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We sailed out of Marsh Harbor. What a week! The day we left the dock, I was the only ‘sailor’ on board. When we ended the week, back at the dock, we had 7 additional ‘sailors’ aboard.

We sailed out of Marsh Harbor and covered the area from Hope Town to Green Turtle Cay. Man of War Cay was especially interesting...we met some of the Alberg family and were invited to dinner. Half of Man of War Cay are Albergs. They left the Colony’s during the Revolution to remain loyal to the Crown.

At Green Turtle Cay, we had to watch the tides to go in and out of the harbor. I had prepared tide tables for the week we would be there and had them with me for the cruise. Handy.

An absolutely astounding experience!

I was a landlubber, wanna be sailor for many years. A friend of mine bought a sailboat, a Pearson Commander, and had it on Lake Erie. He did not know how to sail. We learned together. A great boat, full keel, and especially great for Lake Erie. Not easy to knock down. He had a US Ensign sown onto his mainsail, and we would go out on the lake when others were coming in. They called him ‘Fearless Joe’.

When I was a teenager, I always wanted to spend a summer crewing on a Great Lakes freighter...never happened. But I am an avid sailor, and have sailed several places around the world...including on the Nile, below the Aswan Dam, when the helmsman on a Falucca turned the tiller over to me...we had a dozen people on board when he did that.

We stayed at Marsh Harbor at least twice. Both on our sailboat and then the powerboat. We stayed at the Conch Inn Marina and at the Marsh Harbor Marina, as well. We also moored a few times there and at Hope Town by the lighthouse. We really liked the restaurants in Marsh Harbor and that BIG supermercado to stock up. I was shocked that beer was $50 a case.

Talking about tides...did you ever go through "the Whale"? We had scary crossings in BOTH boats every time we went through but you have to do it to get over to the outer Abacos. We went to Man O' War by boat taxi from Hope Town and saw where the Alberg family made the wooden boats. Green Turtle was great, too. Good cracked conch!

You're right about sailing. Nothing beats OJT especially when you have to white knuckle through bad weather. Learned a lot of life lessons out on the sea. Glad to hear about your travels. I think there are a lot of rag-baggers, blow-boaters, stink-potters and wake-makers among the Free Republic crew. :o)