Sunday February 6, 2011

A routine has defiantly developed. I’m in my aft berth by 8:30PM and 9:00PM and then up before the sun rises. I put coffee into the percolator and brew up a pot of coffee. I sit in the cockpit and watch the sun rise. This mornings sunrise with the light house in the background was picturesque.

I wiped the dew off the boat. This is the only way to clean the salt off the boat after sailing into a new port. This task takes about 10 minutes. The salt coats the bright work and fiberglass. It wipes off easy with a boat towel.

I then jumped into the dingy and headed for the marina office. There are showers, electricity and an Internet connection available to boats moored in the harbor. I took a shower. Warm fresh, soft water is a rarity here in the Abacos.

I then Skyped Sandy. She told me that Mark Uhl my foster brother is in a nursing home. He broke his hip after being pushed down by another client in the group home. Surgery was required to repair the hip. He has now been placed in a nursing home until he heals. Poor Mark. He is non verbal and cannot talk. He just hits himself in the face with both hands. This self abusive behavior causes great concern to his car givers. It has been one of the most difficult concepts to digest. Mark has been beating the shit out of himself for over 30 years. My conclusion is that for him pain is pleasure. At least this is a way of rationalization this behavior.

Sandy told me that they were expecting a heat wave in Michigan and the temperatures we ging to soar into the 30’s. Sandy asked me about the weather here. I told her that is was in the high 70’s and low 80’s. She told me to enjoy the weather. I will.

After talking with Sandy, I put on my cleanest pair of shorts and gulf shirt and headed into the public town dingy dock. I was told that there was a Mass here on Sunday and I was determined to attend. I asked a volunteer fireman where the Mass was to be held. He told me that it was in the park. He called several people on his radio but he was unable find out the time. Back in the old days it was always at 11AM but in the past year the time had charged several times. This caused some confusion.

I finally talked with a girl who was part of a group that was obviously headed to church. Everyone iin the family was dressed in their Sunday best. She told me that the Catholic Mass would start at 12:30PM. It was 11AM and they invited me to attend the Metodist church. I thanked them for the information and declined the invitation.

I explored the village waiting for Mass. At 12:15PM I walked into the little playground where the Mass was to be celebrated. When I arrived the portable alter had been set up on the sand between the Lignum Vitae tree and the swing set. Four park benches were used as the pews. There were about 20 people that attended the liturgy. Most of the attendees were women in their 80’s. There was one married couple in the 40’s and one little boy sat in the tree. Because the service took place outside in a public play ground, some of the (Methodist) kids were playing on the teeter totter and swings. Every so often a car would drive bye. Then the people would also wander by. This was one of the most unique Masses I have ever attended.

The priest vested outside behind the altar. I really enjoyed all aspects of this experience. In fact I think that this is how it all started and it was fun!

I scouted out several locations to watch the Super Bowl. I think that I will check them both out as they are close to each other and make my decision at game time.

I did wander into the five start hotel here. They are charging $100 per square. This was a little rich for my blood so tonight for the game, it will either be the Harbours Edge or Captain Jack’s. Which ever location has the best TV arrangement.

I have learned that the first Europeans that came to the Abacos were the Spanish. History has it that they were not impressed. The islands were too small. They wanted property that was much larger, like the size of Cuba. They did however manage to shanghai all of the local Indian population into slavery.

Next came the French. The island was deserted. They did not last long. I guess because they dislike warm weather and have a likeness for cold weather. I think the French j focused on and headed north to Canada.

The local pirate in these waters was called “Vain the Great Pyrate”. He was based at Green Turtle Cay. Sometime in the early 18th century he was run out of the Bahamas by the newly appointed governor. No one knows were he went. He must have retired from piracy.

The current population is descended from the folks who were loyal to King George III of England and moved here in the late 17 hundreds. I seems that 10 to 20 percent of the folks living in the USA during the time of the Revolutionary War did not support the cause for independence. After the patriots won the war, these folks in many cases were run out of town and ostracized from society.

They had to go someplace and so about 2000 came here. Most of the loyalist came here to farm. They were disappointed and only about 10% stayed here. Those sho stayed learned to fish and farm. The land is not large enough to support the population by farming so they had to learn to fish to survive.

Wyannie Malone, a widow form South Carolina was the founder of Hope Town. Up until WWII this was a very remote. Then the lumber industry discovered the Abacos. The lumber barons built roads, brought cars to the islands and a modern infrastructure began to develop.

Then the yachtsman discovered the Sea of Abaco. So now in addition to lumber, tourism is one of the main industries. What is sad is that most of the cottages, villas, and rental condos are empty. I am dumb struck at how many of these homes are vacant. Most are for rent, however no one is renting so they sit vacant.

I watched the Super Bowl with my boating buddies at the Harbours Edge Bar and Grille. They had Super Bowl specials and it was fun.

Glad that Green Bay won the game.