Sand – One of the long-term cruisers of this area told us that it was the quality sand that was responsible for the clarity and the color of the waters in and around the Bahamas. I had thought that this some of the finest sand I’ve ever seen but missed the connection to how it’s affects the water and the light. Funny how it’s the small things that can make big differences.
The little, big-eyed fish – Speaking of small things; I was cleaning barnacles off our hull the other day. The water was an especially clear aquamarine, the sky deep blue and the sun made its way into the depths in waves of radiant light. As I scraped, clouds of barnacle bits spumed out from my work and fell towards the bottom. This attracted a good sized school of small fish with big eyes. They took up station about five or six feet below me and proceeded to feed. The fish were of much the same color of the sandy bottom. They were made more noticeable by the light reflecting off their sides and backs as they cut back and forth during feeding. I paused my scraping from time to time to watch their aquatic ballet. It was during the end of the performance when one of the fish separated from the rest, swam up and looked directly into my facemask. I felt like we were at an aquarium except I was the one who was behind glass being gawked at. This little big-eyed fish, from the distance of about one foot, took a long look at my face. Then took off like he’d seen a shark. I know I have a face that can make babies cry but fish run? Apparently.
Island Gothic – It was a beautiful and breezy day. We packed a simple picnic lunch and road our bikes south from George Town. We cut across the island and saw miles of shallows and sandbars extending as far as the eye can see. Continuing on further south we came to a small field containing three graves. It was a peaceful spot complete with grass and shade so we decided to lunch here. A sign said that the gravers belonged to a Scottish plantation overseer named Alexander McKay and his family. A young wife, just 26 years old at the time of her death was buried in the largest grave. Her tomb is large, like an elaborate bed. Their infant child was interned next to hers. Its tomb is small and utilitarian. The last tomb contains Alexander himself who died two years later. It’s an intimate and lovely spot that was poignant in its mix of beauty and sadness. So much loss, so far away from home.
Fish storm – Susan and I had been watching dolphins swimming near our boat when the water immediately around Gypsy started boiling with the activity of fish. Hundreds of fish were percolating and little fry shot out of the water like popcorn all around us. At first I thought that it must have been the dolphins hunting that had all the little fishes in a titter but as we watched we noticed that the two seemed unrelated. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the little fry (fish of about 1”-2” long) were being chased by larger fish of about 5”-6” in length. The larger fish were sometimes working in small teams of 2 to 5 fish in hunting the little ones. This drove the little guys mad and caused them to pop clear of the water in their crazy attempt to shake off their predators. In the midst of all this a needlefish swam swiftly into the may-lay looking like a cruise missile. Faster and faster it swam until I too launched itself clear of the water like an ICBM into a shallow trajectory that reentered in the midst of a small school of the little fish. Death from above. It must be an amazing feeling for a fish to break free of the intense drag of water, enter the comparative nothingness of the atmosphere and soar. I imagine they get a brief burst of speed once they’re clear of the water. In makes me wonder just how close in evolution fish are to birds, especially when I see flying fish that actually do seem to soar once they clear the water.
Internet in George Town – The local market maintains a dock out back for dinghys, provides free WIFI, and free fresh water at the dock. In spite of that we often did our internet at J&Ks, which was just down the street because it was a faster connection. Julian’s (J&K) was a most interesting business; internet access, long distance phone service, scanning, copying, printing, computer services and he sold an odd variety of groceries. All at very reasonable rates from inside his little aquamarine building. He even kept his WIFI going afterhours so that folks could access his system outside of normal business hours on the honor system. What a guy!
A boat shaped bed - Ever since we’ve moved into the forepeak I’ve been sleeping in a boat shaped bed, or more precisely a half-boat shaped bed. The other half is shaped like a woman. My sleepy confines are hard, gently concaved & tapering in towards the feet on one side and soft & gently curvy on the other. It’s makes for an interesting and fruitful launch pad for my dreamscape.
Blue-green abstraction – Water, a medium, not unlike glass, air too, under certain conditions, bending light, compression, stretching, profoundly affecting, changing… bending, stretching, light, a portion of the electrical-magnetic spectrum, the part we see unaided, affected in such a way… that affects us, a specific vibration, out of the continuum of vibration, traveling through the universe, that we are attuned to, that affects us in such a way, in a blue-green way, another word or two for happiness or something more…
