Christmas in the Bahamas….
(I’m catching up)
Sitting on the boat at Sapodilla Bay in the Turks And Caicos…found a free WIFI signal…cant post pics, but will get some ASAP!!!

It has crept up on us here. We are not spending our weekends decorating, going to parties, picking out a Christmas tree, or trudging through the snow or slush to get the right Christmas gifts. We are only slightly aware of the holiday because of the calendar and when we go into town, there are a few decorations about Georgetown. What is very strange is walking into a store or passing one that is playing Christmas music. My brain has made a very solid connection with that music and all the activities we are not doing. We instead are fixing a broken outboard, cleaning the anchor windlass, polishing chrome stanchions, and trying to dry clothing in the wind that got soaked from yesterdays downpour. We throw in a beach excursion, hike to Stocking Island Monument (163 verticle feet!), and a swim ashore to round out the day, but none of the typical Christmas fare we have been so used to for the last 50 some years. There are no big department stores having sales on Keurigs or Christmas wrap. There is no waiting for a parking space at the mall. There is no worry about the Christmas Eve menu. (Ok, I will admit that before leaving Wisconsin I secretly stashed away 2 strings of white twinkle lights that I managed to get strung on the bow of the boat!). There are no regrets, it is just SO different. Christmas has just come very simply this year.

We met a couple of friends a couple of weeks back at an anchorage north of here. Diego and Marina. He is an experienced sailor from his home near Lake Como in Italy and she if from Brazil and has joined him for a trip to the Pacific as a journalist. We kept in touch on our travels south and find ourselves anchored right next to each other here in Georgetown. We have decided that we should have Christmas together, and after they kindly made us dinner, Mike and I will reciprocate. There is somewhat of a tradition of making homemade ravioli for Christmas dinner in our family and that is our plan. It means finding the key ingredients at a couple different markets (via scooter excursion) on these islands, but we were successful.

By 3 PM on Christmas Eve, outboard motor parts were put away and we were full of flour and dough creating our little ravioli pillows! With sauce completed and a fresh loaf of bread we had a great meal with good sailing friends.
Christmas Day. Well, there are no presents to open. We have decided that our gift is this awesome experience we wake to daily. We hiked back up to the monument in the early morning (where we secretly found out that the WIFI signal is awesome and the view incredibly spectacular, to make a few WIFI calls to our family!) We spent the afternoon at a cruisers potluck on volleyball beach where met some of our neighbors in the anchorage and new sailing friends from all parts of the US and Canada. We played in the water with the stingrays, relaxed, shared stories of sailing adventures, discussed the latest broken equipment and thoroughly enjoyed each others company.
It is a different life, but one we have imagined and planned for over the last few years. We feel incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity to explore our dreams. I would also say to anyone with a dream …nuture it, save for it, visualize it and continually to plan for it. Don’t give up on dreams, for they keep us young and focused in life.
Merry (Belated ) Christmas!