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Regatta Point Party

We stretched into the day with morning yoga again at Regatta Point. Amy coached us through a challenging and balancing flow of vinyasas, even adding in an inversion head stand that got our blood going for the day.

Christie and Amy enjoying the view

The yoga crewed walked down the one road that winds through town past houses with locals weaving out front, past the All-Age School with its empty basketball court out nearest the street and into Lorraine’s for our daily visit with her and other cruisers stopping in to lunch and catch up on their digital lives. It was a special treat as Raven and Sharniece, from Kids’ Church, stopped in on their school lunch break for a snack. Their eyes lit up when I darted out of the computer room for big hugs and my heart overflowed for having seen them once more before leaving the Settlement.

At lunch this court fills up with all the school kids racing home for their afternoon meal

Christie and two of the girls from her Kids’ Church group

During yoga, Amy and I had the idea to have a full moon party (any excuse will do) at Regatta Point with a potluck dinner early enough to enjoy the sunset from the deck. As the day went on, we passed word along as we met up with friends throughout town and put a general announcement to the anchorages out on the VHF radio. With plans set for 4:30, it was back to the boat to start prepping. I started gathering party supplies (candles, paper goods, chairs) and cooked a few dishes to share while Matt was above deck moving Kaleo back around to Castle Beach anchorage where we would be ready to leave for Little Farmer’s Cay in the morning.

After helping him set the anchor, we changed into evening wear (out of running shorts and into khaki shorts) then dinghyied over to “Storyville”, where “SYL” was side tied. Rusty had graciously offered to ferry the entire Texas Navy, plus some new friends on “Dare Too”, in his 33′ foot dinghy (which is actually his catamaran) over to Regatta Point. Everyone jumped onboard and with the country tunes cranked up, we motored around the point, arriving on the scene as floating party straight out of Texas.

The bow of SYL nosing up to the Regatta Point dock
Matt and Rusty arriving on the scene in style

Many cruisers had already gathered as we tied up to the dock and adjusted the satellite radio station to better suit the crowd. A blend of cruisers and locals were mingling as sounds of laughter and sea stories floated out over the water. Even Lorraine and her precious little boy, Josh, were able to come and all the cruisers were delighted to feed her for a change.

Cruisers enjoying the company

Josh enjoying the attention (and food) from Christie

Upon setting down our dishes, our eyes connected with our stomachs over the Thanksgiving-size spread of offerings brought for the party. A range of chips and salsas, crispy crab cakes, colorful Hawaiian piaia, chilled chicken salad, warm rice pilaf, fresh spring rolls, bright veggie pizza slices, classic Mac & Cheese, zesty lemon bars, and on and on. Their flavors mingling together in the air accenting the ever-present fragrance of the ocean.

Talking with Pam of “Zephia”

As sunset approached, Rusty was found hoisting his main sail and setting up the projector on “SYL”. The crowd gathered on the deck of Regatta Point to take in the majestic sunset and search for the ever-elusive green flash. Then, just after the sun dipped below the horizon, “SYL” turned into a first-class, floating drive-in theater as “Captain Ron” (a cruiser classic) lit up the main sail. Quotable lines like “if it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen out there boss” and “Naturals! Everyoneaya, Naturals!” filled the warm night air.

The blowing of the conch shell horn to signify sunset
“Captain Ron” lit up the sail of the floating drive-in /catamaran “SYL”

As the credits rolled and we said goodnight to new friends, the Navy boarded “SYL” to return to our anchorage on the other side of Black Point. The party continued for some time into the night as we side-tied “SYL” to “Storyville” and talked of our time spent in this settlement that we’d grown to love and with warm, yet heavy hearts, made plans to sail to Little Farmers Cay the next day.

We can’t say enough about Black Point Settlement. It is an absolute gem! It has great, protective anchorages, a true authentic Bahamian community, and it’s home to the best Cracked Conch (thanks Lorraine!) and Coconut Bread (thanks Lorraine’s mamma). The community is filled with some amazing kids that have huge hearts for God and a thankful outlook on life. The most attractive thing about the settlement for us is the people – warm, outgoing, inviting and generous of their time and talents to cruisers.

