Browns Marina

The main city and the main road.

Bob went snorkeling today, a prerequisite for each day here I think, and I went wading and sat in the shade of beach side trees as I had not brought my snorkeling gear with me.  Bob, on the other hand, has snorkeling gear permanently attached to his body.   

Just up from the beach was CJ’s Snack Shack, open from 7 to 11, and where we can attest, one can get a delicious fish sandwich and conch sandwich with fries.  We can also recommend the Bohemian Punch Soda.  Across the street is a pink public restroom with the Men’s Room on one side, Women’s on the other, a shaded walk through in the middle and two outdoor freshwater showers on the backside of the building.  A couple of women and their kids sit in chairs in the shaded area all day, their job to keep the restrooms clean though the building didn’t appear to be particularly clean or the restrooms to have any use. Keeping toilet paper in the stalls is not one of their jobs.  Plan accordingly.

Bob's Beach

The bicycles came down today and we rode to the northern end of the island where there is a resort where one can buy condos.  All the buildings, roads, round-about, and shopping areas looking fresh and new but no one was there.  There were clothes on sparsely filled racks, open doors giving view to rooms filled with empty bar stools and a view of the bay, but all very sterile looking.  It gave me a very freaky feeling like I was in Twilight Zone in full color. 

Mail boat that didn't make it.

One of many shattered dreams.

We found the Casino Ferry Office after asking several times only to discover that they have no printed schedule.  Several people gave us the schedule verbally but the boat changes times and skips days and it didn’t take me more than a few minutes to decide that it probably was not the best mode of transportation to take to the Miami Airport.  In addition the cost was $120 one way.  I’d rather fly.

The return trip to Brown’s seemed very fast.  

We passed three conch piles where divers were cleaning conchs and we stopped at one of them.  John the diver showed us how and where to make an opening in the shell with a hammer, slip in a knife to cut the muscle attachment, and with a simple shake remove the whole animal, clean and eat, all in less than 30 seconds, less the eating part. 

Conch without it's house

Returning to the boat five goats crossed the road in front of us.  They stepped out across the street like they were on a mission and immediately set to work on grass and weeds in a yard on the bay side.

Several more sailboats came in today, a flood of them coming ahead of the approaching weather front.  More sailboats left today, moving on ahead of the approaching weather front.  Whenever a boat leaves or arrives other boaters are on the dock to help with the lines, fend off, or just be warily watchful.  More stable neighbors are Scott Miller and Mary (formerly of Falmouth, Edwards boatyard and Falmouth Scientific employees respectively) on ______, Ed and Maureen on _____________ and Dan and Judy on Quest, a Hatteras, returning visitors to Browns who were full of information about the marina, people they knew and island.  They also had a 19 foot center console dinghy they towed and used for fishing, a deep fat fryer, table which could seat 8, and a case of excellent tequila.  Life is good!