Visitors to Green Turtle Cay

International arrival at Marsh Harbor airport

At last we had our first visitors in the Bahamas.  It was marvelous!  There have been relatively few visitors to Northern Star since we moved aboard last April, and until now, visitors were all while in the U.S.  Perhaps then you can understand our excitement at traveling to Marsh Harbor to pick up our guests from Memphis, TN.  

Carl's sister at Treasure Cay

My husband’s sister and her husband arrived last Tuesday noon and departed again via Marsh Harbor Intl. Airport on Saturday.  It was our (okay, more my) goal to pack as much Bahama life into those days as possible.  My husband reminded me that we had to allow them time to do what they wanted to do, too.  “Ya, ya, okay, okay,” I said.

Walking beaches of Green Turtle Cay

From the Marsh Harbor Airport we drove to Treasure Cay where we had a beautiful lunch on the beach.  Then, we rode the ferry to Green Turtle Cay, crossing the Sea of Abaco from Great Abaco Island.  The aqua water does not disappoint any visitors to the Bahamas, I’m sure.  

First time driving a golf cart

We walked the beaches both along the ocean and the bays on Green Turtle Cay.   A golf cart helped us cover a lot more ground that we might have done on foot, or in our dinghy.  Theoretically, we could take four people in our dinghy, but I might not want to be one of them.  Just sayin’.  There were strong winds for their visit.  With four in a dinghy, we’d have been riding low in the water, and would have been drenched.  Although we’ve become used to getting sprayed on wet dinghy rides its probably not the best way to entertain one’s new guests to the Bahamas. 

Bronze Sculpture Garden

We were pleased to show off  “our” little town, New Plymouth, the settlement on Green Turtle Cay.    Our guests enjoyed the Albert Lowe Museum, which is housed in an 1826 house and explains the history of Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos.  The Loyalist Statue Garden was a must, as well.  And the cemetery; I always think a walk through a cemetery has much to say about the history of a community.   Bahamians, similar to the Americans, tend to care for the gravestones of loved ones, and mark the places on the island where deaths have occurred.   A delightful lunch on the beach at Harvey’s followed.

Lunch at Harvey's on the shore

Our guests stayed at the Bluff House Marina and resort in a lovely second floor room overlooking sunsets over the Sea of Abaco.   The remark was made that the scene was a “1940’s postcard of the Bahamas.”  Ya, I think we’ve all seen that postcard. 

Sunset from Bluff House

The major event of the week was an “Adventure Day” with Brendal’s Dive and Watersports.  Brendal is a well-known waterman in the Bahamas, bringing people out to snorkel, scuba dive, learn how to spear lobster, and can teach folks how to sail too.   Just about anything that takes place on or under the water Brendal can do with ease.  The Wall of Fame in his dive shop includes names such as Pierre Trudeau, the Discovery Channel and the Food Network.  He is quite an amazing character.  Complete with an incorrigible sense of humor. 

Brendal's Dive Center boat.  The manta rays met us here.

The four of us met at 9:00 at the Dive shop and three of us were outfitted with wetsuits and snorkel gear.  Carl’s  sister opted to watch us from the boat.  Carl and I had recently purchased our own snorkel equipment which we were eager to initiate.  We each also wore a small buoyancy vest.  

Snorkeling is so easy with wetsuit and buoyancy vest.

There were six paying customers, along with Brendal and two helpers onboard.  Because the winds were still rather strong, the water on the ocean reefs was a bit dicey.  Therefore, rather than the reefs, we snorkeled on a shipwreck.  This day was spectacular and I am now determined to snorkel every chance I get.   The plentiful fish on the wreck were gregarious.  The more rare specimens were shy and required a bit of patience for their appearance. 

 

One of the shy fish

While we were snorkeling, Brendal and one of the helpers swam up along the shore looking for indentations in the shoreline that were suspicious for housing lobsters.  They speared a few to add to the ones that he had brought with him, just in case.  Brendal made some lunch preparations on board—then took us to a pristine beach where his helpers showed us how to feed manta rays pieces of fish from between our toes.  

