Sunny Warm Days

While a fast and furious blizzard raged at home, we began our first full day on the island to the sound of the palms rustling in a warm breeze, and the beginnings of sunrise, visible from our bed through the lovely door to our room. LM was lured out of bed by the smell and sounds of coffee and we sat with Anne and David on the deck and began to plan our day. We needed to shop for groceries so decided to drive a few miles south to Governor's Harbor, sightseeing along the way. Our first stop along the Queen's Highway (the only main road running N to S on this very narrow island) was to show us the view and the beach at Sky Beach resort.  Here we would have our first opportunity to put our feet in to the Atlantic.

While I made me way gingerly (gimpy knee, needing replacement) down the path to the water, Anne wandered off to one side through the dense sea grape bushes (close-up sea grape photo, below).  This vegetation has to be very tough to survive the beating it takes from the ocean and heat. The leaves are very thick and waxy and it grows everywhere on the island.



Destination weddings, coordinated by Anne's friend, Mish, of the island's wonderful Rainbow Inn, are often held on this site overlooking the Atlantic. It is breathtaking. 

Just picture LM saying, "are you sure you can make this walk"...LOL. My answer was, I WILL DO IT!!  and, I did! 

The Atlantic was beginning to be wild with huge rollers, as it was during our entire stay. All caused by the huge Atlantic storm that brought the blizzard to Cape Cod in our absence.



"OK, Mama, are you going to make it??"



They were on the beach way before me, but I loved every second of my slow walk in the warm sand.



LM and Anne.



I made it.....oh, that water felt so good as the sun was warming my skin.



David was such a great tour guide and he helped me every step of the way.



The skies were magnificent everyday - very dramatic.



 Sweethearts

After leaving Sky Beach, we were on our way to shop, do some banking and return home in time to prepare for the afternoon at Cocodimama Beach on the Caribbean side. Meanwhile, of course, each day started with a discussion of where we would have dinner.....being the foodies we all are, we wanted to experience true Bahamian food and ambience. More about that evening's choice as we go along. While shopping we stopped at a small Bahamian bakery and got some great local bread and sampled one of their chicken turnovers.  They had a most mysterious filling of ground chicken with an amazingly delicious combination of spices we could not identify. The pastry was passed around in the car with many oohs and ahhhs pursuing.  Anne pointed out that she has observed through her years visiting the island, that their baked goods seem to have a yellow coloring and we couldn't quite determine if it was the flour or shortening that gave it that color.  So delicious! 

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Cocodimama is my favorite beach on the island, and also the beach most visited by Anne and David in their frequent visits to their island home. It is virtually deserted. It was once the site of a Navy facility during WWII and within distant sight is the runway built by the US Navy and now used as Governor's Harbor Airport.



While everyone else was setting up the umbrella and getting settled on the beach, I was immediately off to walk in this beautiful warm water and soft sand.



There seem to not be words for how healing it felt to be virtually alone on this piece of heaven, sun warming my body and soul.



Jewels sparkled along the way



I think this was my favorite moment of the trip - LM's first steps into the Caribbean, fly rod in hand. 



Well-protected by sunblock, my love spent a good portion of the afternoon casting and walking.  He was so happy, me, too.

At the right hand end of this beautiful beach is an abandoned resort....really beautiful buildings.  It seems so many people come to the island with grand ideas to run a tourist based business, but few last.  Friends of my daughter's do have destination weddings here once in awhile but basically Cocodimama Resort is no more.

David loves to climb on these giant pieces of driftwood.

We said good-bye to Cocodimama for a day or so as we wanted to go home and clean up before our Bahamian Dinner at Kel-D's in James Cistern. We did have to stop at Hidden Beach (very near Anne and David's house on the Atlantic side of the island) so we could get some photos of the rollers coming in from the huge Atlantic storm.  There is a long series of shots as the sky and the water were so fascinating.



Soon we'd had a little rest, showers, and we were off to have dinner. As you can see, this was a rustic little place. We were warmly welcomed and were soon enjoying some delicious food and drinks. We were the only non-locals, although I must say A & D have visited the island for so many years that they know everyone.

David



Anne



Looking out to the Caribbean from our table (there was a set of dominos on the table!)



Pure happiness, and  Bahama Mama drink, too!

Waiting for dinner....

I kept running outside to look, as sunset was imminent. The locals have lots of little spots along the waterline where they gather and have barbeques.  The social life in these little communities is so active.



The third car from the left used to belong to A & D....it was sold to a local. Amazing it is still running. Last time I visited, we toured the island in the Chrysler's luxury.

A Bahamian sunset!!



Looking out the door of our room toward the sunrise

Sunrise from the porch....



A little tour of the house. David often sits in the chair on the roof to watch out over the Atlantic.



Beautiful palms of several different types. I believe they are coconut and date palms.



David has done a tremendous amount of landscaping by cutting into the coral and opening up the property. Note his coral Christmas tree!

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In a walk around the yard you can see plants sprouting up everywhere, even through the coral



Another sunrise.....Beauty all around.

Be back with the next few days.....I'm having a lingering health issues and am so tired at night.

Wishing everyone sunshine and Spring beauty. I saw a heartening display of crocuses in the village today at lunch.