Bellatrix

24 April 2015

Georgetown, Exuma, Bahamas

Still here! They say that Georgetown has a “sticky bottom”, you can get stuck here!

I had posted on Facebook that we sailed on the A class race boats in a pre race race. We had a ball. The boats are 30’ long, carry a huge loose footed mainsail and a small jib or headsail. The boom extends 15’ beyond the transom. They are shallow draft boats and rely on hiking boards to maintain balance with the large sails. There are 2 boards, they call them a pry, they pry the boat over, and crew slide out them as the boat heals. The boats are similar to what we call log canoes in the Chesapeake. The boats are at anchor at the start line with the sails down. When the gun goes off crew haul the anchor line to gain momentum as others haul up the sails. As the boats begin to heal crew climb out the boards as the skipper hollers get out, farther out (you are hanging on for dear life). When they tack, you scurry back in the boards, slide the boards to the other side and scramble out again. We raced three races, I can’t describe how much fun we had.

The Regatta started 2 days ago with a carnival type atmosphere, local music blasts from huge speakers starting around noon till 2 AM or later. There is a brightly colored plywood city that popped up overnight at the government dock. Most of the booths are bars and some offer food. The menu’s are mostly the same at all, Jerk or barbecue Chicken, pork, conch fritters, with fried rice and peas and macoroni and cheese. Beers are 2 for $5, mixed drinks, mostly rum and “Gully Wash” also known as “Sky Juice”, a combination of coconut water, condensed sweet milk and gin. I’ll have a beer thank you!

They have had 3 races per day, A class, B class, and C class. The schedule is not followed and the preparation for a start is haphazard. The adage of “trying to herd cats” is appropriate. The boats rarely arrive at the starting line on time. They anchor at the starting line, with some trying to take advantage, with sails down. At the starting gun most of the crew haul the anchor getting up momentum as the anchor comes aboard the sails are raised and “it’s a race”. Races are frequently won at the start. The A class boats have a crew of twelve to fourteen depending on the wind. The good boats are somewhat well organized but many are a Chinese fire drill with everyone hollering and jumping on the pries, sails sometimes in the water and much excitement. The spectators are in their dinks sometimes following, leading or in the middle of the pack then rushing to the marks to watch the fun as the boats tack around, there are many near misses. Very entertaining. I have to say we are doing the same. Dinks will raft up at the marks, have cocktails and wait for the fun as the racers approach, then scurry off to the next mark.

Tonight there will be live music starting at 10 PM, then there will be a “Rushout” staring at midnight that apparently lasts until 4 AM or so. The Rushout is like Junkanoo with revelers in costume dancing in the streets to music and drums.

The regatta ends Saturday and we will start heading north depending on the wind and weather.

Note the date, we are now in Nassau...