Friday, August 29, 2014

Grocery shopping via bicycle

Kevin & Thomas with full carts at store
   Grocery shopping.  Most people don't give it much thought, as it  is easy to get in your car, drive to the store, shop and go home.  Rain? - no problem!  Hot? - got a/c!  Well, when you are cruising around by boat, grocery shopping can become interesting, to say the least.  On the rivers, many marinas had courtesy cars, so we would do it the easy way and stock up. Aside from that, most places you need to find a way to get to the store, AND be able to carry all the stuff you need home.  Having a couple children come in handy - more people to carry stuff!  So, yesterday, Kevin showed Thomas & I the safe roads to bicycle on to get to the Solomon's grocery store 1.5 miles away.  Kevin & his family all have bicycles, and he has rigged a cart to his.  Thomas rode our bike, which has a small basket on the back, while I rode Tara's bike.  Although the clouds were looking like it would rain soon, we made it there and back without getting wet.  Nice ride, mostly flat.   We are fairly stocked up right now, since we left USA only a few weeks ago, but there are always a few fresh things and such you run out of.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Bahamas food (yes, more food!)

David's treat of conch salad and Bahamian beer waiting when he returned from States
  As many of you know, we love good food and good drinks.  David has been enjoying the various local Bahama beers, and we both have been enjoying the cheap rum - from a variety of islands in the Caribbean.  One of our favorite foods here is conch.  It is prepared in many ways (conch fritters, cracked conch), but our favorite is conch salad.  Big Daddy Brown in Port Lucaya makes the best we've had.  He chops up fresh conch (caught that morning) with onions, green peppers, tomatoes and lime squirted over it. YUM!  Of course, seafood is fairly common here.  August 1 started lobster season, so we have been hoping to partake of this yummy delicacy.  Yesterday, the captain of a boat we have seen a few times cruising in our harbor came over to see us.  He goes out early in the morning and brings back fresh lobster tails.  So Tara & I decided we would try them - $40 for 12 tails; our families split the bag.  Last night, David seasoned then grilled the tails, and prepared Alfredo sauce with noodles as a side. Everyone agreed it was a very tasty dinner!
Our lobsters tails
Lobster on the grill 
Lobster tails are done! 
Bahamian lobster tails with egg noodles & Alfredo sauce

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Cooking onboard


Fresh bread with breadmaker
   While we travel, people ask us if we cook much while on board.  (Do you cook at home? sometimes we get silly questions.)   So, I thought I would dedicate today's blog to some of the cooking we do in our home.  We have a 2 burner stove and a microwave/convection oven, as well as a wok & an indoor grill. (AND a coffeemaker - very important!)  Our special appliances are our Margarittaville Frozen Concoction maker (for yummy frozen drinks!) and a bread maker.  The bread maker is one of the newest addition, recommended by other cruising friends who know it is difficult to get fresh bread in the islands (and sometimes the store isn't close).  We have fallen in love with the breadmaker!  The kids won't let me buy store bought bread anymore (except rolls).  We are also enjoying our indoor grill, as we can use it to make steaks, burgers, quesidillas, paninis, etc.  Today, thanks to a wonderful recipe from my sister, I made yummy cinnamon rolls using the bread maker and oven.
   Eating out if fun when we get to new places, but not so good on our budget.  So we usually cook most meals onboard, and eat out for special times.
Homemade Cinnamon rolls
Frozen drinks are our specialty!!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Today's adventure: Public library by city bus

Children's area of the public library
   Tara & I decided we would check out the public library in Freeport today - Sir Charles Hayward Library.  To get to the library, we took the free resort shuttle into Port Lucaya, then the Public City Bus to the library.  We have used the City bus to get back to the marina from Port Lucaya before, so we knew what to expect.  Here are a  few things about the Public City Bus:  1. it is very cheap ($1-2/person)  2. they are usually older run-down vans (up to 13 persons)  3. they are not air conditioned  4. they have NO schedule or specific route. You simply find a Bus Stop shelter and stand there until a bus comes.  When it does, you tell them where you are going.  They take different routes depending on the passengers.  Essentially, you cannot be in a hurry to get anywhere when using the bus.  You simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery.  The drivers, however, are very polite, and you feel safe riding the bus - many people ride them all around Freeport.   The Bahamians around here are very helpful and friendly. Taxis tend to be expensive, as is the price of fuel for cars, so we are enjoying the public bus system.
   We enjoyed the very air conditioned library, which had a lovely children's area (see above).  We both got library cards so Thomas & Donovan could check out books.  While the kids hung out in the library, Tara & I went to the fabric store to get a couple things.  After we picked the kids back up, we all decided an American lunch was in order, so we walked over to Wendy's. (cheap burger!)  Then we caught the bus (stop was in front of Wendy's) back to the resort.  What an adventure we had!  
Bus ride to library 
Bus ride from Wendy's

