What difference a year makes....

What a difference a year makes.

If you are a loyal reader of this blog (thank you, by the way) you will remember that I lost my heart last year to a little Cay in the Berrie Islands of the Bahamas. By accident, we ended up at a marina on Great Harbour Cay where we spend a couple of months and we absolutely loved it.

We loved it so much we couldn't stop talking about it and we told everyone that they should come to Great Harbour Cay.  And came they did….. Now, I can’t take all the credit (or responsibility) for all the people that are here this year but I can take some. Last year there were 2- 3- 4- boats here during the winter and this year the marina has had to turn boats away because they are full. Locals have told me they haven’t seen so many boats here in years.

This of course has its positive and negative points. The positive is that the Island and its people are benefiting greatly from the number of tourists who spend their money here now. The negative is that I now have to share MY Island paradise with a whole bunch of people… the thing is, it was never really mine to begin with, so I have to remember that and not be so selfish.

Look, if I make is sound bad, it isn't my intent; I have met some wonderful people who will be in my heart forever. So perhaps I haven’t lost anything, perhaps I have gained something.  All I know is that my heart has grown with all the love I have recently received.

A lot has happened this past month, since my last blog entry, lots of fun times which I hope to share with you in the pictures that I am posting. 

Cathy, me and Iren enjoying the wonderful beach on GHC

Fun in the sun

At the Winter-fest, me sporting a Junkanoo headpiece fitting for a Queen

At my 50th birthday party with Kim, Cap' and Sugar

The lovely Pat and Celine who worked so hard on my Birthday party

Local fauna and flora

Birthday party with Hans, Cathy and Vic.

GAry's good friend Rufus, who stops by every day to say hello

My birthday gift from Gary .A wooden plaque shaped like a book, signed by all my friends and family who were here for my birthday

Gary taking a picture of a shark right off the dock by our boat

A evening guest

The annual Wahoo tournament that is held on GHC was won by Sandy and his crew. One of the fishermen gave me apiece of Wahoo which I cut up and had with wasabi. Delish!!

Good friends -The Beautiful people on SV Carina - Tim and Cathy

A typical evening of docktails with new and old friends.

Full moon rising over Time& Tide

Fresh donuts delivered to us by a good friend  from Nassau

First time spear fishing he got these beauties.  I tried spearfishing but found myself unable to kill a living creature...in fact the older I get the harder it is for me to harvest conch and kill fish.  Gary feels the same way - seems like we are getting soft in our old age

Beach scene

Chilaxin

It is so beautiful here, I have no words to describe it

                                                                                                Pam and I .                                                                                                                                       Pam works as part of a crew on a 8 mil $ yacht.For my birthday I was invited for a glass of wine on board the yacht.Of course I said yes!! I was even treated to some carrot cake. 

Cushion Star

Ray

A week ago a fire broke out on the island.It is very dry here and the fire spread fast. The local fire department has worked for days now to put it out. The smoke was horrible as an easterly wind carried it right down to the marina where we were in our boats. The fire didn't cause any major damage , just burning brush and trees, among them the Poisonwood tree.The Poisonwood tree's sap ,leaves and bark is very dangerous and causes blister-like burns if it comes in contact with skin. The smoke from this tree is also very irritating if inhaled. Kudos to all who worked so hard to prevent the fire from spreading further

Left over after the fire

On Tuesday evenings we have DRIFT AND DRINK. We go out on our dinghies, tie them together and drift with the tide and winds.....and have a drink while watching the sunset.This is Iren and Vic in the foreground.

The crown I am wearing was made by a local lady It is made from palm leaves and shells. It is fitting for a queen And everyone made me feel like a queen.

So many people worked so hard to make my birthday party a success and it was the BEST!!!

A picture of the fire ( thank you Frenchie)

My favourite place in the world

Lately it has become more about the destination than the journey for us. Great Harbour Cay remains the highlight of all our travels and our favourite destination. I hope to come back here next year, but we shall see where the winds and the tides take us. For now we still have plenty of time ahead to enjoy this piece of heaven with the lovely people who live here.

...........................to be continued.