December 24 & 25.
We return to find that sleepy Black Point has woken up for the cruising season. There are a dozen boats in he harbor. The laundramat is busy. Scorpio’s is having happy hour every day, and the cruisers’ trash cart is now out on the government dock. Lorraine’s mom (the Bread Lady) has made a VFH radio announcement about the Christmas afternoon potluck at Lorraine’s Cafe. Everyone is invited to attend.
We spend some time with Clark and our new neighbor, Bill. Bill’s boat is named “Moonshine”. She was paid for with money from Bill’s still. He only sold the homemade liquor to people he knew, though. He was in a country where he could get a public flogging for running shine.
We also get to meet some Americans who now live on the island. Doug and Jean own the castle we posted pictures of last season. Frank and Peg own the house beside it. They are very nice and we enjoyed hearing about their island life.
The potluck is well attended. Most locals have left the isle to be with relatives in Nassau. I think everyone who stayed behind is here. There is a huge buffet with all the standards and fixin’s. (We brought a rice and bean dish and some brownies. Bill brought stuffing, gravy and some pickled watermelon.) After a blessing and a group sing of “Joy to the World” we dig in.
As people trickle in and out of the dessert room I plug my uke into the PA system. Then I see that most of the kids have gone outside. I wonder how adults will feel about singing Rudolph and Frosty, but they seem to enjoy it. I lead the throng as we bellow out about ten songs. Then a group of French Canadians sing a long, beautiful song I don’t understand a word of. The Bahamians follow with a very upbeat “O Come Let Us Adore Him”. A pair of Jamaicans sing, and a group of Americans follow. Then, as canned Bahamian music blares out of the PA, tables are pushed back and the dancing starts.
It’s getting dark. So after a few dance tunes we head back to the boat. We are supposed to have three days of favorable wind to sail to Georgetown. We’ll start in that direction tomorrow.
