Monday, April 27, 2009

What is, is...

No restaurants... No problem.

Tonight we will have Whole Roasted Yellowtail snapper with herbs. Tucker pointed out an area I could go and catch fish without being blown away by the 30kt wind. I went out in the dink and a little while later we have just what we wanted. One 2lb Yellowtail... Just what the recipe called for.



The sharks love it when you clean fish.
They are like puppies.

If you spend time here on Compass Cay you soon learn that Paradise comes at a price. No, not money but the loss of things we take for granted back home instead . Restaurants, grocery stores, unlimited internet, and cell phones are not always available. Right now the wind is blowing and the seas are rough so we just hang out and exist. Which is not bad at all. You soon come to understand... What is, is. Before you know it, you prefer it that way.

Our favorite bar is the overhang next to the dock office. You couldn't find a more interesting bunch of characters if you tried. They come from all over the world. Everyone gathers there around 4:30 or 5 and we stick around until 6 or 7. Low key to say the least.
Sometimes it's our favorite restaurant too; if we decide to do some cooking and sharing. Tonight our favorite restaurant will be on Istaboa.
Our grocery store? about a quarter of a mile behind us on Exuma Bank.
Cheap too. A wad of conch guts on a hook and now we have dinner.

Cell phones come and go as does the internet.

Tucker finally allowed me to take a look at the wireless internet network and I managed to get it back up again. The Taycom techs back home in Memphis would be proud.
All the folks here on the island are ecstatic.

We walked around the eastern side's crescent beach yesterday and we saw a few things to come back and take pictures of when the light grows warm just before sunset.

So until later...

Adios,

Istaboa

6 comments:

  1. Can you pick up cell phone service? From Samson? From Staniel?

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  2. Most of the time you can get cell service here on Compass. Samson and Staniel have large towers and they are usually working.
    802.11g or b works for wifi. Again... slowly and most of the time.
    If you need to be in touch there is usually a way to find communications. It may be a nice boat ride via Pipe Creek to Samson or Staniel.
    Come on down... it's worth it.

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  3. We would love to be there; we hope so soon; we are moving onto M/V Compass Rose II (named after Compass Cay) this year. We all got iPhones because we were told they work in the Bahamas. How big a deal is the cell-phone transition? SIM cards only? New accounts? How fast is Tucker's internet access? He didn't have it when we were last there. How is the bandwidth? Is the channel westward to the banks dredged by now? Compass Rose draws 4.5 ft. (we got her to be able to get into CC from the bank side); I hope you don't mind all the questions, but being able to ask someone with technical expertise already at CC is priceless. Thanks for your help and patience.

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  4. No problem Rick..
    Iphones will work as they are... but at a price of 3.00 a minute.
    Download Skype iphone app for free and when you have good wifi you will have cheap communications. $.02 a minute.
    Best way is buy a Bahamian cell and phone cards. $.80 a minute... $.60 at night.
    Wifi at Compass is pretty good and free. But because the island is so remote they receive poor support and it [internet] goes down sometimes.
    It is Hughesnet (Directv) so not blazing especially when a couple of big megayachts come in.

    Tucker has dredged a channel and it is deep enough for us at midtide. We draw 6'
    Go to the Compass Cay waypoint (Explorer Charts) then keep all markers to starboard and read the water. Go to white triangle and make wide turn to starboard and head for 2 piles. Split the piles and continue to keep markers to starboard. Look forward for range markers and line up.
    At entrance to marina favor starboard side between rocks.
    Hope this helps.
    Bob

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  5. Bob:
    Thank you; I looked at Hughesnet to carry with us a set up at the Dock with special aiming instruments. I still think it might be doable with available off-the-shelf portable antennas. You have been extremely helpful and I thank you. I will hold any further questions for know.

    I have flown (and sailed) all through the Bahamas and still think CC is one of the best spots in the world.

    Enjoy it.

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