Eight on Board at Rose Island

January 12:

What is it like to be on a boat designed to fit two comfortably with eight people?  It's AWESOME!

We often get incredulous looks as people count how many of us are aboard C.Spirit.  Six on board a 32 foot sailboat is definitely a lot.  With our crew, however, somehow it doesn't feel that way.  Sage and Skye are little people that like to hang out in itty bitty unlikely spaces such as a corner of the bimini or on a shelf in the back berth.  Indigo and Phoenix are medium-sized people that also don't really take up too much space.

Our belongings are minimum and even with a cello, an extensive library of school books and an arsenal of games and craft items, we feel that we have lots of space.  Of course, the key thing is that we actually like being together.  From living in a tiny house at home, we have become accustomed to the constancy of each other that proximity forces. 

It also helps that we spent a month and a half camping before we hopped on C.Spirit.   All six of us shared a six-person, three-season tent that was light enough to carry wilderness camping (i.e., small and compact requiring a bit of tangram-like manipulation of sleeping bags and people nearly every night).   C.Spirit was a mansion for us after camping.

"Where does everyone sleep?" we are asked often.  One in the V-berth, two or three in the back berth, two or three in the salon where the table drops and one on the other sofa in the salon.   Variations include one to three people sleeping outside in the cockpit, something that we all love doing, and we often fight to be one of the outside sleepers.   

With Gary and Asad on board, we shifted ourselves around and somehow in the end, the back berth was empty all night as everyone wanted to sleep under the stars. 

Early morning pre-sunrise arrival at Rose Island

Happiness is...

Approaching Nassau

Rose Island lies three miles east of Paradise Island

It's so close to the big, busy city of Nassau yet so peacefully far removed.

"I caught a fish!" screamed Sage.  We did not believe her at first because we knew there was no bait on the line.  Only Sage could catch a fish with just a line and hook.  I used the innards of this fish and caught another and then used the flesh from both to make fish jambalaya. 

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January 13:

Indy made pancakes for breakfast.

There were a couple of other boats already anchored here. 

Jamey likes to steer with his foot.

I am hoping that Gary got the sailing bug and will end up with his own sailboat one day, cruising the Pacific Ocean. 

Asad trimming the jib.    

Snorkeling time!

The girls like to snorkel from the SUP.

I always like underwater better. 

The Asadafish.

 

Time to head towards the city. 

 
 
 

We are docking tonight at Nassau Yacht Haven so that Asad and Gary can catch a flight home tomorrow. 

Gary and Asad treated us to a delicious dinner at Bahama Grill.   I had the best conch burger ever. 

The new US $100 bill.  We first saw it when we were in Washington DC in August and visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing where paper money is made.  The new bill was released on October 8, 2013.  It has 3D images on a blue ribbon woven into the bill that change and move as you tilt the bill.