A HEARTY WELCOME

Ruth and I have been thinking. This Bahamas stuff is great and all, but what's missing? Something ain't right. Something... Something... Something...

You, dear reader. The answer is you.

We made this blog for our family and friends, so that they can not only know we didn't drown, and get swept off to a watery grave in Davy Jone's Locker, but so that you can enjoy what we're lucky enough to be seeing. But it's still not enough. This place is amazing.

The scenery.
The customs.
The food.
The peace.
The people.
It really is like a paradise. It just underscores how short life is, how valuable every moment is.

So, we kept thinking- maybe one of these ruins could be bought cheap, and we could fix it up, put a padlock on it, and give all of you guys the combination. That was one idea. We haven't totally given up on that yet, but we came up with something else. We're going to leave the boat here. Probably Georgetown, and leave it anchored, with three anchors out, battened down, locked up, floating. waiting for someone to come down who knows the combination.

We want to come back here sometime when we have a week off, or a long weekend, or however long, and we don't want to have to drive the boat down on a trailer, and all the rest. It just isn't practical. And for the amount this boat cost, it's worth the risk to leave it here where people of this community will keep an eye on it. And then the added benefit of that is, that you can come down and enjoy it too.

If you want to get away for a week, or however long, and just have a place to hang your hat while you stay and soak it up, we'll give you the combination. If you want to come down and hoist the sails and sail around, we'll leave detailed instructions on how to do that too. (remember, we just figured it out as we went along. You can too.)

If you want to see the Exumas, Thunderball Cove, dive the reefs or plane wrecks, or go conching, deep sea fishing, or whatever, and you don't think you'd feel comfortable tearing out of here on your own, then come down when we're here. There's beaches you can camp on, or stay on the boat. We'll be down periodically.

The only thing that would make our return better is if we brought you with us. You know who you are. Yes, you.

The only thing that would make us feel more comfortable about leaving our boat here for a year at a time, or more, without seeing it is if you checked on it for us, drank a beer on it, and watched a couple sunsets on it to make sure they're still here. Sure, maybe noone will take us up on it. And we'll always have to wonder- did they just not believe we were serious? And the boat will just sit there. Boy, that would be a real tragedy. So think if it's something that might be fun for you.

Please let us know. This is the most sincere of sincere invitations. Please, some of you, all of you, take us up on it. It's our way of thanking you for all you've done to help us get here in the first place, and for being special to us. So let us do that and express our gratitude.

We're waiting to see who will be the first one to trust that we're not joking.

Your friends,

Jack and Ruth