December 21, 2011

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

We were about 85% certain tomorrow would be our departure date.  Fred ran into town  on the dinghy to pick up some bananas and called me over the radio and asked if I was game to tackle plantains for dinner. (cooking them was another first for me again.).  He stopped to see Carol & Skip from “Rhapsody” while I stayed behind to tidy up and started securing things that tend to go airborne when traveling on a sail boat.  I also decided to try netting the starboard side of Casa Mare’ thinking I had it right this time...in my head anyway.  Laced it on the stanchion  and down it came, again.  OK, I thought, let me attack this again and again, up it went.  Still miscalculated .  I walked away.  Fred and I jumped on the dingy and headed to Rhapsody because they (cruisers)  thought it would be a good idea to hear the options.  We all gathered at the covered area near the marina, most people with charts in their hands.  Standing in front of us, charts in hand and a firm look of authority was Monty and Sara Lewis.  OK, I thought, guess he knows something I was certain I didn’t know, and that was good enough for me.  Charts, charts and charts…..and words had flown out of his mouth I never heard before about charts.  I glanced over at Fred to make sure he was paying attention.  I remember thinking...I sure do hope Fred is taking this in because I am clueless to maps for boating.  After the meeting I walked up to Monty and Sara and introduced myself.  I was excited to tell them this was my first time doing this cruise thing and Fred was going to teach me how to read a map.  Fred quickly corrected me and said, “they are not maps, Patti.  They are called charts”.  Come to find out, Sara & Monty Lewis  wrote the charts on sailing navigation.  OOPS!  My first thought was, we have got to follow them, after all, they are experts on charting .  “Explorer Charts”...I have seen them everywhere.  I asked where they were headed and when they were leaving.  I wondered if they had a GPS on their boat and chuckled to myself, probably so.    After the meeting it was clear some were leaving at night, others in the morning and some the day after.  Me?  I was sticking with Captain Fred’s plan.  Monty and Sara invited Fred and I aboard.  Fred purchased 2 up to date chart books and Monty gave him a smaller foldable map.  Sara jumped up and went hunting for her “blue bag”.  She gently placed out some creative art work, paper flowers she had made and asked me to pick one for myself.  I just couldn’t...they ware all beautiful!  I asked her to pick one out for me.  I knew if the choice was left up to me, I would be there for hours.  I seem to have a problem with choices once in awhile.  Fred and I were walking back from what I believe is the only bank on the island, RCB.  A guy was walking by us and as everyone does,, smiles and says hi.  Then he said, “How was the coconut?”  I quickly asked his name (forgot to ask when he demonstrated how to conquer a coconut).  Told him it was wonderful and he said his name...Matt.   Bimini is absolutely wonderful and a very happy community.  They don’t have much materialistically but they are the friendliest people I have ever met...all of them!  By the time we got back to the boat, the sun was on it’s way to setting and I immediately went back to the netting project to no avail.  I took it all down, again, all as in port and starboard sides!  I had not given up yet, I was just trying to have a concrete plan that worked.  Next step, Google, “How to attach a net on a boat stanchion for Dummies? “  There it was...for 100’ of rail we would need 135’ to fit correctly.  Also, a wire line on the bottom was pretty much the answer to getting it to the bottom with no toe rail.  I mentioned what I found to Fred and he said, “now we are getting into $$$”.  We needed more netting and expensive line for the bottom since we have no toe rail.  Don’t think for one minute I dismissed going to a marina to see if there was any someone had tossed.  “Recycling made that ok” I thought.

Everything was set, including the alarm.  I was excited about the next chapter of our adventure.

Fred’s plan...leave at daybreak.