Manta rays waiting for their fish from our toes

The rays were waiting for us — apparently they have an ongoing relationship with Brendal.  One of them he calls “Tony.”  The rays swam back and forth vacuuming the tops of our feet for the chunks of fish.  With a bit of practice, we were able to feed them the fish from between our fingers too.  Did you know that manta rays like their underbellies scratched; I was reminded of our dog, Jax.  We were told that later in the day, the really huge rays would make an appearance.  Amazing creatures!  Simply amazing!

Snapper in the big pot and butter sauce

While we were shrieking and flirting with the notion that the manta rays could nip our toes, Brendal built a tiny fire and cooked our lobster and fresh mutton snapper in a big old Dutch oven over a few sticks the two men had gathered.  A wonderfully aromatic butter and citrus sauce bubbled on the crude grate as well.  

Bendal preparing the salad on the beach

We had as much lobster as we could possibly eat, the snapper, salad and coconut bread; and of course, the ubiquitous rum punch.  Mmmmmm.   Could the day have been any better?  Maybe, but I don’t know how.

All the lobster we could eat.  I had three!  

The Day Treasure Cay Went Missing

Shore of Green Turtle Cay looking on the Sea of Abaco

A week or so ago, we were invited to lunch at Treasure Cay (pro. “key”) by a dear friend from Duluth, MN and her daughter who lives in Treasure Cay.  The plan was to meet at a restaurant located on what is considered one of the “10 most beautiful beaches in the world.”  (I’m only repeating what I’ve been told—I don’t read magazines that make claims about such things as “the best or most anything.”  In my view, “the best” usually means the most expensive and I’m probably not going there.)

Ferry backing up to our stern so we could jump onboard

Anyhow, since our sailboat was on the little island of Green Turtle Cay, and Treasure Cay was on the other side of the Sea of Abaco, on Great Abaco Island, we planned for an entire days’ outing. That morning I placed a call on VHF radio, Channel 16 to the Green Turtle Ferry.  The call goes something like this… Me: “Green Turtle Ferry, Green Turtle Ferry, Green Turtle Ferry, this is sailing vessel Northern Star.”  Ferry (female voice): “This is Green Turtle Ferry, go to Channel One Seven.”  Me - “Northern Star to One Seven.” Ferry:  “Green Turtle Ferry on One Seven.”  Me:  “Yes, we are a sailboat in White Sound and hoping to catch the 8:00 ferry.”  Ferry:  “Are you at the dock or on a mooring ball?”  (Odd question, I thought)  Me:  “We are on a mooring ball.”  Ferry:  “We will pick you up there.”  Me (a little puzzled, cuz I know where the ferry docks:  “So…. we will meet you at the ferry dock?”  Ferry:  “We can pick you up at your boat.”  Me:  “You can DO that?  Right off our boat?”  Ferry:  “Yes.  No problem.”  Me:  “That is awesome.”  Ferry:  (giggling) “Back to 16.”  

Four of these bags are our groceries from Marsh Harbor heading back to our boat.

When we arrived at the ferry dock on Great Abaco, a well dressed man met us with our rental car.  We were going to do some errands in the small city of Marsh Harbor in the morning, before our lunch date.  My friend’s daughter had arranged the rental car for us which was greatly appreciated.  The man drove us to the car rental office; he gave us a map of the town of Marsh Harbor, assuring us we could not get lost because there’s only one main highway on the island; reminded us to drive on the left side of the road, and then we were off.  Marsh Harbor is a 40 minute drive south of the Treasure Cay ferry dock.  Or it could be a lot faster if you like.  There are no speed limits apparently.  

The only highway on Great Abaco Island.

