Boat Buddies

We gather at Green Turtle Cay

Sailing to Green Turtle Cay: Wolves run in packs; geese in gaggles, sheep in herds and people in cliques.  Sailors, however, are decidedly independent, making their own way across waters, exploring and soaking up life off the grid.  That’s kind of how we’ve been operating, going our own way, at our own pace.  But that independence has consequences, quite frankly.  It leads to isolation, creating an insular life, which I do not believe is healthy in the long run.  Studies have shown that people with rich social lives, full of friends and family live longer and are healthier.  Hence, making friends and sailing together now and then is good for us.

At Riviera Beach in December, we met Pete and Kathy in Peekaboo III and again in Stock Island (aka Key West) we enjoyed their company.  In West End we met three other boats all arrived when we did and were going the same way, about the same time, to Great Sale Cay.  Bob and Geri from Maryland are on Promise, Lisa and John from Texas on No Wahalla, and the natural leader of our pack, Kitty and Todd from Minnesota on Gypsy Soul.

After the relentless windy weather delayed our leaving West End for a few days , we had a chance to get to know each other on the dock as we discussed destinations and weather.   We decided to sail together, chatting on the VHF as we made our way north to Memory Rock channel and then across the Bahamas Bank.  We spent the night anchored in Great Sale Cay, then headed out to different locations, to meet up again in Green Turtle Cay in a couple of days. 

There we shared stories over dinner, hosted each other for drinks and snacks at sunset, and exchanged boat cards, promising to stay in touch.  It’s a good feeling to know you are not alone out there in this great adventure.  In fact, Lisa on No Wahalla just emailed today to see how we are doing. They are at Hopetown and we're leaving Great Guana Cay on our way to Marsh Harbor.