Beach Volleyball on Volleyball Beach

Wednesday, February 13, dawned sunny with airs of just 10 to 15 nm/h. We decided it was time to leave the harbour and head out to an anchorage. We chose Volleyball Beach, about a mile across Elizabeth Harbour from George Town.

Elizabeth Harbour is a long narrow stretch of sea lying between Great Exuma and a string of cays, by far the largest of which is Stocking Island, directly opposite George Town. Stocking Island features Volleyball Beach and the Chat ‘n’ Chill bar and snack house; Hamburger Beach, up on its northern tip; and a number of coves and anchorages. Provided we stay out of the shipping channels, cruisers are more than welcome.

We arranged the lines such that I could loose them from the boat, thus removing the necessity of my performing the gazelle-like leaps Whit favours. It all went very well. WW is learning not to tell me how to do something, then see me having difficulty, then do it for me. He is learning this because I snarl at him. As a result, I have learned a few things. Mind you, there is always the temptation to look helpless. It would be so much easier if I could just sign on as figurehead or bowsprit or something.

We motored across the harbour and found a spot off Volleyball Beach. Then we laid the anchor. Really, it went very well despite a bit of wind. I’m not quite ready to solo the bow section, but I’ll get the hang of it. Let’s not think about getting it up again.

After lunch, we decided to go in and see what was going on on the beach. Well, what a surprise! People were playing volleyball! There were also crafters weaving baskets, children playing in trees, readers reading, and the talk was all boats. WW ventured onto the volleyball court and did rather well as a rank amateur. There are regular clinics for beginners. He thinks he might attend one. I opted to be a rapt spectator since volleyball always results in huge painful bruises running the length of my arms. I’ll stick with splicing. Maybe I’ll learn to basket weave. Other regular activities are pilates and yoga; there’s a flipflop repair spot; and various special events, all announced between 8 and 9 a.m. on the Cruisers’ Net, channel 72 on your single side band (SSB) radio.

Aside from a few young couples with their children, the majority of cruisers at this particular destination are “of a certain age”. WW described Volleyball Beach as summer camp for the rapidly greying.

Back on Django, I made a delicious (if rather chewy) mutton curry with spicy dhal. I am trying to learn to cook using local produce. So far we’ve had fried plantain, peas and rice (cooked with ham, lots of fresh thyme, and coconut milk), curried pumpkin (a green-skinned winter squash), mutton and bowling fowl (curries again…and no complaints), fresh mango and papaya, tomatillo as a yummy addition to coleslaw, and chayote (aka christophene aka chocho) steamed and with pasta. My captain is either very easy to please or it’s all delicious. I choose to believe the latter. My goal is to make a collection of recipes that work for tropical cruising. This means any recipe beginning with “Preheat oven…” is immediately suspect. I’ve also determined that chayote, tomatillo and cabbage are veggies that keep a long time without refrigeration. With a fridge the size of a small bedside table, that’s important.