Hello all and Happy Thanksgiving!!! We will be enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Harvey’s on Green Turtle Cay. They are the only restaurant on the island that will be honoring our American traditions. I brought provisions to bake a pumpkin pie just in case we didn’t find anyone serving our favorites.

 

Guess I need to do a bit of catching up. Per last blog, we had just safely dropped anchor at ManJack Cay. We were welcomed by Bill and Betty Sue,and Jim,and a few other really nice folks who live on their boat near the island.

We were also privileged to meet a couple and tour their lovely home, farm, and beach front paradise. They can easily get overwhelmed with over enthusiastic visitors.  It is fine to drop anchor in the cove just outside their private beach, but going ashore without invitation, can disturb the peaceful privacy they have created. For 20 years they have lived there and painstakingly carved out and incredible off grid paradise homestead. They are beautifully self sufficient on their organic farm, complete with citrus , breadfruit, and papaya trees, chickens, Palm trees, coconuts etc.

We were delighted to spend a few hours with them and enjoyed a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade from the just picked lemons out of their yard. Of course when you add a splash of coconut rum, it makes it even more delicious.

 

 

After our scary experience of being pushed up against the rock bank during the storm 2 nights before, we were delighted that the mangrove bushes cushioned our vessel, and it appears the only damage we sustained was a small puncture in one of our porthole screens and a small tear in our side deck skirting. The dinghy got a bit of chaffing during our rough ride over to Manjack, but Bill helped Tom put it right.

Thank you Bill!

 

We decided to head on over to Green Turtle Cay. New Plymouth is the settlement, which I would call the town center.  It is a lovely little community with colorful characters and lively politics. It reminds me a lot

of our own Funky Folly Beach. The hot issue being discussed here at the moment, is a new 7 1/2 % VAT tax that is going to be imposed on all goods sold beginning January 1st. The locals are not at all happy about it, and lively discussions can be overheard in the streets, the restaurants, and of course in the local hardware store.

We’ve enjoyed learning some of the tricks of the trade. Here are a few habitats photos.

Yesterday we enjoyed a local delicacy. While we waited, the cook from the restaurant, walked back from across the street, where he had been pounding out the conch to put in our fresh conch salad.

 

We are enjoying our stay at the very old, somewhat posh Green Turtle Club and Marina. Here’s a shot of a couple of our neighbors who pulled in today including the 120′ Andrea Cay.

 

We decided to rent a golf cart and explore the island.

I’ll leave you with a little video of the lights of the season. As Bahamians do not traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving, a few have gotten an early start on their Christmas decorations.