We have been here in Hopetown since Friday. It was a bustling place Friday and Saturday as the Holiday tourists were all wrapping up their vacations. The walk ways were full and lots of small boat rental traffic. Wild party at Cap'n Jacks Friday night. Fortunately most left between Saturday and Sunday and it has been quiet this week. There have been about 20 moorings available until yesterday but that has changed now. This big Arctic chill that will hit the folks up North will cause very strong winds here tonight and tomorrow so all the boaters are looking for safe harbour to weather the event. This is a good spot.
Saturday we had an event that makes cruisers SHINE. A large sailboat had come in under power and was just passing me when I heard the skipper yell out "the engine just quit!". He was now drifting and we had a good wind which would put him on me. I jumped in my dinghy to push him away and try to push towards an available mooring. Suddenly four other dinghies showed up and we were able to contain the boat and get it to a mooring. No one spoke but all new what needed to be done.
The excitement this week have been sharks. On Sunday I was swimming off the beach by the Hopetown Resort and I saw a dark spot in the light colored sand. I thought a rock and then it moved! It was a shark about 4 - 5 feet long and swimming slowly and about 5 feet from me. I exited the water... I watched it and it was plainly visible in the clear water and light sand. It started to swim down the beach towards a young family of three and a lone young woman. I started yelling "Out of the water" and waving my hands. They just looked at me. I then shouted "SHARK" and then they skid addled out of the water. The shark hung off the beach for awhile and lots of folks got some nice pictures.
Monday the crews from Skat and Bubbles and us took the dinghies down to Tahiti Beach to hunt sand dollars and sea glass. This is near Tiloo Cut. The Cut was rough but we were sheltered in the waters near the beach. Lots of folks enjoying the beach both from boats that came down to anchor and the nearby resort. We were there a few hours. We left around 3pm and had to stop for a sea plane that landed in front of us and went into White Sound -- Sea Spray. That was cool. Later back on the boat we heard emergency calls go out for a fast boat to get to Tahiti Beach -- a young woman had been bitten by a shark!! It was bad. They wanted to medivac her to the US immediately. This means boat transport to Marsh HArbour then a flight to the US. It was handled very well by the emergency responders here in Hopetown.
Later we learned that she had survived and was in a hospital in Miami. She had a good part of her back bit off. Fortunately there was a doctor on a nearby boat that administered first aid to stem the blood flow until help arrived.
The following news story courtesy of: http://www.local10.com/news/tourist-bitten-by-shark-in-bahamas-flown-to-fort-lauderdale/30558404
WOW that was close... They were swimming off their boat in 8 feet of water over turtle grass which is dark and never saw the shark. OUCH!!
Today is the calm before the storm. We expect winds 25 - 30 knots with higher gusts tonight and all day tomorrow. Time to go to the book exchange because we won't be leaving the boat tomorrow.
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