A Walk Through History

Governor's Harbour   

The easterly wind had returned and was blowing in the 20s today. We were able to open all the ports, windows, and doors this morning to air out Crossroads. After lunch we went to shore to get in our afternoon walk. Today's path was much shorter than yesterday's. The flags in front of the Passport Office were flying stiff. A short walk took us by the historic Haynes Library which was built in 1897 is the oldest government complex on Eleuthera. We continued to circle around to the south side of the harbor until we reached Cupid's Cay. This area just off of Governor's Harbor is home to several historical firsts in the Bahamas such as the first Bahamian Parliament and the first United States Consulate General. Wesley Methodist Church was built in 1863 and features a basement that is cut into the rock. The singing from this congregation has been heard during our previous evenings across the anchorage.

The point of the cay was steep and rocky, but the water was incredibly clear. We circled around and came up through the busy ferry and cargo terminal area. Pallets and skids were stacked around with everything from coolers to floor tile to heat pumps. No new freighters had arrived, but we did catch sight of the Schooner Liberty Clipper entering the anchorage. The ship is a replica of the Baltimore Clipper-style schooners widely used in the 18th and 19th centuries. We stood and watched as a dinghy only a little larger than our's helped turn the 125-foot steel-hulled vessel around for docking. Once it had completed its u-turn we stopped watching and continued walking. The lush foliage of the beach naupaka caught my eye. Google told me that the fruit floats and can germinate even after being in saltwater for a year or more. 

Back at the government complex, we could see what the strong prevailing easterly winds can do to a metal flag pole. The verbiage on the reverse of the Cupid's Cay sign welcomed us to Governor's Harbour and referenced the Eleutheran Adventurers of 1648. These were a group of Puritans and religious independents who left Bermuda in search of religious freedom and in the process founded the first democracy in the western world. The walk along the waterside road reminded me of my first trip to Governor's Harbor in February of 2017 aboard Ti Amo. Glenda and I sat at a picnic table and watched a walking funeral procession from the Methodist Church to the in-town graveyard. It was a very emotional and moving service. Today, the road was quiet and the water was shallowing as low tide approached. Gulls had already claimed a spot on a sandbar as Crossroads floated in the distant deeper water.

A work crew was putting final touches on the Holy Week landscaping refresh around St. Patrick's Anglican Church. The church was established in 1848 and has "a magnificent pipe organ" which has "undergone many repairs because of damages it sustained from several hurricanes." I would love to hear and feel it with all the stops pulled out. We criss-crossed a few more streets stopping at the grocery store for our usual resupply of bread, greens, and tomatoes before returning to our dinghy on the beach. We walked, pulled, and paddled it out halfway to Crossroads before we got enough water to lower the outboard. That, however, is no tale of woe. Today's moment in history belong's to my Aunt Wrenn who, on this day 16 years ago, survived the sinking of the cruise ship Sea Diamond off the coast of the Greek island of Santorini. She was one of roughly 1,200 passengers to be evacuated safely after the ship hit a (well-marked) volcanic reef. This morning she sent me a link to a mini-documentary, The Story of the Sea Diamond -- and termed it "the best summary of our real adventure." She proceeded to recount that "I was very calm and confident all would be fine during the whole episode. Two of us slid down the ramp into the open arms of the cute Greek coast guard guys." Fast forward to 2023 and she is now a faithful follower of my daily postings, living the cruising life vicariously through our adventures.