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Fun in Port Lucaya & at the beach

Ice cream treat
   The past few days, we have been enjoying checking out a couple other beaches in the area.  Jill went with a guest she met over to Taino Beach for lunch & a swim - very pretty; yummy lunch.  Today, we went with Tara, Kevin & boys into Port Lucaya to the public beach (yuck - not impressed) and a picnic lunch, shopping, and ice cream in Port Lucaya marketplace.  Nice day.  Meanwhile, we do a couple chores each day, then a swim in the pool to cool off - it is still very hot (90's).  School starts very soon!!
Taino Beach restaurant
Big Daddy's Conch stand - BEST conch salad!
Port Lucaya public beach

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Dinghy ride to the beach

Coral Beach, Freeport, Bahamas
   Today, with our neighbors, we took the dinghy out the channel and into the ocean briefly around the break wall to snorkel and swim in the ocean.  The weather has been SO hot, so it was nice to cool off.  We saw many small to medium size fish, especially near the jetty.  Then, we saw 4 squid swimming near shore.  They were so cool!  Thomas was a great driver, and our 10' Walker Bay dinghy with Torqeedo motor handled the waves and current beautifully.
Matthew riding in dinghy
Snorkeling in ocean (Silver Point Beach)
Our dinghy captain

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Thomas & Mom scuba dive on wreck & with sharks!

Reef Tip Shark (Thomas & Jill on right)
   Yes!  We saw sharks!  Thomas & I took advantage of the Grand Bahama Scuba  being down the dock from us, and went on a 2-tank dive yesterday off the southern coast of Grand Bahama Island near Freeport.  The first dive was in an area the tour & dive boats go to see Reef Tip Sharks.  Some groups feed the sharks, so they hang around waiting to be feed.  They do not bother you unless you have food.  This day, 4-5 sharks swam around us for about 15 minutes.  Our depth was only about 35-45 feet.  The 2nd dive was at Papa Doc wreck (same depths).  It was a small boat with some growth.  Thomas swam into the bridge area and I waved at him!  During both dives, we saw a couple large sting rays resting on the bottom, lots of variety of fish, especially Parrotfish.
Divers and sharks
Sting Ray
Thomas diving Badger wreck
Parrot fish

Monday, August 11, 2014

New friends

Outside $2 Bar on the beach
   As we settle in at our new home for the month of August on Grand Bahama Island, we are getting to know our boating neighbors.  Kids are enjoying boys next door, and Mom & Dad are enjoying the adult couples docked at the marina.  We have Americans, Canadians, and Aussies!  Tara & Kevin (above) were nice enough to drive us around the island showing where stores and various places are.  Then we stopped at $2 Bar on the beach for lunch and drinks.  Matthew & Donovan enjoyed kayaking/paddle boarding one day.  David & Tara enjoyed the hot tub (one of Thomas' favorite places).  Tara, Kevin, & Aussie couple took Jill to Flying FIsh restaurant for amazing food and entertainment ont he eve of a very bright full moon.
 

Matthew & Donovan
Flying Fish restaurant
Full moon & music at Flying Fish

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Busy day around the marina

Cleaning life rings (beautiful background!)
   Whew!  Busy day today.  Jill started by doing the laundry - wash in the machines, then the boys helped her hang it all up in the pilot house to dry (very hot up there!).  Then, since we were so hot, we jumped in the pool to cool off. The boys then scrubbed the life rings so David can put new rope on them.  Matthew & Mom took a quick paddleboard ride around our cove. And another dip in the pool!  Then, a boating neighbor asked Thomas if he could dive under his boat with scuba gear (the man only had mask & snorkel) to help him with a line which got wrapped around his prop & shaft.  So, he & Thomas went under, with another neighbor keeping an eye on them.  It took 2 1-hr dives to get all the rope off.  Success!  He was so happy with Thomas and what a good job he did (paid him a little for helping).  By the time he got done and we got the gear back to our boat to rinse the gear off, Dad was done working and at the pool.  So we all went back to the pool to relax.  We love this place!
Thomas jumping in water with scuba gear
Thomas diving under boat

