Hope Town - Marsh Harbor Jim and Gail

...The Ladies sharing a drink...

What a fun week with college friends Jim and Gail, buddies we have known since 1973! They arrived last Wed. at noon and sadly departed today, Thursday, for their flight back to the cold rainy Northeast. During their visit we toured Man-O-War island and snorkeled Fowl Cay Preserve and Johnny's Cay near Elbow Cay. We anchored in the settlement harbor on Great Guana and of course compared the drinks at Grabber's Beach Bar vs Nipper Juice. We concluded that the Grabber's drink was better but the beach swim and walk at Nipper's was better. So both beach bars have their plusses.

This is close reaching for MH

We had a wonderful sail upwind in 15-20 knots from Great Guana to Hope Town where we returned to our mooring ball. Easter Sunday we enjoyed walks in town and a wonderful lunch at FIREFLY Sunset Resort. Later in the day we returned to town via the resort golf cart and enjoyed a swim in the pool with a beautiful full moon rising over the ocean. The next day found us snorkeling Elbow Reef with a reef shark. Tt was a race back to the dinghy to see who could get out of the water the fastest while Jim fended off the shark! Next we moved south to Tahiti Beach for a fun day of playing on the sand bar at low tide where we pitched beach umbrellas, swam and drifted in the warm clear waters between Elbow Cay and Lubbers' Quarters. Returning to Hope Town we made our way up the Elbow Reef Lighthouse for the lighting by Elvis who has been a lighthouse keeper for 19 years! This is a MUST SEE event. The Elbow Reef Lighthouse is a world treasure and needs to be protected and saved forever. If you ever come to Hope Town, you much see this lighting.

THE LIMBO KING, Desmond is amasing

As our time was running our, we set sail for Marsh Harbor where we anchored off our favorite place, THE JIB ROOM. No trip to the Abacos would be complete without attending the World Famous Jib Room RIB NIGHT on Wednesdays or STEAK NIGHT on Saturdays. It was our plan to make Rib Night be Jim and Gail's wrap-up night on Island Spirit and as always, it did NOT disappoint us. The Jib Room simply has the best program with friendly owners (TOM and LINDA) the best food, great drinks by STEPHEN (The Bilge Burner,) best limbo king (DESMOND) and best dance party (JASON). Everyone always has a great time, including the children, the food is delicious and plentiful and the people are fantastic. This is simply one great place and the very best way to wrap up our visit with wonderful friends. Thank you, JIM and GAIL, for taking the time to visit Team Island Spirit in Abaco. We had such a good time!

Here are photos of the past 5 days.

Radeen out at Firefly Sunset Resort for Easter Lunch

Happy Easter 2015 from Hayden and Radeen

Elbow Reef Lighthouse

Jim and Gail at Elbow Reef Lighthouse heading up at sunset

The view to the east where Island Spirit is on a mooring ball

ELVIS is one of the two men who light the lighthouse

We had the opportunity to look inside the lens after it was lit!

---------------------------------------------------

Departing HOPE TOWN for a great sailing day.....

The view from our walking trails around Elbow Cay 

Beautiful landscaping and flowers of the Bahamas

Reaching north in east winds heading for Marsh Harbor

The water color while sailing over a sandy bottom in 10 feet of clear water

Dream sailing, broad reaching in 15-20

Simple cell phone photo of sailing from the bow on Autopilot

Selfie of Hayden sailing from the bow

Why do I love this so much? Why?

Gail and Jim looking over the bow as we sail on calm fun day

----------------------------------------------

Then onto the JIB ROOM for RIB NIGHT....where we connected with more Island Packet Friends

Our Jib Room Team: Nate, Gail, Radeen, Melba, Dave, Suzy, and Jim

Dave and Suzy of IP 37 CAY PARISO from Maine

Nate and Melba of IP350 TRAVELING LIGHT from Virginia

Gail and Jim, our guests on IP 35 Island Spirit

Radeen and Hayden of IP35 Island Spirit

The JIB ROOM and the happy people

Nighttime shot, not clear, but shows the fun. Great pic Dave

The Limbo King, DESMOND is the best, no one can go lower, NO ONE!

Limbo.....how low can you go?

Happy Jib Room fun with Jim and Gail.

THE JIB ROOM PROGRAM

Jim and Gail heading departing with Island Spirit in the background

Home sweet home, IP 35 Island Spirit

Do we have to go home? Off to the Airport via cab.

One Curly Tail sunning on the concrete, so cool

The Logo of ISLAND GIRL boutique is so cool, it says it all

 -----------------------------------

What a fun 8 days it has been, full of good chats, tours, sailing, great meals cooked onboard, good drinks and plenty of laughs and fun. It is really a good time to share this cruising life style with close friends. Thank you for sailing along....