Underway Again #12: Black Point

The anchorage at Black Point

 It was a initially a beautiful sail to Black Point but when we changed direction the wind was on the nose and we ended up motoring the rest of the way.  Black Point in Great Guana Cay is the second largest settlement in the Exumas after Georgetown with about 300 people, a lot of whom share the same last name Rolle.  When emancipation was achieved in 1834, one of the plantation owners, Lord Rolle gave all of his former slaves some land as opposed to just setting them free. Most of the slaves just took the last name of their owner as their last name.

Most of the transportation is by golf cart with few cars, actually mostly pickup trucks. 


This is a very friendly place to visit with everyone on the street greeting you with a smile.  There are several very entrepreneurial women on the island.  Ida operates a coin laundry and has several apartments over the laundry to rent as well as several cottages.  Lorraine Rolle (both maiden and married name is Rolle) operates a cafe where she offers lunches and dinners as well as a separate computer room with WiFi where we got caught up on our e-mails and blogs.

 Every morning you see motor boats with about 6-8 young men roaring past the anchored boats at about 7:00 in the morning and then again in the late afternoon.  We were told that the young men are working mainly in construction on neighbouring cays.  What may take us a day to sail from A to B, takes a motor boat less than an hour.  There are several schools on the island and, as in Nassau, all children wear uniforms.  



There is a great dingy dock with ladders to enable you to get in and out of your dinghy easily no matter what the tide..

Wherever you go you see the older women and even men weaving palm leaves into long strips which most sell to Nassau where it is made into straw bags or hats. 

The women are very friendly and it is the culture to greet everyone when you see them.  Thus you will have every little child saying "Good morning" or "Good afternoon" when you pass by.
 

On Tuesday we went to Happy Hour at Scorpios Restaurant and Bar and the rum punches were 3/4 rum ( three kinds poured together) and 1/4 punch.  They packed quite a  punch and I got tipsy quite quickly. 

Nothing like going back to the anchorage in pitch dark trying to determine which boat is yours after a few drinks.  The anchorage was really full, over 60 boats as there was a prediction of a front with high winds on the way.



Maureen hard at work

 



Waiting for laundry

The next day was laundry and internet for most of the day. We even Skyped the kids and saw our precious grandchildren whom we miss very much.

 

 

 

 

Early evening

We went to Lorraine's for her Wednesday night special buffet of ribs, chicken, meatballs, rice and beans, macaroni and cheese cut in squares, coleslaw and cake.  We had a great time playing Mexican dominoes and the  drinks were much more reasonable -more punch and less alcohol. 

Much later

Before heading out this time, we put up one of the solar LED candy canes which our son in law had given us.  Now it was much easier to find our boat!  Thanks Paul.

 

We also met our friends Tom and Chris from Lakeshore Yacht Club who have been living for 6 months on their boat for the past 4 years.  In the summer they go to Alberta where their family lives.  They have sold their home in Toronto and are free spirits.  It was nice to visit with them.  They have done so many countless improvements on their catamaran both cosmetic and functional. 

 

Still no luck at fishing.

 

We were debating whether or not to go to the Farmers Cay Festival but decided to stay in Black Point.  We spent a couple of days on board while the wind howled around us.  The waves and winds were too much to go out in the dinghy unless you wanted a salt water bath within seconds of venturing in the dinghy.  I  finished a 500 piece puzzle and two books while Roman read up on our ham radio which is not transmitting very far or clearly.  On the second night we had a tasty potluck dinner at Kalunamoo where we now played chicken feet dominoes.  That I will teach my grandchildren when we get back.  We got wet going just to the next boat even though we both wore our foul weather jackets.

On Sunday I went to St. Luke's church with Ida and then we went to see her rental cottages  which offer a wonderful panoramic view of Exuma Sound on one side and Exuma bank on the other. 

Exuma Sound

     Exuma Bank
 The beaches are quite different on the two sides.   



Lorraine's granddaughter

That night we watched the Superbowl at Lorraine's where she outdid herself with almost the same menu but with roast turkey and potato salad added.

As you can see, we are healthy and happy.

With Tom & Chris