Wednesday in Nassau saw the crew up by 8AM and busy reorganizing the boat to accommodate 2 more adults. Our friends, Patricia & Willy Simon were expected from London in the afternoon. Peter decided to change the oil & filters, Jane started cleaning heads & cabins, Liz did the re-provisioning and menu planning. Laundry was a joint effort done by 10 AM. Peter called a fellow Black Rock graduate (high school folks!) in Nassau, Ian Kelly, who stopped by the boat at 1PM and took Peter for lunch. Liz went downtown on a "jitney" (local bus) and Jane sat with Pretzel reading her book. Our friends came walking down the dock at 4:15, ready for their boating experience. We chatted for hours, had a wonderful dinner of fresh wahoo (local fish) very like a swordfish and hit the beds early.

Thursday the weather prediction was good so we planned to leave by 8AM to head to the Exuma's Islands. Willy left at 6:30 to get his Internet fix at Starbucks across the street. Peter, Jane, & Liz got everything ready for departure after plotting our course. By 7:30 we were ready to roll. "Jane, start your engine!!!! NOTHING!!! &%@#$*!

A very nice cruiser 2 boats down (engine mechanic) came over and told us our starter battery was dead. Five years old and time to change. Well, it was a good thing Peter used that battery to drain the oil yesterday. Better it died in Nassau than an isolated island! So P eter & Willy went on a hunt for a new battery, Patricia took a swim, Liz took a shower, and Jane sat and stewed about not being able to leave. By 11AM the new battery was in place and we were never so happy to hear the sound of an engine starting. But the decision was made to stay in Nassau since we did not have enough daylight to get to Norman's Cay (pronounced key) safely. So Peter stayed with Pretzel and chilled, Jane & Patricia, Willy, & Liz got another jitney downtown and browsed the stores. We bought a rum cake to bring back for dessert!

Tonight we decided to celebrate our engine restart with dinner out at Luciano's of Chicago Restaurant (in Nassau of all places). It was a beautiful spot, sitting outside on their patio with lights in the trees. Great service, great food, great company. The day ended with a spectacular fireworks display coming from a barge near Paradise island, the very posh Atlantis resort across the water. Michael Jordan( huge basketball star) is having his golf invitational golf tournament this weekend and this was the start of his "party". The fireworks rivaled what we see in Disney each night!!

Tomorrow we have decided to go to Eleuthra Island instead of the Exumas. it is closer and has 3 airports and a fast ferry for Patricia & Willy to get back to Nassau next Wednesday. We have been told it is beautiful. We have been warned to not swim with any jewelry (shiny) on because it attracts barracuda!!! The girls have decided to stay in the dingy and use the glass bottom bucket to see the bottom!

Willy did decide for a quick dip in the marina pool before bedtime though!!

The Kinvara crew! after dinner (& a few drinks)