Yoga and Kids’ Church

With plans to move Kaleo around to the anchorage closest to town, we got moving early right after Chris Parker’s weather report at 6:30. The day was framed around several trips into town so we wanted “home” to be closer for easier dinghy runs.

After setting the hook in the main anchorage, we jumped in the dinghy and zoomed over to Regatta Point for a 10 o’clock yoga session. Regatta Point is a dock and set of buildings on the south side of town that serves as the headquarters for the annual Black Point Sailing Regatta. But the other 51 weeks of the year it sits virtually unused. The main building has a large, multi-colored deck jutting out over the dazzling turquoise water which made for a serene morning yoga studio. Amy coached us through some poses like “Crow“, where you crouch with your knees pressed against your elbows, raising your lower body up while balancing on slightly bent arms, supporting your entire weight for as long as possible. Everyone was successful but agreed we’d all be sore from it.

After yoga, we spent time chatting with Amy and Dave of “Crow’s Nest”. Hailing from Colorado and Connecticut, they are a fun young couple who are out here for some of the same reasons we are. They remind us of fun, energetic Austin or Seattle-type people who are at peace with enjoying the world on a relaxed schedule, focusing on experiences, not stuff. We hope to spend more time with them as we continue exploring the islands.

Lorraine was still out of conch today and the Internet connection was dismally slow, so the whole Navy gave DeShmon’s (the other restaurant in town) a try. They had pizza on the menu and we split an italian sausage and cheese with Shane while browsing the net. The group made tentative plans for moving the fleet down to the next island of Farmer’s Cay soon.

On the way back to the boat we stopped by the market to see what fresh produce the mail boat might have brought in. The fresh selection wasn’t huge but we picked up a head of lettuce ($3), a plantain ($1) and eggs ($3). Last night we’d promised to bring some Fellowship Church Kids’ Curriculum DVD’s to Miss Sharon, a missionary at the local church. And while dropping those off, we discovered that kids’ church, called TeamKIDS,would be that evening and they would welcome any help. We planned to return ready to hang with the kids and help out.

After putting away the groceries we snuck in a nap, cleaned up the boat a bit and then had dinner before heading back into town for TeamKIDS. A few rain clouds dotted the horizon as we were leaving but they didn’t seem threatening enough to justify shutting all the hatches, (which we would later regret as Matt had to run back to the boat when the sky opened up and poured down). While walking up the dock we ran into Raymond, whom we’d met in church on Sunday, and he insisted on giving us ride to the church. We hopped aboard his golf cart and were chauffeured to the front door of the church education building while he explained a little history of the island. It’s just another example of how giving and gracious the Bahamian people are in allowing us to weave into their community.

Matt in the Church Education Centre with rain clouds forming

The kids’ church classroom

Christie and the kiddos playing “Candy Land”

About three dozen kiddos showed up early with enthusiasm and huge hearts for God for TeamKIDS. From Pre-K to 5th grade, the room was quickly filled with giggling and high-energy as games like “Candy Land” and “Connect Four” kept them entertained until it was time to start. First up, Miss Sharon reviewed the lessons they had gone through in previous weeks and then began with the evening’s lesson on “choosing the right friends.” Sampson was the example story and when she asked who knew anything about Sampson, almost every hand shot up. But these kids knew so much more than the simple fact of Sampson being the strongest man in the world. With answers about his marriage to a Philistine, adding that he shouldn’t have been friends with her, and not being able to eat dead animals, these kids knew their bible stories. It certainly helps that they are given Biblical knowledge as a class subject in grade-school.

