Spring Break 2016

Lauren is coming to visit us for Spring Break and its time to make reservations. We tried to do this a couple of years ago when we were planning to go to The Exumas. We couldn't get it to work last time, so we were determined to get her here this year. So, Shay spent hours and hours online looking at different airlines, at different times, for different prices, and on different dates. Yes, she's flying over here, but getting to the Islands is not easy or cheap. She needed to get a very early start from Wilmington to get to where she was leaving the States. We wanted to get her to FL early enough that she wouldn't have a problem getting to Green Turtle in one day. Not crazy about her spending the night at the Treasure Cay airport or ferry dock if her flight got in too late.

Everyone knows when you are working with different airlines you have the potential for more problems. Add a ferry ride into the mix and its an even bigger mess! So the plan is leave Wilmington very early, get to Fort Lauderdale as soon as possible and hope she gets to the Silver Airways terminal before her flight takes off.

Yes, there was plenty of time on paper, but "It's the Bahamas, Mon" and things are not always as they should be. So, we've got her to Treasure Island and now, how do we get her to Green Turtle? We could go over in Escape and anchor outside and take the dingy in, get a taxi and drive up. If the weather is calm, we can take the dingy across, get a taxi and get her. If the weather is rough, she can take a taxi from the airport to the ferry and take a ferry to Donny's dock. So we have several "plans", just not sure which one we will use. So tickets bought, plans made, and backup plans made!

She left Wilmington at about 6:30 am and got to Fort Lauderdale around noon. So far, so good. She had to ask several different people how to get to the Silver Airway Terminal. She finally found someone who gave her more directions than go outside and walk to it. So she got to the terminal and had to go thru security check again, since she had to leave one secure building and walk to another. So thru security again. She got  the run around about when her flight would leave. At first it was an hour late but ended up being about 30 minutes late when all was said and done.

The night before she got here, Donny, the man who owns the marina told us he would take us over to pick her up, but we knew if something happened at the marina, he might not be able to go. So we told her to call us just before her flight took off and we would let her know. Weather was good for taking a fast boat across to Treasure Cay, so we told her to look for us at the airport. If she didn't see us there, to take a taxi to the ferry, and if we weren't there to take the ferry to Donny's Marina. You never know when something last minute will happen and we didn't want her to be stuck there looking for us.

Hi, mom.

So, we met her at the airport and waited and waited for her to get thru customs. She was the first person off the plane and we assumed she'd be the first to get thru customs. Shay was worried because he had sent some boat things for her to bring over. It was replacement parts and should not have been a problem but "it's the Bahamas, Mon". She finally came out smiling and we asked what took so long. She had left her passport on the plane and had to go back and get it and get in the back of the line.

We have missed this girl!

Lauren explaining why it took so long to get thru customs

So we got in the car and headed to the dock. We got back to the marina with no problems and got her settled on the boat. We had made plans to go to a fund raiser for the island youth tonight so we headed to that so we would get there before all the food was gone.

Emma welcomed Lauren to the boat.

We had a great time introducing Lauren to our friends and had a great meal. After we ate we walked around the island and showed her some of the sights.

We had a great time while she was here. We got caught up on our grand-dog, Roux and all Lauren's teaching stories. Her and her dad took a long bike ride on day, exploring place we would not have walked to. We took several long walks on Gillium Bay looking for and finding starfish, sand dollars, and other shells.

Beach dat way!

Lauren did not like holding the starfish!

We took Escape up to Manjack Cay and went exploring with her. We took the dingy into the mangroves but couldn't get very close to the turtles and rays. We took the dingy up to the north end of the island to Manjack Rocks and went ashore. As we were going up, she looked at beautiful white sand beach with clear water and said, "This is the beach I have been wanting to see." So glad the weather was good and we could go explore with her.

We saw lots of big starfish!

We walked around the beach, finding shells, taking pictures and enjoying being together. On the way back to the dingy, we saw a couple of sharks swimming near some fishing boats. The people in the water didn't look worried.

 

Driftwood setting

Beautiful weather, beach, sand, water and girl!

 

 As we were leaving we noticed another boat looking at something in the water and saw our first peek of Penny. She is Donny's pet turtle and will eat out of your hand. We had some bread to feed her and so when the other boat left, we got our chance. We had seen the other boaters splashing their hands in the water and so we tried it and were surprised when Penny came our way. She came right up to Lauren's hand, but didn't like the bread. Shay said he thought Donny usually brought squid to feed her. He brings tourist up here to feed the turtles and has been doing it a long time. We had a great time watching her and getting pictures and video. So glad we could do this with Lauren.

Penny eating out of Lauren's hand.

 

Penny Video

 

Penny underwater

 

Well, of course we had to make our picture under the "in water" Tiki Hut!

Beautiful sunset

Dingy ride into the mangroves looking for fish, rays, and starfish. We saw all three.

Turtle and ray. Thanks David and Emma for the Go Pro video!

Special treat! Homemade ice cream on Rickshaw! We took coconut cookies and made ice cream sandwiches! Yummy!

The next day we came back to the marina and Shay and Lauren took our dingy and David took his and they went to Piggyville.  Lauren had heard a lot about the pigs in the Bahamas, but she was amazed when she saw them. They were ready for the pigs and took bread, sweet potato scrapes and ham. I didn't go with them, but they said the other visitors to the island were shocked that the pigs were eating ham! I guess that makes them cannibals? Well, they looked like it didn't bother them.

...and mama pig said "What do you have I your bucket? And more important, are you going to share?"

Yes, that's pig eating ham!

Three little pigs went to Lauren

Lauren training her pig

Lauren loved the sandy noses!

A girl and her pigs!

 

We think this pig was doing his business

Family portrait

Back to the island for a fish/chicken fry at one for the churches. Shay had gotten some "banana pancakes" which looked like fried banana balls. Lauren said they were called "johnnycakes" in Belize. We all tried them and they were good. Lauren asked for some without the banana and said they were just like the ones on Belize. She was very happy to have them again. We also had the traditional baked mac'n'cheese. Every place you eat has it. That and rice and peas are always on the menu. We also had traditional hot cross buns. It's Good Friday and David said they were always served around Easter in England.

Shay's fish

Johnnycakes

Lauren leaves tomorrow so back to the boat so she can get packed up. The weather looks calm for tomorrow and if so Shay will take her across in the dingy. Hope the trip back goes smoothly. We invited FFF over for muffins for breakfast before she leaves so we can all wish her a safe trip back.

Up and ready for muffins with us and FFF. The weather is good so Shay is taking her over. I'm sad to see her go, but so happy we had a great week together!

 

Bye! Miss you!

Lauren got back to the states with no problems, but  the rest of the trip didn't go so smooth. She was delayed in Charlotte and didn't get to Wilmington until after midnight and she was supposed to get there about 10 pm. Glad it was on the return trip and not the trip over. Well, we had a great time and she can rest up tomorrow! See you when we get back!