Christmas Week in Warderick Wells Land & Sea Park

We are the 3rd boat on a mooring at Land & Sea Park

When we left Cambridge Cay we went out on the windward side of the islands because it is much shorter. However, I wish we would have taken the longer route because it was quite roly poly and not very comfortable. Luckily, it was only a two hour run so we were in to Warderick Wells Land and Sea Park on a mooring by 1pm. 

After lunch we hiked to Boo Boo Hill where our friend's memorial bench is located. Robin and Corbett were good friends of her also, and helped with getting the bench over to here. It was looking still strong but the teak turned very gray. 

The teak bench weathered.

Robin working on the bench.

What some tender loving care will do!

 So the next day Robin and I worked on the bench, sanding and adding a coat of teak oil. Unfortunately, we ran out of teak oil for the last set of legs, but what a difference in the look of the bench! The guys worked clearing the main trail and another trail which led to Boo Boo Beach. Exhausted we chilled in the afternoon until 4pm when people gathered at the beach for happy hour.

Happy Hour on the beach.

We stayed until it got dark and as soon as the sunset, it seemed the hutia (a nocturnal rodent the size of a small cat) come searching for food. They know we cruisers drop some of our snacks so they come to clean up after us.

A hutia looking for food.  They are not that afraid of humans.

Was it Pat singing her praises?

The next day while Robin worked at the ranger office organizing all the loaner books by authors, I went back to the bench to finish the oiling. The guys continued to clear more trails. I could not believe in one day how gray the bench had turned, so instead of just doing the unfinished legs, I redid the entire bench. I know it won't last very long but it will help the wood. Just as I finished, a bird which we don't see many of, came in back of Pat's bench and sang a beautiful song. It was a weird feeling but I almost felt it was Pat saying how pleased she was. The bench did look beautiful. We do miss her.

The finished bench.

A dry blow hole.

 

 

 

I walked over to the blow holes nearby when I was finished the bench. They are holes that break through the ground and on rough days, sea spray will come up through them like a geyser.

 In fact, that afternoon and the next day I got to see them in action from the ranger station and even from our boat because a front moved in about noon with strong winds blowing 22-30 knots the rest of the day and night!

Can see the spray coming up through the blow holes.

A bit rough when it blow 25 -30 knots in the mooring field!

 So as you can see, it is not always perfect in paradise!

Sunday dawned with still a lot of wind but more like 17 – 22 knots. Cherry who is in charge of the office at the park announced a pot luck lunch at the house for 2pm. It was nice to get off the boat and get to know the other cruisers in the park.

Cruisers getting to know one another.

Hoku helping herself at the potluck.

We were doing these various jobs for the park because they very much needed the help, but also because they will not charge the $30/day mooring fee if you help or at least give you a discount. So the men continued with more trail clearing and Robin and I organized the DVD's by categories that they rent for $2 a night. Our job did not take as much time as the guys, so we girls including Kate on Makana and her 12 yr. old daughter, Hoku, went snorkeling not far from the ranger station in the mooring field. 

I loved the blue and yellow angel fish.

Hoku exploring the bottom.

The current once again was stronger than we liked so we went into the beach area for a swim. 

We ended the evening with a winter solstice happy hour. We just had to celebrate the shortest day of the year! Any reason for a party!

The next day I did some baking of cookies for Christmas and finally got some internet at the one corner of the ranger station, so I got email to come in and go out. A pretty good feat for this area!

That evening we had a dinner for Cherry on Makana. I took a pork tenderloin and roasted veggies as well as some cookies which Kate contributed also. Rick made a delicious leek pizza and Robin and Corbett brought a pork roast as well as a delicious salad. 

A great meal for Cherry.

Two pork dishes but lots of left overs!

We feasted and then taught Cherry how to play 'Sequence.” It was a fun time and Cherry who is Bahamian works in the office 7 days a week and holidays and holds special gatherings for the cruisers, so this is our way to say thanks.

Getting ready to trim the trails.

Robin and I worked with the men the next day at the trails further away from the ranger station getting there by dinghy and landing on some beautiful beaches. 

The trails were in very bad shape. We often could not quite figure out what way the path went, but they chopped and we picked up the cuttings and built cairns when it was hard to tell which way to head. Al and I had never been on these trails and so we got to see the ruins of a house from long ago.

The ruins of a former house from long ago.

Robin looking at a deep well.

We also saw a lot of large holes filled with water which looked like wells. We were wondering if this is how the park got its name, Warderick Wells.

Later that evening we had Lisa and Ben from Saraid over for happy hour. They have a Bristol 35.5 so we had to compare stories about our boats since ours is a Bristol 41.1.

The next day we actually did some “Bristol Hopping “ with the 3 Bristols in the park, another couple on a Bristol 29, Lisa and Ben and us. We started on the 29 footer, moved to the 35.5 and ended on our 41.1. I must say, I appreciate my boat more now than I ever did. And I thought our boat was getting small! Try doing it on a 29' from Canada!

Our Bristol buddies leaving Blue Heaven.

It was a very different Christmas eve for us. In the past we usually share it with one or two couples on our boat, but this year, Robin wanted to do a eggplant parmesan dinner for the park workers and the defense force men who are stationed here. I took spaghetti and Kate and Rick on Makana made his speciality pizzas. There were about 16 people. All had a good time, and as you can see all the men lit up their cigars after dinner while we girls went up stairs and played “Sequence.”

The men enjoying their after dinner cigar.  Give me a cookie any time!

Christmas day began by me making a candied butternut squash recipe to share at the 1PM Pot luck. The park provided the ham and turkeys and stuffing, while the eighty or so cruisers brought the side dishes and desserts. What a feast it was! 

Lots of good stuff!

And look at the view we have while eating our dinner. 

What a view!

 It doesn't get any better, other than being with family. However, the cruisers are so friendly, it is like being with family. 

Mark from Truant entertaining us.

One gent brought his guitar and we had entertainment after we had a game where the person with number 1 goes and picks a gift and unwraps it. Then number 2 can either take the gift that number 1 has or pick from the tree. If he takes number 1's gift, then number 1 gets to pick another. It continued that way through 45 gifts! 

Those who have already gotten their gifts seeing if they will be taken by another.

You never knew what you were going to end up with until it was all over. It was fun. I ended up with some nonstick sheets for baking. After much of the commotion was over, I got a call out to our family at my sister's and a call to Al's mom, both which we lost connection, but at least they know we were thinking of them.

My elf enjoying his Christmas meal.

Cherry and Corbett at the Christmas Feast.

The next day we headed south even though the wind was on our nose, but more than a week in one place is enough. We went to anchor off of Pig Beach at Big Major. We only stayed the night and then headed 10 miles further south to Black Point where I could do laundry and we could get rid of trash and get free water. Also, internet is much better, so better communications. We are looking forward to heading back to Staniel for the New Year 's Regatta. They have activities starting Wednesday so we plan to be there.