Abaco Beach Resort & Boat Harbour...Winter Home

• Whatever you want to do in the Bahamas, you must first check the tides and the waves. There's a very tricky passage, Whale Passage. This is the most challenging and notorious passage in the Abacos. Lucky for us it was a nice calm day when we went through. The water is a beautiful crystal clear turquoise blue. The Abacos are a boomerang shaped chain of islands and cays. Our first on-sight heading is on a candy striped lighthouse in Elbow Cay; it's 100 feet tall. We make a turn and I can see the beginning of the Abaco Beach Resort & Boat Harbour, our home for the next three and a half months. It's 52 acres of lushly landscaped gardens. It has 200 protected slips used mostly by our yacht club. The view from our slip is that of an impressionist painting, with watercolors from deep azure to neon shades of aquamarine, it just does not look real. One side is a beautiful white sandy beach that's just steps away from our dock. Outside the beach are some rocks that are perfect for a quick snorkel dive. You can go kayaking or sailing; all non-motorized water sports are free. The monkey bars and childrens' play area are very inviting for adults who have not grown up. Behind the beach, where there are lots of trees, are several dozen hammocks. Whenever I lay there to read my book, I fall asleep. Heading back to the dock is a grassy area with a big square of sand and that is the volley ball pit. There's a tennis court for those more active. There's also a fitness center, I only used it to weigh myself. I have no idea why, I just made myself sick. I can't forget to tell you about the pool with a swim up bar. So far everything is perfect. The only things missing are friends and family from home.
• We pull in and as we are getting ready to dock at least 20 people are standing at the dock. Not to tell Mike how to dock, but to welcome us. Everyone is saying hi and telling us their names. I had the fenders on the port, they should have been starboard. Mike didn't have the bow thruster on so he leaned against the pole. We were very uncomfortable. We both could have done better. We felt we did not make a good first impression when it comes to docking the boat. Turns out that one of the other boaters actually has cards for rating docking. I didn't see our score, I'm probably better off not knowing.
• I tried to get airline tickets, you have to go from here to an airport in Florida. I could get to Florida, but to New York was another story. The house is completely closed up, I don't even have a can of soup in the closet. We would only stay home for 10 days and have the same trouble coming back down here. We decided not to go home for Christmas. We know we'll be sorry on Christmas Day, we'll be blue and lonely.
• We arrived here on a Friday, turns out Friday night is cocktail party night. Everyone brings what they want to drink and something to share. We met many more people. As of now, no one has a last name. There's just too many to remember, so we are "Mike and Pat Libations."
• We spent the next day checking out the town, riding our bikes and getting organized. We have cable T.V., electric and water, what more do we need. On Saturday night we went to the Jib room for dinner. You call on your radio and let them know what you want to eat. Steak or fish. We ordered 2 steaks, next time we will order 1 and split it. Just too much food. They have about 6 special drinks. I decided to start at the top and work down. Each time I go I'll have a different drink. Drink 1 was a goombay mash. Rum and some kind of juice, very good.
• On Sunday, a school bus picked us up to go to church. The church, St. Francis De Sales, is about 6 miles away. The mass is fun, most of it is sung. What we sometimes call a "jump-up-and-down church." Unlike home, everyone is all dressed up. There are several little girls in gowns that are as cute as they can be. The mass is very uplifting.
• On Monday, Manard and Marnie were leaving to go back to Canada. A cocktail party was planned to say goodbye. O.K. not only on Friday night are there cocktail parties. At home, Jo and Whitey A. have first day of spring parties, clam party, just cause it's sunny parties. Just like home, you don't need an excuse to have a party.
• We were invited to dinner aboard Rita and Robert's boat. We were very honored since we had just met them a few days ago. It was a lovely evening and we learned a lot about the area.
• It's starting to look a lot like Christmas. Many boats are decorated with bright lights. We went to town to buy something to show our spirit. Not too much left. We just put a big red bow on the sliding doors. Many other boaters are having their families arrive. Something to think about for next year.
• It's Christmas Eve...doesn't feel like it. We don't have the usual stuff to do. Cook the turkey, set the table, last minute gifts. It isn't even cold. Of course, there is a cocktail party.
• Christmas Morning, we take the school bus to church. The sun is shining and it's hot. After Mass we went to breakfast at the restaurant in the resort, Angler's.
• Our gift to each other is this trip. We are both very thankful for this opportunity to be in the Bahamas for Christmas and on our own boat.
• We were invited to another marina for a Christmas Day celebration. They had ham, pork loin and turkey with all the trimmings. We met more couples from the USA, Canada and the UK. It was dark when we got home, we called the kids and with the video camera we were able to see all of them together and having fun. Hearing them was a wonderful way to end our first Christmas away from the family and friends we love.
• The next day, the 26th is Boxing Day. It started because the staff had to work on important days like Christmas serving the master and his family. They were kept away from celebrating with their own families. The servants would have the next day off. It became a customary tradition to "box" the left over food and take it home. There was one restaurant open on Boxing Day, Snappas Bar and Grill, about 15 couples got together and celebrated.