Fellow Muskokans, Brad & Karen Jackson at Treasure Cay marina

Nippers pub on Great Guana Cay during Barefoot Man concert

Saltwater bath in tidal pool off Atlantic Ocean at Great Guana Cay

View from Nippers pub overlooking Atlantic Ocean

Walt cleaning the conch he "conquered"

Enjoying lobster and conch burgeers

Vertram Lowe, model ship builder

We sailed into Treasure Cay and took a slip at the marina to re-supply water, do laundry and clean the boat.  We knew that Karen & Brad Jackson, also from Bracebridge had a slip at this marina.  We met them and enjoyed "happy hour" with their group of friends they have got to know well along dock "L".  We walked the 3 mile beach of Treasure Cay...it's lovely.  After doing laundry the next morning, we sailed over to Great Guana Cay where we anchored at Fisher's Cay.  We walked through its town and over to Nippers bar that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.  We walked along the beach where Walt had a dip.  The next day was the Barefoot Man concert held at Nippers bar.  By 13:00 there were well over 1000 people there!  As Brad Jackson said, "It's like Spring Break for the geezers!"  We had a lovely afternoon there.  Later in the day we sailed back over to Marsh Harbour.  We re-provisioned and had to get more propane.  Once the chores were done,  we headed once again over   to Great Guana cay but went to the north end of the island, Bakers Bay.  We left the next morning to go around the Whale Cay passage-a section out on the Atlantic that can be very rough.  We had a smooth passage and motored into No Name Cay.  We snorkelled there for the afternoon on some fabulous reef and fishes.  In the late afternoon we took a mooring inside Black Sound, on Green Turtle Cay.  We have been here 1 week now since the winds have been strong and from the southwest to northwest.  Unfortunately, the other Abacos islands here in the north do not have protection from this wind direction except for this harbour.  However, there is lots to do here.  There are some fabulous beaches to walk looking for shells and swim.  We rented a golf cart to tour the whole island one day.  We did manage yesterday to get out for a snorkel off of Pelican Cay.   Walt found a conch.  I spotted a lobster that he then attempted to spear.  Unfortunately, it didn't get on his spear.  Determined not to lose it, I grabbed it by its antennas and yanked it out of its hole.  Then I grabbed its tail.  (Spiny lobsters do not have claws!)  We had our dinner!  We did some shelling and I found some lovely sea biscuits.  Back at the boat, Walt managed to coax the conch out of its shell.  He'll keep the shell for a souvenir.  Then he pounded the conch with a mallot, marinated it in lime juice, then fried it up with an egg/crumb mixture with lots of Old Bay seasoning.  I boiled my lobster tail.  It was a yummy Bahamian dinner.
Yesterday it was rainy so we visited the museum which describes the settlement history of the island.  There were beautiful painted portraits of Loyalist settlers and local folk-and the artist was there!  We learned that the house holding the museum used to be his father's house.  He donated the house to the town when his father passed away.  Many of his portraits have been used by the Bahamian government for stamps!  We also met his brother, Vertram, who is a model ship builder.  A talented family!  We are now waiting for our friend, Dexter to arrive on Tuesday.  We hope to explore some of the islands further north, weather permitting.