Parental Units in the Bahamas or Barbecue Stained Ferrets

March 29 - April 4, 2006

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Closing in on the parental unit arrival. T-minus 3 days and counting.

Not much to report today. The wind was really blowing and the air was cool. We both wore sweatshirts for most of the day. This morning I got in the water to do some work on our props, but that was the extent of my job completion for the day.

We went into the beach for afternoon volley ball and then we cleaned up and went to the grand opening of the St. Francis resturaunt. It is a surprisingly nice place and about 150 people showed. They had free food and cheap drinks which I predict will be a recipe for success.

We returned to the boat around 8 and I fried up 2 hot dogs before we called it a day

Thursday, March 30, 2006 - Sand Dollar Beach, George Town, Exuma
By Tom

I woke Amy up in time for yoga and then I sat around watching Torque until she returned. It was really cheesy and I feel dumber for having watched it.

I may not have mentioned it before, but Amy takes her kayak in to the beach when she goes in for yoga. Well, today I was alerted to her return by a loud crash, followed almost immediately by a loud splash, then a "Honey, can you come out here?". Hmm.

I came out to find a soggy Amy floating next to her over turned kayak.

From the debris field pattern I was able to determine that the kayaking Amy unit entered the landing zone with too much forward velocity. Said velocity in turn sent her careening towards the side of the big boat. The ensuing crash resulted in the rider being forcibly dismounted from her vehicle.

Amy says she fell, but I think maybe I have a future at the FAA.

In any case, we retrieved everyone from the water and no permanent damage was done.

Our friends from Anam Cara returned to the harbour today. They sailed down to the Dominican Republic a couple of months ago and are now on their way state side. Hopefully we'll get to hang out some and we may even travel north together.

This afternoon I played volley ball and then we met up with Don, Sandi (the Anam Cara's), and their visiting friend Monti on the beach. Don's engine has died so we are planning on getting together tomorrow to take a look and see what can be done.

Dinner was an all you can eat barbecued spare ribs affair. I had 6 and Amy had 4 which fortunately or coincidentally equaled the total number I made. More to follow

Friday, March 31, 2006 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Today is the last day before the parents arrive. We spent the majority of the day cleaning the boat and generally getting things in order.

In the early afternoon, we went into town for a few more provisions and 15 gallons of water. I'm not sure why we are cleaning and provisioning being that my parents are staying on shore in a hotel, but neither I nor the ferrets raised these concerns to the cleaning Nazi (Amy). Oh well, at least the boat looks nice.

Around 5 pm or so, the Anam Cara's (Don and Sandi plus friend Monti) came over for pizza and beer. They left around 7:30 and we went to bed in anticipation of a long day tomorrow

Saturday, April 01, 2006 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

We got up late this morning. Amy paddled in for more Yoga and I played ball at 9 am. Afterwards, we lounged about and generally did nothing until around 3 pm when we went into town.

We got a few room stuffers from the grocery and then checked in to the room we have reserved for Mom and Dad. Don't tell them, but we also made use of their unlimited hot water as we both took exceedingly long showers.

There room is surprisingly large and very pleasant. They have a sliding glass door that opens right onto the pool patio with a view overlooking the harbour. Quite pretty actually.

The parental units arrived around 8 pm. Meet Barbara and Butch on the right. We rode with Clifford (Taxi 16) out to the airport to await there arrival. Their plane was actually on time and we met them at the gate.

On the 15 minute ride back in to town, we got filled in on what the local gossip is at home. We arrived at the Peace and Plenty, room 2, and got Mom and Dad safely stowed away before we retired to the out door bar and a welcome to the islands drink.

Dad brought down a bunch of spare parts and tools that I had been massing at his house, so I think I will soon have to do more boat work. Amy and I retired to the mother ship around 10 pm. Mom and Dad are going to ride the P&P ferry over to our side of the harbour in the morning

Sunday, April 02, 2006 - Volley Ball Beach, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Mom and Dad arrived on the 10 am ferry this morning. I dinghied into shore to pick them up and return them to the big boat. We upped anchor and set the head sail for the whopping mile and a half run down to Volley Ball Beach.

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised that neither one of them fell of the ferry, the dinghy, or the big boat. Way to go team!

We re-anchored off of the volley ball courts and then I took everyone ashore for a light lunch before my 1 pm game. Mom, Dad and Amy sat on the picnic tables under the trees and ate and drank while I played three games of two on two. For those of you interested, Jack and I won two games to one. Sweet !

Sometime during the games, my parents got joined into a raging Mexican dominoes game. Ok, raging might be a stretch, but as author I am able to take some literary license.

Anyhow, we ended up hanging out at the beach until 4 or so and Mom and Dad got to meet several of our friends we have made over the last couple of seasons down here. (See Mom, I do have friends)

We dinghied back to the boat and lifted anchor. We motored over to Kidd Cove and I dinghied everyone back ashore. Due to equipment malfunction, we almost lost Mom out of the dinghy, but my superior dinghy piloting skills and excellent balance saved the day as Mom was pulled back from the jaws of death!

Oh, Amy says I am reading too many thriller books.

Unfortunately, Mom did get to experience first hand what we call the Dinghy Butt Syndrome. Basically it's a wet ass, but it sounds cool when I called it a syndrome, don't you think? Don't worry remaining Gillispie clan members, she dried off.

We returned to their hotel for an evening cocktail and then Amy and I returned to our boat for dinner and bed

Monday, April 03, 2006 - Kids Cove, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Amy and I dinghied in to town this morning after the usual running of the ferrets.

We met up with Mom and Dad for breakfast. I had pancakes and Amy had some sort of vegetable goo. I think mine was better.

We all decided to spend the day lounging about the pool and hiding from the sunshine while reading books. Around noon or so the outside, pool-side, water front bar opened up and we had a few cocktails.

Amy spent about 3 hours using the free to hotel guests wi-fi connection to cruise the web. I watched a movie on tv that was not one I had seen 42 times and was very happy. Mom and Dad did some exploring and checked out some of the souvenir shops.

We met back at the room around 4 or so before Amy and I returned to the boat. I convinced Mom and Dad to take an early nap and then to head down to Eddie's Edgewater for their weekly rake and scrape event.

We'll see how that turns out.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Mom and Dad got to experience the local Bahamian night life first hand yesterday. In spite of this, it sounds like they had a good time. They were both impressed with how good music made with a band saw, an empty water jug and assorted farm implements can be.

It also sounds like Mom got to experience what it's like to be a woman out at night with the locals. Even when you tell the wood be suitors your here with your husband, you still get more attention than you want. Suffice it to say Mom returned safely and Dad didn't have to kill anyone.

This morning they took the ferry back over to Stocking Island where we met them on the beach. Dad and I climbed up to the Monument while Amy and Mom sat on beach chairs under the palm trees. See supporting pictures at right.

Afterwards, we sailed down to the Chat and Chill for lunch under the trees. Mom got to watch the Conch Dude clean the nasty looking beasties before she ate and order of Conch Salad. In retrospect, it probably would have been better to eat it before seeing what it looks like in nature, but hind sight is twenty twenty right?

Mom and Dad hung out talking with people on the benches while Amy and I played some volley ball. Later in the afternoon, I dinghied Mom and Dad across the near flat calm harbour and deposited them at the Peace and Plenty. They have dinner reservations here tonight at 8 pm. and Amy and I will be asleep by then.

Back on board, I made barbecued spare ribs that Amy, Milo and I split. Mila doesn't like spare ribs, so she had barbecued bananas instead.

As a side tip to ferret owners, it is virtually impossible to remove barbecue stains from bleach white ferrets, but they hide very well on black ones.