Lesson Worksheet for the younger kids

Using a modern-looking felt board and engaging worksheets, Miss Sharon taught us all about how friends can be an influence on you and what to look for in a good friend. As the lesson ended, the kids were invited to join in together for “popcorn prayer” where everyone closes their eyes, folds their hands and prays about something out loud when they feel led. We were expecting crickets. Maybe a kid or two would speak out in the silence, but it was a heart-warming surprise when they were practically talking over each other, popping prayers throughout the classroom with the sweetest sincerity. Thanking God for “food on their tables, clothes on their back and shoes on their feet”, for “parents and teachers”, for “missionaries in far off lands” and for “protection”. We had lumps in our throats when one young boy said “God, thank you for Meez Chrestie and Mr. Mott, that they came here to us tonight” and another little girl thanked Him for “our special guests.” My entire self smiled and it was all I could do to not burst into happy-tears hearing their voices raised in such powerful prayer.

Refreshments of Animal Crackers and chilled Capri Suns were a treat for the kiddos as well as ourselves and we left feeling overjoyed and blessed at the opportunity to have been part of TeamKIDS for the night.

Becoming Part of the BP Community

Monday brought strong winds which would make for wet dinghy rides and unpleasant sailing so we spent the morning hanging out on the boat. Just before lunch the winds let up so we grabbed the opportunity for a drier dinghy ride and headed into the beach, then made the 2-mile walk into town. The first stop was Lorraine’s for, you guessed it, Internet and her famous cracked conch. She was out of conch as no one had been out fishing due to the choppy sea state and heavy winds so we opted for her take on wings and fries. Another reinforcement that she’s the best chef in town. We stopped by Adderley’s small market store to see if they may have any fresh produce but the mail boat hadn’t yet come this week so headed back to our anchorage to see what the rest of the Navy was up to.

The 2 mile walk (each way) into town from our anchorage on the south side of BP

From our experience, every anchorage has its trade-offs, but Castle Beach has offered some of the best protection we’ve had yet. It’s a crescent-shaped cove with good water depths, two big beaches and protection from heavy wind and waves in every direction except from the west. What we trade for calm nights at anchor and an uncrowded anchorage is a long walk into town and no Internet on the boat. But we really like the anchorage and it makes the 20+ knot winds seem like no big deal.

That evening, Shane hosted everyone in the anchorage for sundowners and snacks aboard his Lagoon 410. We had the chance to finally meet Ted and Mili, of “Morning Glory”, who we’d been emailing with for a few months. They had sailed into the anchorage a few hours earlier and came to Shane’s boat for the gathering. It was a delight to spend some time getting to know them in person and we’re looking forward to more of it. Their catamaran is the same kind as SYL, a Seawind 1000, so another common bond was formed and we’re sure there will be a race or two between them. No sailor can pass up racing against the same type of boat because it has the tendency to highlight your sailing skills.

We never tire of these evenings in the backyard

The VHF crackled to life early Tuesday morning with an open invite to yoga led by Amy, a fellow cruiser aboard Crow’s Nest. The venue of choice for the morning’s session was outside the laundromat, as the owner, a local named Ida, wanted to join. Ida was in the middle of giving haircuts (yes, the laundromat doubles as a hair salon) so we all perused Mary’s garage sale that was set up out front while waiting for the trims finish up. Mary is an American that has lived in Black Point for the last 10 years but is now planning a move to Hawaii to be closer to her son. Only wanting to take what will fit in her luggage, she is selling the rest and her garage sale pops up at various locations throughout town during the week.

Ida cutting a cruiser’s hair in front of her laundromat

Miss Mary and her garage sale

The sun shined brightly as half a dozen cruisers and three locals stretched out upon beach towels and yoga mats ready to follow Amy’s form. An hour later we were all feeling a little more inner peace and a little muscle burn too. Lorraine’s was next for some Internet but she was still out of conch so we didn’t stay long. We jumped in the dinghy with Deana, who’d given us a ride in, to zip back towards Castle Beach.

Christie warming up on the sidewalk/yoga studio

Lunch and naps aboard filled the early afternoon before we walked back into town to help tutor some local children at the church. A sign was posted at Ida’s laundromat inviting cruisers help tutor school children and with our hearts set on giving back to this community that’s given so much to us, we eagerly signed up the crew of “Kaleo” to help.

