Sunday, March 18, 2012

Thursday, March 15th and Friday, March 16th

[caption id="attachment_3249" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Atlantic Ocean beach at Guana Cay"][/caption]

Great Guana Cay is a linear barrier island in Abaco, home to several small resorts, marinas and shops.  Fewer than 200 people reside here.  Most of the homes are seasonally occupied.  Access to Guana is by ferry or private boat.  Once on the island, residents and visitors drive golf carts or walk to their destination.  The major attraction on Guana is its wide Atlantic beach, over 5 miles in length.  The color and clarity of the water is simply breathtaking.

[caption id="attachment_3248" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Nippers Beach Bar - pre-concert reconaissance"][/caption]

Our mission on Thursday is to explore Nippers Beach Bar, site of tomorrow’s Barefoot Man concert.  A narrow sand path leads from Settlement Harbor to Nippers.  Perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean, Nippers is an ideal setting for a party.  A wooden staircase leads from the deck to the beach.  The sand  along the water’s edge is soft and inviting.  A two mile stroll along the beach leads us to High Rocks, an outcropping surrounded by reefs that is ideal for snorkeling when the ocean is calm.

There are now 45 boats anchored or moored at Fisher’s Bay, eight of which are Island Packets.  Along with Catspaw, we are members of the Friday morning advance team.  Our mission is to reserve a picnic table in the balcony overlooking the stage at Nippers.  Barefoot Man and his band are warming up when we arrive.  By 1 PM, the deck in front of the stage is a sea of throbbing shoulder-to-shoulder humanity.  PAR-TAY!  The age of the audience ranges from 21 to 83. The attire is bikini-casual.  Everybody has a pink frozen beverage in their hand held high above their head, belting out the lyrics to each song.  It is as if we have been swept back in time to college spring break. 

[caption id="attachment_3250" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Friday afternoon Barefoot Man party at Nippers"][/caption]

The music and dancing continue until 6 PM.  For those who can’t quite get enough of Barefoot Man, there is a second concert scheduled for Saturday at 7 PM.  We have been thoroughly entertained by the spectacle of Barefoot Man and the crowd at Nippers.  It has certainly been a day unlike any other day thus far on this winter cruise.  Tomorrow, we will leave Guana and sail off in search of a new adventure.

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