Wind on our nose, so a lazy motor to Big Majors Spot on Thursday, April 14, 2022. Lots of other vessels were like-minded in their decision to chose Big Majors to wait out weather, so we are joined by around 50 other boats. But this offers us the opportunity to reunite with friends from our 2019 trip, Bruce and Sarah Rabun on their new Lagoon 42, Latidoods, and to make several other new friends via introductions from Navigant, many of whom they know from their cruising in the US Chesapeake.
On Friday, the Casstaways are joined by Captain David on Holokai for a trip into nearby Staniel Cay for grocery shopping and lunch. The two mile dinghy ride was bouncy, courtesy of the aforementioned weather front and Tanya observes that people pay big money and wait in long lines for a ride this wild at Disney. We find fresh veggies and a few pantry staples at both Burke’s Blue Market and the Pink Pearl, then enjoy a delicious lunch at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club.
Friday evening Casstaway, Navigant, and Holokai are invited for drinks and cards aboard Latidoods. We learn a new game called “7”. Kind of a group form of solitaire with a few twists.
Saturday evening we make several new friends at a dinner pitch-in hosted by Lisa and Alex Tarleton on Hahalua, a Manta Mark IV catamaran. The aforementioned weather front continues to keep things rough and windy so Captain David declines to make the choppy dinghy ride but Casstaway and Navigant brave the short trip to Hahalua and are joined by Latidoods, Tina and Scott Ligon on Sangaris, and Dana and Doug Hobbs on Rock Chalk.
Sunday Funday is a lazy one on Casstaway, just relaxing and enjoying a beautiful, sunny day, with a mildly chilly breeze. EWWE2 and Ellen Ruth arrive from Warderick Wells and anchor around the corner from Big Majors near the SC Yacht Club. David joins Tanya and Todd aboard Casstaway for after dinner drinks and conversation.
Big Majors Spot is home to the infamous swimming pigs. When Casstaway visited in 2019 we made sure to see them up close and personal, bringing them a snack of carrots which we understood to be a favorite treat. Having “enjoyed” that experience once, we felt no need to repeat. But for the curious, here are a couple reminders of our prior experience:
Monday evening, April 11 was party time on Cruisers Beach – a chance to make more friends and enjoy a beach bonfire. Angela brings her guitar and we salty sailors attempt to raise a chorus as we raise our glasses.