Gregory and Sharniece, both about 6 years old, came by the church’s educational center after school to work on reading. It quickly became apparent that they were both solid readers and just needed to practice a little pronunciation and stringing words into more fluid sentences with someone. We spent about a couple hours working on sounding out some words and reading books like,”Miss Spider’s New Car” and “The Pig Did A Jig”. We quickly adapted our Texan “cats” and “bats” to Bahamian “cots” and “bots” to help reinforce their British-influenced English. We had a great time with the kiddos and are looking forward to helping out again while we’re here.

Dinghying back to the boat, we stopped by SYL to say goodbye to Linda, who was flying back to Houston in the morning. She is a key witness in a criminal case that has been going on for a few years and the district attorney called out of the blue this week to say it was time to go court. Another bit of dinghying took us to “Pipe Muh Bligh” where the rest of the crew was cooking up their catch from the day’s fishing trip. Lobster and Lionfish were on the menu and it smelled delicious. They were gracious enough to invite us to stay and join the feast but we just didn’t feel right given all the work they had put into snagging their catch while we were in town with the kiddos. So, Matt cooked us up some turkey burgers back on Kaleo and we made it an early evening. Another fine day in earthly paradise.

Black Point Settlement

It was early to rise on Monday morning to tuck into the cove near “Castle Beach”, just two miles south of Black Point Settlement, for the approaching weekend’s moderate blow. As we motored around the point, it became quickly apparent how the beach earned its nickname as there is a picturesque, yet somewhat out of place, white castle standing proud upon the bluff overlooking the anchorage. Though not as large as King Arthur’s, it’s a square castle with four turrets rounding each corner, arched windows and a grand staircase. Only a wind generator spinning like an airplane propeller proves it’s of the modern age.

Sea Yawl Later and Storyville headed to the protected anchorage

The castle on the bluff

While headed toward the anchorage, Christie got creative in the galley and made french toast with the last of our coconut bread. Partnered with eggs, bacon and Mandarin oranges, it was a meal that easily competed for one our the best breakfasts yet. We did the dishes, scouted a good spot for the boat then dropped the anchor. Quickly, the bow jerked the chain taunt giving us the reassuring feeling of our hook deeply wedged beneath the sand on the sea floor. We cleaned up the boat then jumped in the dinghy to head over toward some lobster hunting action. Storyville and Anchor Management were over near the rock cliffs looking for dinner and we wanted to check their luck. Deana and Steve were dipping below the surface with Hawaiian Slings in hand looking for an unsuspecting lobster or fish. A few poked out from beneath a rock ledge and the hunt was on! It took a few shots but Deana quickly speared her first lobster which they would enjoy with warm butter and as a topping on their pizza later.

Steve and Deana hunting for lobster

Dinghying away from the hunting grounds, we stopped at yet another boat in the cove hailing from Houston; Randy, aboard “Mariah”, a single-hander that has been cruising the Bahamas and east coast for the past 20 years. We picked up a little local knowledge about the best road into town then jetted over to SYL to visit with Rusty and Linda as the sun set. We enjoyed their company as we all watched the front blowing in. We could see the rain line and dark clouds marching towards our bobbing boats and at the last minute we left SYL to return to Kaleo still dry. The wind picked up to about 20-23 knots and we settled in for a night aboard. “Ondine” was the movie for the evening and it does not make our recommendation list. Okay at best, we decided to delete it from our hard drive with no intentions of even sharing it.

Regardless of the movie review, we enjoyed being snuggled up onboard while the wind howled outside and Kaleo, chained to the sea floor, bobbed ever so slightly.

On Sunday, the same conditions greeted us but with plans to go to church in Black Point, we couldn’t let a little wind and dinghy sea spray stop us. After a hearty breakfast and dressing in our Sunday best (rare these days), the Navy piled into their respective dinghies and met on the beach. Shane arranged a ride for us into town and the island missionary, Charles, picked us up in his truck. It saved us a couple of miles walk and we all got to mark it as our first time going to church in the back of a pick-up. And certainly a first for sitting in service with sandy feet.

