2011 - 8-28 - 9-5 - Nassau

8/28 - 9/5 We moved out of the lagoon on the 27th & anchored where we were just prior to the storm. However, the wind shifted & we were really rockin & rolling. Sometime in the middle of the night, we were touching bottom, we relocated until morning then moved to the beach side of Rose Island.GORGEOUS! Boats come here from Nassau bringing touristas to snorkel & swim at the beach. Didn’t want to leave but no protection at this anchorage - we moved to Delaport Bay for the night, west side of New Providence, Cable Beach area & just south of Sandal’s little island. Monday,8/29 About New Providence: “Although New Providence is one of the smallest of the inhabited islands of The Bahamas, it is by far the most important & center of Bahamian economic & social life. Twenty-one miles long & only 7 miles wide, the island has a population of over 170,000. Scrub & pine woods cover much of the poorly soiled interior but the coastline blooms with luxurious residential areas, resorts, hotel complexes & modern developments”. The above information was documented in 1996, today, however, the population is over 250,000 & the scrub areas are being replaced by high-end gated communities. Cruising the harbor is always interesting. Passing the lighthouse at the west end of Paradise Island, you can’t miss the huge cruise ships at port. How does this little town tolerate 6000+ people invading it every day? (another day there were 4 ships in!!)Irene tore the canvas off the famous Straw Market and, they say, items went sailing all over the streets. Ten years ago this market burned down - they put a canvas top on as a temporary measure until the new building was completed. that was 10 years ago! now the new building is done...enclosed, sterile & air-conditioned - shame...why??
                                        Straw market in tatters

Looses all it’s character. We took a dock at Nassau Harbor Club - not much change since 2001. Close to grocery & liquor store, marine supply & a great Chinese restaurant which is where we ate that night. My sweet/sour pork provided me with 3

Twin bridges to & from Paradise Island

meals! We were to stay only a few days but turned into a week. We took a wild bus ride to the center of the island in search of a Q-beam & 6” & 12" rotating fans. the Marathon Mall is actually a real mall-. I haven’t been in a mall in at least 5 years. The island is undergoing a lot of changes; most roads are torn up to widen roads; some roads are being eliminated (& re-directed) to make way for large, gated communities. Since it was only a few days past the storm, they were out of most everything…we came home empty handed - but the ride was interesting. Another day we walked several miles to ‘down-town’. The sun &

                     Atlantis as seen from the Green Parrot

heat was so intense we just had to stop at the Green Parrot for something to drink. We saw burgers being delivered - our mouths were watering. We split one & ranked it one of the most outstanding burgers we’ve ever had. ‘Old town’ now has traffic officers located in the middle of intersections (like Bermuda). They weren’t there in 2001. We were amazed to see a solar trash bin…never saw such a device. Solar panels are in the lid. Very neat!! I was shopping for a piece of Lladro (porcelain figures made in Spain) to give my son, David & Shannon for the birth of my grandson, Nicholas. Little Switzerland always had everything I wanted

but they moved to a much smaller store & only had jewelry. I was very disappointed. John Bull had a good selection of Lladro (& the only store to carry it) but the prices were higher than I anticipated. I got more straws at MacDonald’s to troll with & then we went to the magnificent old Bahamas Colonial Hilton for a drink, located on the harbor. We rode the bus back to the Marina. Another day, we stopped at the Poop Deck for happy hour & free hors d'oeuvres. I was pleasantly surprised when they

brought us each

6 fresh conch fritters! I expected a buffet-type thing. They were the best.

We met Mike, staying at the marina on his sailboat. Come to find out his wife, Emily, died suddenly on the prior Saturday…I attended the memorial service on Thursday night at the pool area. (bear with me-telling this for a reason) it was lovely service. I met & spoke with really nice locals…Jane & her niece, Jill. Both from Scotland; Jane, now a local, works in the day spa across the street. Jill visiting from Scotland; Paula, a Bahamian, Allen, Scottish, & their 2 daughters, Amy (18) & Kayla (15). We didn’t get to meet their son, Callum, 25, a pilot. We agreed to meet on Friday night - Paula & Allen took us to a local’s bar near the Chinese restaurant. They serve hors d'oeuvres all night till they’re gone. Tonight, we were lucky - they had a huge bowl of fresh Conch salad & chicken wings. YUM!! Prices were right too, I paid $14 for a round of drinks for 5. Next time we go, Paula & I decided we’d play pool & darts. It rained on & off all day Saturday - we dinked around on the boat. On Sunday, Allen, Paula, & Kayla took us to Compass Point Resort for breakfast. Seemed like we drove west for hours (but the island’s only 21 miles long) What a neat resort! (Google it) Everything on the breakfast menu was only $12 - including Eggs Benedict which Paula & I ordered. After breakfast, Allen drove us all over the west end of New Providence - an area neither one of has ever been. There’s building & road work everywhere. We stopped at Goodfellow’s farm to get fresh spinach, This place is in the boon docks & is a real working farm. The store is amazing & they serve food as well outside in lush gardens. Next door is a horse stable for the wealthy. Kayla rides but at a different stable in east Nassau. What a great day & an unexpected pleasure thanks to Allen & Paula, I hope we meet again real soon.