We planned our errands to optimize our time so that we would be driving back to Treasure Cay by around noon.  Carl needed a casting rod, a fishing spear and a wet suit.  National Marine had what he needed—including a large mesh bag for whatever sea critter might be so unfortunate as to be captured/speared by him.  Next, the cash machine—inside the bank lobby, guarded by a uniformed Security guard.  Then, the grocery store and this I was amazed to see—a grocery store as large as a Cub Foods or Publix in the U.S.  We were back in the car by 11:37 AM and on the road toward Treasure Cay.  We would make our lunch date by 12:25. 

Choosing the right casting rod

So, we drove.  At forty minutes we passed the turn-off to the ferry dock; we drove another ten minutes, twenty — “We should have been there by now” I muttered.  I should mention that we had no map of Great Abaco Island, other than the microscopic map that they put in those little tourists brochures.  We weren’t going to use our GPS because that would have eaten our entire Bahama data plan.  The island is long and narrow with one two-lane highway traversing the length of it.  Marsh Harbor is toward one end.  Treasure Cay appears to be in the middle, sort of, and then the island continues north through some little communities until the far end which is Cooperstown.  In between the communities are trees and shrubs and not much else.

Chickens wander freely on the islands

Going on 1:00 PM we drove through a cluster of houses, with a clinic, school, etc. and we saw the sign…..”Welcome to Cooperstown“  Cooperstown!  What was this….the ‘Twilight Zone?’  An entire resort community like Treasure Cay cannot just disappear.  Turning around, the sign said, “12 miles to Treasure Cay” pointing back the way we’d come.  Driving south now we got as far as the turn off to the ferry dock, again.  Humph!  Tried to call my friend.  No answer.  Drove in to the ferry dock and asked the two lone persons there—a woman in charge of the bar/restaurant alongside the ferry and her one customer.  “Go back out to da road.  Turn left.  Take de first left and go down dat road.  You can’t miss it.”  (I hate it when people say ‘you can’t miss it’  because obviously we could.)

Unpaved roads are worn rock and loose rock

Nevertheless, back to the road, left and again the first left, which took us down a rutted sand and rock road culminating in a few houses near the water.  We’d never seen Treasure Cay but were pretty sure it didn’t look like that.  Back to to the road….retracing our steps again.  Looking for signs.   No signs.  I began to hear the theme music from ‘The Twilight Zone’ in my head.   Asked another lone person for directions to Treasure Cay.  She looked at us rather oddly.  “Back out to da road. Turn right.  First road on your right.”  

This is NOT the sign to Treasure Cay, but it resembles the one we saw

Time warp?  Black holes in the time/space continuum? I was panicking a little now.  It was 1:15 PM.  We had to be back on the ferry at 4:30.  I was counting on a long lunch and visit with my friend and here we were driving aimlessly back and forth like a demonic pendulum on the one (ONLY one) highway on Great Abaco.  My phone rang.  It was my friend and her daughter.  Waiting patiently for us at one of the allegedly “most beautiful beaches in the world”.   “Where are you?” she said.  “Where am I?  Where are you?” I asked.  “Treasure Cay has disappeared.  Where did it go?”  Hearing panic in my voice, she came to the rescue.  She talked us through it….”back to the main road….. turn left…..go 4 miles……go past the…/…you’ll see a sandwich board that says “Schools Are Open.”  Weird, I thought.  Since when do we advertise that schools are open?

Restaurant on the beach, Treasure Cay

Suddenly, there WAS a sign for Treasure Cay on the narrow little highway.  A tiny little sign on weather-grayed board pointing down a narrower little road, previously not there—I swear! Apparently when you know where you are going, you don’t really need good signs.  Apparently Treasure Cay was not built right on the highway like all the other towns on Great Abaco.  Apparently, we had assumed otherwise.  Apparently we were idiots.  And then, there she was, my dear friend, standing on the edge of the road by the sandwich board that read “Pool Bar Open.”  Ahhhhh….

Relieved to have found Treasure Cay

And you know what?  The Treasure Cay Beach has GOT to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world!  Breathtaking!   We had three lovely hours together, the four of us.  Would have been four hours if Treasure Cay hadn’t gone missing.  

Treasure Cay, one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world.  Really it IS!