Return Trip to Nassau

Wednesday 5 January – Monday 10 January

We leave Highborne Cay and head north back to Nassau instead of south, as our Exuma Islands exploring is set back a week while we get the transmission fixed. We are docked by 4, after circling around with a couple of other boats waiting to dock also. I head over to the drug store for more non-drowsy sudafed, as our colds have gotten worse. Steve goes to the mechanic shop to talk (again) to Albert to make sure he can come out Thursday morning to look at the transmission. He has another boat in our marina he will be going to also, so Steve is waiting to show him the way to our boat. When Steve had talked to him over the phone & described the problem, Albert seemed to know right away that it was the input shaft seal that was failing. They will need to remove the transmission from the boat to work on it, which is an easier job then originally thought. Of course the part has to be ordered, and will take a few days to get here, Steve is also ordering a rebuild kit so if something else goes wrong down the road we will have the parts and will just need to find someone to do the work, ½ the battle. After lunch we walk down to the downtown area which when we were there for the parade everything was closed. So we go look at all the tourist shops located downtown & by Prince George Wharf. We can see why people on a cruise ship that only get to only see this part of Nassau are not too impressed. Good deals on Cuban cigars, and the straw market was a maze of people trying to make you a deal on stuff you don't want. An interesting afternoon. Friday my cold is still hanging on so we spend the day doing boat chores, all those things that you put off doing until you “have time”, well now seems to be that time. It is amazing how many little projects there can be. Saturday after lunch we go to the Asian market downtown where Steve wanted to get some cooking ingredients. I am still suffering from cold symptoms, can't remember when I ever had one last this long, so we decided to take the bus into town. The bus stop is right in front of the marina on Bay St. which is a one way street heading east and of course downtown is west. The bus system is not real specific and has several numbered 20 seat buses going to different areas. Even the locals ask if the bus is going where they want to go, as there may be several going in the general direction, and even if it's not really the right bus they tell you to get on or tell you to try one of 3 different #'s. We are not in a hurry, and know it will get to downtown eventually so we hop on and get a great tour of the neighborhoods on the east side of the Island. The bus driver has a friend riding along and they talk & holler at other bus drivers we pass and to their friends on the side of the street, at one point we pull into a parking lot of a liquor store and we think he is getting door to door service but we wait and a few minutes he comes back out with 2 beers, one for him & of course one for the bus driver. It really is a fun way to see parts of the island we can't get to and we finally get let out downtown. The walk back with several stops is much shorter. Sunday we go to the supermarket to re-provision, knowing we will NOT see another grocery store for a while. This just makes you want to stock up, but we have limited space so it is always a catch 22 of what to get and what to say no to. I take a mile walk over to get my Cherry Garcia Ice Cream as they only sell it over on Paradise Island & don't feel so guilty about eating it as I walk back over the bridge. Monday the transmission part finally arrives late afternoon and they fix & install it by 5, too late for us to leave. But everything is ready for us to leave in the morning anxious to get back to the quieter Islands of the Exuma's.