Goodbye For Now

Thompson Bay to Calabash Bay |  3.5 Hours  |  24 Miles  

Our anchor was up just before 8:00. We joined Paradigm Shift and Asanté in our little Selene parade out of Thompson Bay. Today's weather was perfect for us trawlers -- low seas and low wind. In fact, it was a bit too warm today. For most of our trip north, we were moving at the same speed as the wind and cancelling it out. We're used to seeing 0 knots of apparent wind during summers in the Chesapeake Bay, but not here in the islands. Our tattered Bahamian courtesy flag was given the day off and hung limp from the halyard. 

But, oh my gosh, was it a pretty day on the water. We were in 10-15 feet of water that just glistened in the sunshine. Paradigm Shift led the way. 

Asanté followed off our port stern. I kept busy snapping photos, hoping for an accurate capture of all the incredible blues.

We anchored in Calabash Bay, a bit south of the Columbus Monument we visited yesterday. The Cape Santa Marina Resort lines the white sandy beach. The water was too beautiful to stay onboard so I dropped my paddleboard into the water. Full confidence in my new knee and balance were initially lacking so I made a dozen laps around Crossroads on my knees, straying a bit further each time. Glenda snapped the photo as I paddled toward Asanté. Once I got comfortable, I made a pit stop and picked up the camera to snap a photo of the mothership. I was feeling good about my balance and finally got the nerve to stand up, only to find the board was not as firm as it should have been. It was another "What the ..." moment. Back to Crossroads I went and pulled in to the pits. In the quiet, Barry and I could hear the hiss. A little soapy water on the seam revealed a leak. That was definitely the last thing I wanted to see. The afternoon was getting late, so I brought the paddleboard back on the deck. We'll deal with the leak another day. It was time for a shower.

We all gathered aboard Paradigm Shift for appys at 4:30 and enjoyed the last hours of a beautiful day and our wonderful time together. The sun set behind Crossroads and shortly thereafter it was time for goodbyes. It truly has been a special opportunity to meet up with Glenda, Greg, Jaxon, and Cooper so far from home. But just as our paths crossed, it is now time for them to diverge. Goodbyes are never easy, but we'll see each other back in Virginia, if not before. I managed a few last hugs (and ear scratches for the boys) before hopping into the dinghy for the ride home. A small sliver of a crescent moon rose in the sky. Tomorrow the three Selenes will go off in different directions. Paradigm Shift and Asanté will stage to pick up guests. We hope to take advantage of this calm weather and will head to Conception Island for some snorkeling and turtle chasing in the National Park. There will be no cell service there, so the next post will not occur until we return to civilization in a few days. Hang with me, I hope I'll have some great photos and stories to share.