We will miss you, Georgetown!

Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas – If you’ve ever looked back fondly on your days as a child in summer camp and wished you could go back in time, Georgetown is the place for you!  For years, Sebastian has read about this community of sailors and couldn’t wait to arrive.  With daily radio announcements of all the activities ranging from basket weaving, aqua aerobics, volleyball, campfire, dances, there is never a shortage of something to do and people to meet.  The incredible thing is that it is all loosely organized by the sailing community that stays here:  some for months at a time, others just passing through.  There must be at least 200 boats all anchored in this one location, with dinghies shooting back and forth socializing between the boats and taking people to shore for the various activities. 

We actually don’t participate in many of the activities, because they often go “late” (7-8pm) into the night and involve lots of alcohol… with little homeschooling kids, it’s difficult to carry-on that lifestyle.  Instead, we have met some incredible families that are in the “same boat” as us and the kids and parents have a great time, comparing notes, etc.  I have to take a moment to share the story of the “Nakheys” (the name has been changed to protect the innocent) who have been living aboard with 4 homeschooling kids ranging from 4-9 for almost two years, with about 10 more years to go.  The real clincher is that they are expecting their 5^th!!! It has been a real delight for us all to socialize with them, learn about other homeschooling techniques, but mainly learn from their “chill” outlook on life.  We’ve already had them over to our boat for grilled pizza – yes, GRILLED (please excuse the laundry hanging in the background of the picture!!!) – and we’ve been to their boat for a birthday party with about 10 kids and 6 adults, plus the countless informal times on the beach. 

Another family from North Carolina is living down here for 5 months, also homeschooling their two boys.  They invited us to their rental home for hot dogs for lunch and we all ended up staying until about 9pm… boy it was so nice to be in a place that was not “moving” and Sebastian actually used their really nice HOT shower after going spearfishing for lobster with all the guys.

In a community like this one, one’s identity becomes pegged entirely to one’s boat.  You introduce yourself by your boat’s name and model:  “Yeah, I’m from BEGONIA, the 38-foot Foutaine Pajot…”  Then they answer, “Oh of course; I’m from NINA, the 41-foot Tartan.” Sebastian especially can recognize the boats quickly and will say things like, “Oh that’s the PDQ we saw back at Allen’s Cay,” which of course, I don’t remember at all.  You do see many of the same people and boats, as a lot of us are headed the same way.  You hear traffic on the radio and know the comings and goings of the various boats, so that is typical conversation among sailors.  It’s been fun.

What has not been fun are the continuing issues we’ve been having with cruise email and our regular internet.  Every time Sebastian tried to get on the phone through Skype with technical support, he gets cut off, disconnected, the computer freezes, or whatever.  It’s a great test on our patience.  I wouldn’t be so concerned, except we do have business we are still taking care of back home and I do have bills to pay once in a while.  There have been two options here in Georgetown: either dinghy into town (a very wet 15-minute ride across the bay) and literally stand outside the local market which offers free wireless. Of course, you’re not the only one… all the other sailors are there too.  The other option has been to buy tickets from the local marina… but the tickets don’t work. Or work intermittently.  Sebastian has been obsessed with trying to get it to work and it has felt uncomfortable to be out of touch for so long.

Here in Georgetown we did go to the local primary school and delivered the 30 small boxes of donated books we brought here on behalf of the Seven Seas Association.  The director was very grateful and nice and will allow Sofia and Benjie to attend school there for a day.  They are little timid about this – especially Benjie, who cannot imagine any other school than his beloved Puerta Abierta back in Evanston.  We shall see.

Hope you all are well… we can’t believe the stories we have been hearing about the snow in Chicago! 

NEXT STOP:  Providenciales, Tucks and Caicos.  We are leaving tomorrow (Monday) evening after the kids’ school.  It should be a two-day sail.

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FOUNTAINE PAJOT ATHENA 38 CATAMARAN FOR SALE – After our wonderful experience, BEGONIA is ready for its next sailing family – with or without children!  Please contact sebastiankoziura@hotmail.com for more information.