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- - - - - Ø - - - - - Our three week fly over was rather typical in format. We flew over using one of the new carriers, Florida Coastal Airlines. They are are particularly useful for small city connections in Florida. In our case from Sarasota connecting through Ft. Lauderdale to Marsh Harbour. (What I couldn't have known is that they would be out of business by this same time next year.) Upon arrival we rented a small 22 foot outboard from Rainbow Rentals and made the 30 mile trek to Green Turtle Cay where we always start out trips staying at the Green Turtle Club. I was curious to see if there were any changes under the new ownership. In a word - none- same friendly staff. The downside of this approach is, the Sea of Abaco can be choppy as it was seriously so the day we arrived so we pounded our way up tup to G.T.C. We could have eliminated most of the discomfort and rented one of Rainbows new powered Twin O/B’s Catamarans but at $350 more a week we decided to take a pass. We hit our usual stops in the cays from Green Turtle southward including Great Guana Cay, Man-O-War, Elbow Cay to the last stop in the Abaco’s before Eleuthera, Little Harbour. While on Elbow Cay, we stayed at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge instead of the Abaco Inn for a change of pace, and to be in walking distance to Hope Town. Both have pretty much fully recovered from Septembers hurricanes which in not to be said of many of the shore side restaurants and marinas in Marsh Harbour. On three occasions we bumped in to the “Hooters Patrol” a boat load of Hooters Restaurant waitresses modeling for the 2006 calendar photo shoot. The first two times I didn’t have my camera and then decided to always cary it with me in the day. Luckily near the end of our trip they showed up at Nippers while I was entertaining my sister and husband who spent a week with us. Three years ago we bumped into the Hooter Patrol boat on one of the uninhabited Pelican Cays but only learned this year that this photo shoot is an annual event and usually in late May. There is a sizable controversy on Guana Cay, as there is a major development planned at Bakers Bay area (where the cruise ships once stopped). It is to consist of a golf course, major 200 plus slip marina and hundred plus condos on the property. (So far no casino has been mentioned or is planned.) I, like many of the islanders worry that this mega-undertaking will kill the fragile environment of Guana Cay who's reefs are world renowned, and in fact part of the third largest barrier reef in the world. It’s a classic battle of jobs versus the environment. The Abaco Inn, on Elbow Cay, where we have stayed in years past is also planning a major renovation although no start time was given. As mentioned The Green Turtle Club has changed hands. It’s been under the same family ownership since I started going to Green Turtle in 1973. And speaking of the Green Turtle Club, if the community can get the White Sound Harbour channel dredged in time, hopefully they will be once again adding their name to the fishing tournament circuit next May. Also new at the G.T.C. every Saturday, and definitely worth a visit, they bring over the town’s (New Plymouth) children for a Junkanoo Parade. They march and play their drums and cowbells once before and after dinner. It's lots of fun and bring your camera. Info on Junkanoo cane be found on our Flotsam & Jetsam Page. The other major resort in White Sound, the Bluff House was finishing undergoing dock repairs and had little activity at least from the boating folks. Here lies a certain irony. A few years ago I observed the construction of their new marina side restaurant and docks made of an expensive non floating Brazilian hardwood. As the foreman told me, the non floating nature of the wood, eliminating buoyancy, would protect the dock against damage during any tidal surge. I can not say for sure whether boats were attached to their docks when Francis & Jeanne hit last September, but all their docks were totally destroyed. The irony being that across the Harbour the old G.T.C. docks remained intact. The charming old New Plymouth Inn in town is still closed and sad to see, in a bit of disrepair. It was a lovely quaint turn of the century inn reminiscent of Bogey and Bacall. It had one of the most romantic restaurants in the islands. I suspect it’s location in the middle of New Plymouth had something to do with it. It has a pool but it’s located away from beaches and marinas. It would be great for playwrights, novelists and poets. It’s for sale if you are interested. On to Man-O-War. In the past I may have written unkindly of The Albury Sail (canvas) Shop where they make all sorts of bags, purses, hats etc. I had suggested their styles haven’t changed in years. Well on this years visit there were all sorts of new design and brightly patterned canvas products. A worth while stop if you find yourself on this Cay. As a testimonial to that fact, we bought two bags. It has always been the main event on Man-O-War, only now more in keeping with fashion of the times. Aside from the above, here are a few tales from our spring pilgrimage. At the pool bar of the Hopetown Harbour Lodege, I got to chatting with a fellow. His name escapes me but in a regular in the Abacos. During our conversation he mentioned that his boat was immortalized by CNN’s coverage of Hurricane Jeanne in Marsh Harbour. As soon as he said that, it hit me. “Do you have a Mainship Trawler” I asked. His answer was yes! I told him I remembered CNN showing, maybe a dozen times, his boat up high and dry on Marsh Harbours Bay street.He contimued to tell me that surprisingly there was no serious damage to the boats intregrety until the crane operators placed their sling in the worng place partially crushing the hull. C’est la Vie. Pictues can be found on our Weather Page underhurricanes..
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