Donny’s Boat Rental & Marina
“When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, ‘Oh – yes – I already have everything that I really need.” —Dalai Lama
Stan took it easy again today and his foot is looking better. We should be able to head south by Sunday when the winds lay down. Green Turtle Cay is a nice little place to spend time…everything we need is close by. I explored the beach along Gillum Bay today and found more sea urchins, sponges and sea biscuits. I wonder if the people who live here full time even realize how amazing the water is…do they take it for granted and think all water looks like this? It’s just so amazing!
Since I have little report on today, I thought I’d share a little history of the Abacos: The Abacos were settled in 1783 by English colonists who remained loyal to the crown after the American Revolutionary War, which is why the settlements like Hope Town on Elbow Cay and New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay have the look of New England fishing towns complete with picket fences and gingerbread trim – of course with the distinctive Bahamian touch of pastel colors.
They were basically planters, but they soon discovered their future, and ultimate survival, depended on a partnership with the sea. After initially establishing settlements on mainland Abaco, they discovered the protection of snug little harbors on a string of outer cays protected offshore by the world’s third largest barrier reef. Here they built villages and ships, and while they continued farming the mainland, they grew more dependent on the sea for a livelihood. They became wreckers, or ship salvagers, fishermen and expert carpenters whose clapboard homes resembled those in New England. Today, the partnership with the sea is as strong as ever, with small, friendly resorts and numerous marinas. The Bahamas were a British colony until 1973 and are now an independent member of the British Commonwealth with a parliamentary democratic system of government.
The Bahamas consists of 29 islands and 661 cays. Most of the Bahamian islands are located on banks, very unique geologic structures that rise thousands of feet from the deep ocean floor and have only 10-40 feet of water over their flat tops. They are huge underwater plateaus with higher areas, which protrude about the ocean’s surface to form the islands.
Views from Gillum Bay
Hope Stan is recovering quickly. Lovely photos of the turquoise water. We are still working our way south and hope to hop over in 3 weeks if all goes well. Hope we connect. :)
ReplyDeleteWe'll keep an eye out for you! It's wonderful over here.
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