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Enjoying marina life

Matthew & his new friend enjoying dinner & conversation
   We think we will like our stay at this marina.  David & I started out this morning taking the resort's free shuttle to Port Lucaya, so David could get some work done.  Jill went to the cellular store to get a a Bahamian/International phone.  Then we each took the city bus back to the resort.  We have been having fun with the family next door.  It has been a very hot day, so the boys & mom joined our neighbors in the pool for a couple hours.  Tonight was the weekly resort dinner by the pool, so we joined everyone.  Free drinks and free dinner! Awesome! 
Moody teenagers - too cool for the rest of us
Matthew & friend in pool

Monday, August 4, 2014

Freeport, Bahamas - Ocean Reef Yacht Club

Ocean Reef Resort Pool, bar, & restaurant
   The weather since early Sunday morning has been miserable.  We thought we would be stuck at Port Lucaya Marina until Wednesday.  However, mid-day today, the wind stopped, the weather cleared, and other boaters said the seas were not bad if we were not going far. (and Jill walked across the street to check out the waves on the beach - no white caps)  So, off we went!  We left Lucaya around 12:15, and cruised out int the Atlantic.  There was not much wind, and it was only sprinkling rain.  We had 2 foot rolling seas - not fun, but not bad.  We turned west for about 1.5 miles, then cruised into the Ocean Reef inlet.  We had total cruise time of about 45 minutes from dock to dock.  the family Jill has been in contact with was there to meet us at the dock and help us tie up. YEAH!  Now we can relax here for about 1 month.

Total miles today:  4nm
Total miles traveled:  1,577 nm
Total cruising days: 25

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Port Lucaya, Bahamas - rain, rain go away!!

Port Lucaya Marketplace
   We woke up this morning to rain.  Then thunderstorms in the morning. then more rain!  Lots of wind.  We are very safe here in the marina, but it has been a very wet day.  Based on reports form other boaters, it is choppy, rainy, & windy in the Atlantic.  With the tropical storm skirting the eastern edge of the Bahamas tomorrow, we are probably stuck at this marina until Wednesday. Nice place - right next to Port Lucaya Marketplace.  Many shops & restaurants.  It is just a little pricier than we would like.  Once the storm passes, we will cruise around the corner to a quieter, less expensive marina where another family on a sailboat with boys await us!  We cannot wait to meet these new friends!
   Meanwhile, we are exploring the shops and enjoying the food - conch salad (David's favorite), frozen drinks, and a yummy Italian dinner (deserts are below).  Internet has been very spotty today, so we have been a little frustrated.  David needs to work tomorrow, so hopefully it will be better.
Tiramasu & cheesecake from Giovani's - YUM!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

McCurrys are in the BAHAMAS!!!!!

Entrance to Port Lucaya
   We have arrived on Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas!!!
   After a day of delay due to uncertainty Thursday night of Tropical Storm Bertha (which is supposed to stay east of the Bahamas), we left out early this morning.  After a few hiccups getting started (& a fuel stop to top off the tanks), we cruised out of Port Everglades at 8am this morning.  The sun was shining, though there were some rain clouds around (no storms).  The seas were 1-2 feet, and sometimes barely any at all.  By 12:30pm, we started to see buildings in Port of Freeport.  By then, the waters had turned a beautiful shade of blue!  After about 82nm of cruising, we hit our waypoint "Lucaya" and turned in toward the channel.  Once in the channel, the depths got to 13ft and you could see straight to the bottom!  YEAH!  We will be at Port Lucya Marina 1 night, as this is where we had to clear Bahamas Customs & Immigration.

Total miles today:  82nm
Total miles traveled:  1,573 nm
Total cruising days: 24
Sunrise on the New River as we leave
Thomas driving in Atlantic Ocean


Docked in Port Lucaya Marina

Friday, August 1, 2014

Chores! Chores!

Thomas scraping barnacles while Matthew scrubs
   Chores!  Whether you live in a house, or you live on a boat, there are always chores to do!  As we prepare to leave Ft Lauderdale for the Bahamas, we have spent the week doing numerous chores.  One big chore was cleaning the bottom of the dinghy.  After sitting in the New River for 2.5 months, the bottom had some definite barnacle growth.  Thomas, Matthew & Mom worked as a teamed scraping and scrubbing to get it clean.  You can see above the dirty area, and what we got clean.