February 19, 2018 - February 25, 2018
The wind picked up overnight and we rethought our plan to leave for Man-O-War today. The weather forecast predicted high winds until the weekend which meant we would not be able to get through the Whale Cay passage before Saturday to attend to the Art show in Green Turtle Cay. Consequently, we decided to stay in Hope Town for six more days and paid for our mooring through Sunday. Even with high winds the weather was mostly sunny with a few periods of heavy rain on Thursday and Sunday.
Hope Town Harbour is a great place to get “stuck” as the community is filled with cruisers and those who elect to stay in a cottage for the season. One evening we were invited to a get together by a couple we had met three or four years before when we were neighbors at Hartge Yacht Harbor in Galesville, MD, Burt and Prue on s/v Exuberant. They invited another couple, Dan and Marsha on s/v Cutting Class (yes they are former teachers), as well. We enjoyed the wine and snacks we each contributed and great tales of places visited. These conversations always give Bob and I new ideas of where to stop in our journey. The friendliness of those around us is remarkable. The captain of the boat next to us in the harbour (Guy on s/v Miss Ellie) stopped by to tell us our strobe mast light was on even during the day and stayed for awhile just to talk. Another couple, Joe and Paula on s/v Sequel To, who were moored near us stopped by to chat one evening. On garbage days there is usually someone offering to take our garbage into the dock for pick up. When two manatees showed up around our boats several neighbors came out to marvel at the spectacle. It’s just a pleasant place to be. We did find out from Guy that there are plenty of sharks around and we changed our minds about getting in the water outside the harbour to clean the bottom of our dinghy. Maybe that’s why so many of the beaches are deserted!
We found out about a restaurant on the southern end of the cay called “On da Beach” and decided to give it a try. It was drizzling when we got there and we sat under the awning for the bar where we were well protected from the downpour that came along. Before we were done with the excellent fish (mahi mahi) melt sandwiches the sun was shining brightly. Except for the puddles on the outdoor tables you would never know it had rained.
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| This was our view from our lunch spot. |
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| The beach was gorgeous. |
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| On our walk back to town we noticed several poles sporting handmade signs apparently nailed there by visitors to the cay. |
Most of the rest of the week we spent walking around the settlement and beach, doing chores (laundry and cleaning), eating at various restaurants, relaxing in the cockpit, and getting ready for our departure to Marsh Harbour on Sunday.
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| The high winds kept us from swimming, but not from enjoying the beauty of the ocean. |
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| Walking on the beach is one of my favorite pastimes. |
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| So many lovely little cottages line the beach and roads of Hope Town. |
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