Nippers, another storm, and on to Marsh Harbor

I mentioned that we went to Grabber's Bar in Guana and that our next stop was their competition, Nipper's. Here is Hans, bellying up to the bar at Nipper's. Nipper's is on the Atlantic side of Guana and Hans went snorkeling out in those waters on the same day I took this picture. Unfortunately it was very overcast that day and therefor not too exciting.

While in Treasure Cay we endured some weather, and a lightning and thunderstorm during the wee hours of the morning as well.

When we arrived at Guana Harbor, we picked up a mooring ball since we'd heard more weather was coming our way. It hit yesterday when a big thunderstorm moved through. Since it was early afternoon we were able to sit in the salon area and watch it. And I have to tell you, Wilbur is quite a trooper and storms seem to put him to sleep. During the Treasure Cay drama, the more it thundered, the harder he snored. He's such a good dog.

But let me warn you now that if you decide to moor in Guana Harbor (and Dive Guana will be your contact), they will come to collect their $15.00 fee at exactly 8 AM, and you'll know they're there when the huge bang (I guess they've never heard of fenders) as they slam into your boat, awakens you. We decided to stay for two days and Hans paid up front so we wouldn't have to go through this ritual more than once. I was very comfy in our berth this morning and feeling a bit smug about all of this while I listened to Mr. Boat Banger moving about the mooring field during his morning collection run when all of a sudden WHAM he hit us like a torpedo and woke up a very comatose Wilbur. With a shout of, "Son of a Bitch! Why the hell does he have to hit us like that!" Hans was off and running. When all was said and done, Mr. Boat Banger told us, "That was nothing, Mon, I only bumped you like this," and then demonstrated with a very anaemic thump. Hans then told him that his weather forecast had been right on, that he liked his hat, and all was forgiven.

Men!

In order to get to Nipper's you traverse a sandy little trail complete with signs.

Poor Wilbur! We Wascally Wabbits twicked the Pitty and took him for a fake ride. This dog loves nothing more than dinghying ashore for some major zoomies and sniffies. However we've found that some of the dinghy docks are nearly impossible to heave a 50+ pound pit bull up, especially during low tide. We're talking ladders here folks, and add to that bumping waves, wind, and current; it's not a pretty picture.

So we put his life jacket on him, zoomed him around the harbor for a while and then went right back to the boat. He fell for it for just a minute or so and then realized he'd been had. So when we locked him up in our berth I knew we'd have a present waiting for us and we did.

Luckily it was very easily cleaned up and we were all happy!

We left Guana this morning and intended to go to Hope Town, but we heard another cruiser radio ahead about getting a mooring or slip (there are no anchorages) and was told none were available.

So we ended up in a Marsh Harbor Marina. It was already a blustery day with 20+ knots of wind but wouldn't you know, just as we arrived and attempted to get into a slip the wind really kicked up and even though my body was perpendicular to the water as I braced my shoulders on a piling and my feet on the boat, our stern still crunched into a piling and I watched our life ring float support get crushed and fall into the water. I was just thankful it wasn't our dinghy motor and Hans said he'd never liked that support anyway.

Our life ring no longer has a support. I swear something always gets smashed, banged, crushed, or scraped every time we dock! It makes me wonder how much boat we'll have left when we're done with all this madness.

I thought this whole boat thing was supposed to be relaxing.