The Bahamian Holy Bible Mission Church is a quaint, sea-foam green building in front of the biggest beach on Black Point. Traditionally set up inside, it was really nice to go to church and even nicer going with the entire group of cruising friends. The Navy was in for a surprise as Shane, of Guiding Light, was enlisted to give the message for the day. Shane had been to the church a few weeks earlier and had really enjoyed his time there. The pastor, who also happens to double as the town’s police chief, asked if Shane wouldn’t mind giving a message and he gladly accepted. He delivered a powerful message based on the insightful personal relationship book, “The Five Love Languages” and how God shows his love to all of us via the five different ways. Perfectly timed for a Valentine’s Day message of expressing love. By the way if you haven’t read the book, we highly recommended it. Not just for romantic relationships, but to help you understand how all relationships (parent/child, friends, co-workers) in your life express love and the best ways to reciprocate it.

The Texas Navy heading to church

After service let out we all walked down to Lorraine’s for a leisurely Sunday lunch of cracked conch. Have we mentioned this is the most amazing conch to be had?! Delicate, tender, buttery and lightly fried with a side of french fries, it made for the best Sunday meal we’ve had in a long time. Christie and Linda stayed at Lorraine’s to do some Internet items while the rest of the crew walked to a blow hole further down the island. It was a powerful hole with mist and water shooting upward with every crashing wave but the scene was ruined by trash scattered everywhere. Either the blow hole was also the town dump or it happened to be the spot where all the trash from the ocean collected. Regardless it took something away from the otherwise awe-inspiring scene.

Lorraine’s AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS Cracked Conch

On the ride back to the anchorage we stopped to wait for a local guy to back his boat into a driveway. Just as we stopped, the boat came unhitched from the truck and began rolling down the road. Luckily it veered off and into a ditch before hitting Charles’ truck. All the guys jumped out of the truck and helped the local guy get the boat hitched back up and out of the ditch.

Upon returning to our own boats, all the guys lent a hand across the Navy with various boat projects. Shane had a watermaker project to work on, Rusty had a rudder fix to make, Steve a wind generator issue to diagnose. Matt returned home after dark just in time for us to enjoy some dinner and reflect on a really nice day.

N 24° 04.43 / W 76° 23.27

Introducing the “Texas Navy”

Leave it to a bunch of Texans to find each other amongst remote Bahamian islands. A true Texas flotilla has formed with the five vessels Matt and Christie of Kaleo, Steve aboard Anchor Management, Troy and Deana of Storyville, Rusty and Linda on Sea Yawl Later, and Shane aboard Guiding Light.

Storyville and Anchor Management sailing the banks
Guiding Light and Sea Yawl Later rafted up in Staniel Cay

The “Texas Navy” on our way to church service in Black Point

Rusty,the quintessential Texan – warm, outgoing with can-do optimism and a true southern gentleman, first coined the nickname of our group all hailing from near Houston which includes two catamarans, a racer/cruiser, a full-keeled cutter and a ketch.

Beyond our Texas origins, the group seems to share a similar cruising style with each crew member bringing a unique and enjoyable personality, and has formed a strong bond out here. While each crew is still responsible for their own boat, we often confer on destinations, daily activities and swap anchorage and weather info. Days are spent exploring new areas, sharing meals, games and movies together. We’ve warmed to the name so much that when someone wants to hail everyone in the group, they come on the VHF radio with “Texas Navy, Texas Navy, switch to channel 17.” We all switch over and make plans but since VHF is an open frequency (meaning anyone with a radio can listen in), our nickname has become known among the local cruising community. When you introduce yourself to another cruiser around here and mention you’re from Texas, often the first thing they ask is “are you part of the Texas Navy?” And while we’re having a ton of fun together, we’re not an exclusive, members-only club and look forward to meeting others – both cruisers and locals – along our journeys.

As each boat’s cruising plans progress, we may go our own course in time but for now are enjoying each day we’re blessed to spend together.

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