I woke up around 2:30 am, to a lot of rumbling from the ship’s engines, and to the whispers of the other passengers to the effect that “we are not moving”. I raised my head and with one eye saw some distant lights, and corroborated we were not only a half hour late, but indeed not moving. It seems to me that we had run aground on one of the sand banks, and nothing that the captain could do would set us free. Well, that was something for the cap to worry about, so I just went back to sleep. At 3:30 am the noise told me that we had managed to make it to port, likely liberated by the rise of the tide. Everyone was rushing out, but I had no idea where I was going, so walking into the dark of the night was not within my plans. I took over one of the empty benches and slept like a chilled baby until 7 am, right about dawn, at which time I figured it was time to go. In the intervening hours the crew had disembarked a lot of the cargo and there were precious few folks in the cove. It really looked like the same cove where Morgan the Pirate had emptied the holds of his ship.
So I started walking, thinking that the town was going to be just there, but after 5 minutes convinced myself that I was in the middle of nowhere and turned back. One of the fellows there was shooting his mouth, and when I asked him for directions he was very happy to offer me his services as a taxi. It turned out to be a lucky strike, because there was no one else there who could have offered the service, and as it turned out we were at least 5 miles from the town in one direction, and another 5 miles to my destination on the opposite direction . Not that William knew where my Pine Island Resort was located, but asking here and there he got me to the right place.
The Pine Island Resort Phase 1 is one building with three cute rooms. I am the only guest. Phase 2 is the next building, which is probably 80% finished. Phases 3 through 6 are just sparkles in their owners’ eyes. Landscaping will probably be Phase 7 and the swimming pool will be Phase 8. Right now, then, it is a big barren square of land, miles from the nearest town and beach. But the owners Kennie and Shirley are very nice and while I was taking a well deserved nap, warming out after a long cold night in the boat, they arranged for a rental car to be brought down from the airport, 10 miles away. The owner of the car, James, will also make the arrangements for me to have a seat in a small plane on Monday, for me to make it back to Nassau airport on time for my return flight.
I am, once again, the lonely tourist in a Covid-mummified land, which means I will probably be living on ramen noodles for the next four days, and driving aimlessly from one cool destination spot to the next one, only to find them deserted. My first stop was Uncle Charlie’s Blue Hole, a beautiful sinkhole in the limestones through which one can see the deep blue groundwater 3 or 4 meters below the rim. Unfortunately the only way down was a rickety ladder, and for once prudence prevailed because if the ladder were to fall apart I would be stuck down there without a way of climbing out, and no one to help me within a radius of 5 miles.
I then went to the little hamlet of Nicholls Town to make an appointment for my mandatory Covid test, stop at the ATM, and finally go to the shore to put my toes into the beautiful Caribbean Sea. I actually donned my fins and mask, but snorkeling by yourself has limited appeal, and after 30 minutes of complete solitude I packed up my toys and moved on.
Next on my list was Captain Morgan’s cave, which I admired from the outside because I didn’t bring a flashlight. From there I drove a good 40 miles to Red Bays, the last 20 miles in the most miserable potholed road ever. Red Bays claim to fame is that it was originally an outpost of the Seminole Indians from Florida, although no member of the Seminole survived the British Invasion. Today the locals try to make a living organizing fishing trips for non-existent tourist groups, but are always game to engage in conversation with a lonely traveler.
I stopped at the supermarket near the airport, and bought a
basic meal of fried chicken and rice for my dinner. Tomorrow I need to put gas
in my vehicle, and will head for Central Andros to see what I can see.
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