We arrived in Georgetown after a 30 mile motor sail into the wind with four foot waves that diminished as the wind diminished.  Georgetown has been described to us by another cruiser as a summer camp for adults.  The fun started on the eve of our arrival.  Eileen Quinn gave a free concert on Volleyball Beach.  Eileen is a well know singer among the cruising crowd.  She sings songs about the cruising life usually with a lot of humor.  One song involved docking angst and one episode of “taking out” the sanitation station during the docking process.  Many of Eileen’s songs are based on true happenings, and she still vividly remembers the smell.  (A note to our friend Gerald – see a water spigot was not so bad.)

On our trip down we had a little white smoke coming out the exhaust which John discovered was a worn sea water impeller (worn to say the least - only portions of two vanes were left).  So our first order of business was to replace the impeller.

Every morning at 8:10 on VFH 72 the cruisers net is on.  It includes general announcements, question from cruisers, items needed, taxi share for guests coming and going, specials from local restaurants, the thought of the day and the day’s activities.  The activities could include daily volleyball, bridge, pot lucks, yoga, basket weaving classes, and water color classes.  Most of the activities are on Volleyball beach on Stocking Island across Elizabeth Harbor from Georgetown. Volleyball beach is also the home for Chat n Chill a beach bar and restaurant.

Georgetown is a wonderful little town that reminds me of beach communities in the northeast.  The town surrounds Lake Victoria with the dinghy dock located on the lake behind the Exuma Market.  To get to the lake there is a small channel that is only large enough to support one way traffic (in coming dinghies have the right of way).  The Exuma Market is a well stocked grocery and the Top II Bottom has marine supplies.  There are several barbers and we were able to get our hair cut. 

Pam and Bruce visited for a week of leisure.  We picked them up at the marina and spent time in town for shopping for provisions. After provisioning we crossed Elizabeth Harbor to anchor at Volleyball Beach.  Pam & Bruce settled into the cruising life where very little was done until after the cruising net in the am and then about noon we decided on a plan for the day which is still flexible.  It took two days to get to the beach (ocean side) as the first attempt did not get any further than Chat n Chill, several Kalik’s (local beer) and several games of Volleyball.  The second attempt we made it the ocean where for a while we were the only people on the beach.  We snorkeled a small reef with some fish.  Our sailing day was a no starter as the wind was forecast at 10 knots. We had several “sundowner” parties with Bob and Carol from Time Enough.  On Pam and Bruce’s last day we went back to the marina to “relax” with a dinner on board.  As often happens our plans changed, we were invited to a sundowner party on Rose.  Pam and Bruce left on a 6 am taxi and we went back to the anchorage at Volleyball Beach.

We spent the following week doing what cruisers do.  Visited town, provisioned the boat, and visited the beach bar.  The last Saturday of our stay a large beach party with a pirates theme for pirate Bob’s birthday (I am not sure who Bob is) was held on Hamburger Beach (to the north of Volleyball Beach on Stocking Island).  Everyone came in costume.  There were eye patches galore.  It is amazing what people carry on their boats.  There were stuffed parrots, hooks for the hands and clothing that Errol Flynn could have worn in his swashbuckling movies.  As Pirate Bob was the theme Bob had to written on the outfit somewhere.  We wore our most look alike pirate clothes; I made eye patches, scarves for the head, and cardboard knives with foil cover.  For sashes we used surveyor’s ribbon (we were the only boat with surveyors ribbon on board).  For the party everyone brought snacks to share.  A lot of good food.  The entertainment included dancing; best costume contest; visits by the Blues Brothers, the Supremes, Willie Nelson, Sonny & Cher (karaoke); and a coconut bra contest (women not men).  Sorry, no pictures as we forgot to bring the camera.

During one of our last dinghy rides across the harbor we had a dolphin swimming next to the dinghy.

Our friends on Lioness III left Sunday on there way south to Trinidad.  It sure was tempting to go with them.  The following Monday, April 3, we left Georgetown to start our trip north.  The day before we left the harbor there were 195 boats still there (with plenty of room for more).  Our first day we traveled 46 nm North in Exuma Sound back to Black Point.  We had a large group of small dolphins swimming with for a ways.  I counted at least 7 dolphins including a baby in the group.  We saw many flying fish along the way.  Its amazing how far they can fly (glide).