A typical day in paradise!

We have been hanging out off Monument Beach in George Town, Exuma for almost two weeks now and watched the number of boats grow from five to almost 30! I'm told at the peek of the season there could be hundreds of boats in the various anchorages off Stocking Island. Since this beautiful and spacious basin in Elizabeth Harbor offers good shelter, it attracts a large contingent of cruising yachts and there tends to be a lot going on. There are regular volleyball games, yoga & water aerobics classes and an active cruisers net providing news, weather, announcements from local businesses and social gatherings (conforming to COVID protocols, of course), so I thought I'd give you a sense of what our typical day has been:

7:30 to 8 am - Rise & shine to the selected tune coming from the cruisers net on VHF. First one up starts coffee and gets the best hope for a hot shower. Breakfast ranges from granola & fruit to leftovers cooked with eggs, depending on what's in the fridge.

9am to 10am - Water aerobics on Monument Beach (M, W, & F) or Yoga on Chat 'n Chill Beach (T, Th & Sat). Volunteer boaters start these classes with two or three friends and others just show up as more and more boats appear in the anchorages.

11:30 to 2:30 - Hike, snorkel, dinghy to town for provisions and/or lunch. One day we joined up with Dream Weaver and new friends from TL Sea to find the Art Walk on Sand Dollar Beach. We aren't sure if we found it but we enjoyed following paths through the brush with bits of trash arranged on trees and wondering if it was art! Other days, we go on beach walks for the fabulous views of the ocean and chalky white beaches.

Every other day, we'll dinghy across the often choppy, mile wide stretch of Elizabeth Harbor to town for provisions or sometimes a nice lunch. The best meal so far was at Peace & Plenty Resort, a relaxed, 3 star hotel with waterfront pool, bar & restaurant, where we savored magaritas, garlic shrimp, a mahi BLT and fabulous views of Stocking Island, where Billy Ruff'n is anchored. Grilled fish (or pulled pork) with coleslaw & fries from Chat 'n Chill is a close second.

2:30 to 5pm - Hang out on the boat, nap, swim or SUP off deck, watch giant freighters pass within feet of our stern or meet up with folks on Chat 'n Chill beach for basket weaving, volleyball or to share sea stories. There are quite a few Salty Dawg friends that we've caught up with here including Perfect View, Moza Moya and Lickety. One afternoon, when my food order was announced, Walter & KC from Philadelphia sauntered up to our table, during their visit to Exuma.

6pm to 8pm - Dinner on board (depending on what is leftover in fridge or has been defrosted from freezer). On occasion, we'll go out at night in the dinghy, for instance to the fish fry on the beach across the bay, where you find folks in run down shacks serving beer & fried foods to the locals. If it's a still (and buggy) night, the best bet is the garlic or coconut mahi at Shirley's, inside or on the screened in porch. Also, try the Pink Sands beer if you'd like something with a refreshing grapefruit flavor.

8:30 to 9pm - Settle in bed to catch up on our latest Netflix binge program, currently Narco, Mexico.

So, now that we know the routine, we'll be leaving for Emerald Bay to secure the boat in a slip at the marina and fly home, but we are looking forward to finding a spot in the anchorages in January, when we return to this fun & thriving community.