nursing home on the island.    We bought Grouper dinners for $10 ea, took them with us on the bus and arrived back about 6pm.  The sunsets are at 715pm now so it’s nice to have them a little later.

Friday April 3

Today our first order of business was to go grocerty shopping at Green Valley Store and get some diesel and gas in the jerry jugs.  Today because the Mailboat came in yesterday with supplies and fresh food.  Andy Gibson was in the white pickup truck close to the small boat harbor, and was willing to drive us.  Phil’s back was hurting him and he still has big blistsers under the caluses on his big toes that haven’t healed yet so a drive there was much appreciated.  There we loaded up on bananas, potatoes, 2 steaks, fresh milk (only whole available) and more cookies.  Andy returned to the small boat harbor to pick up Mike and Connie on Lady Bella while we were shopping, so were able to meet them inside the store.  Even though this is the biggeset grocery store, it is still on the smaller side.  

We have to tell you about the “gas Station”  It’s a tank with the gas pump hose attached, so it dispenses directly from the above ground tank.  The dielse is in an above the ground rectangluar tank.  Both of theses are shipped in on a frieghter.  We paid for it inside the store at the same time we paid for the groceries.  

We had made reservations to be picked up by Marcia Gibson on the Gibson bus so that we could see the 8pm Gospel Concert at the park.  about 415pm  we got a hail on the VHF radio saying that they were leving at 430pm to go to the park where the concern is.  So we quickly got ready and dinghied in and walked to Gibson restaurant.  The ride costs $10 ea for round trip, which is about 17 miles to the park on the Atlantic side of the island.      There we met a few couples that live in the complex north of us but south of Pittstown.  Theses white americans keep to them selves.  Julian, a professional musician, and Fritz who played guitar and had a belt that held several harmonicas across his lap, sang some good songs.  Only the white people listened closely to them.  The local black Bahamians did their thing.  Here the park is very close to the Atlantic side with the wind blowing in hard and cool, so glad that I I though ahead and brought my spf shirt and fleece jacket, which I had to put both on to keep warm.  Phil wore his Moonlight Race Jacket too.  We talked and waitead for the Gospel concert to start, when all of a sudden, Andy said that it was time to go.  Where?  I guess we would find out.  
By now it is dark. and with Karl & Hanne, Mike and Connie and some others, we ended up in the Rev Thompson Hall to watch Shadow Band.   Andy and Marsha Gibson’s son plays bass guitar.  The mystery has been revealed.  They had bathrooms here, so tht was a good thing.  Once the band played, we had to wear ear plugs because there were so loud?   Karl and hanne, had to go out on the porch  because the music hurt their ears and after a little while, I joined them.  There the same man had set up the liquor table again and there were more people than expected.  One fun things tha happened what many of us stood in a circle and one person danced in the middle and then picked another person to replace them.  Phil had a turn and I had two turns, maybe to pay back as I was filming some of them.  haha.  Finally Andy took us home on the bus at 930pm.  

Saturday April 4
I thought it was Sunday, so went back to sleep after the alarm went off  but Phil woke me so that we could ask Chris Parker a question from the Webcast.  We had oatmeal for breakfast.  Phil changed the oil on the engine and then worked on the Alternator getting the connection fix for the cable that went to the regulator. While he did that, I did some knitting on my red sweater.  

By 1115am the wind and waves had clocked from the south, so it was bouncy for us.  Then there was further clocking to SE @ 135 degrees, and not it was rolly, which is worse!   We had decided to to take part in any of the festivities, which are more enjoyable for the local Bahamians than us.  I took a nap and about 245pm we took the dinghy to the harbor and walked along the beach.  Then we walked to Gibson Restaurant and back, deciding to eat at home instead.  At this harbor, there is a covered work bench close to the water’s edge for fishermen to clear their catch.  Over this weekend, there have been many men clearing the catch.  This time we decided to see if we could buy any.  Yes we can for $100 a bag, which had about 10# or so of fish in it.  It’s too bad that we didn’t have enough room to buy this, but we had to say no.  As we walked to the dingy crossing a bridge, we saw a school of small fish about 4″ long swimming in a circle as the tide was going out.  I think to prevent them being swept out into the ocean.  

Back to Changes by 415pm  I warmead up leftover Roast beef, potatoes and carrots.  We still had 2 pieces of roast beef left over, which should be good for sandwiches.  Tonight the sky was clear enough that we were able to see our first Green Flash in a while as the sun slipped behind the horizon.  

Karl and Hanne on SY Silblermove has a broken water pump for their engine.  So unfortunately they are going to have to stay there until they can get a new one shipped to them or get the one they have fixed.  We are sorry to leave them behind, but that is what happens often with the cruising lifestyle.  Tomorrow we plan to leave for Long Island.