We arrived into Mayaguana and the Bahamas about 4.30pm yesterday after completing a 67 mile sail and negotiating the coral strewn entrance to this natural harbour successfully. We dropped our anchor near two other American boats, one catamaran and one monohull in about 2.5m of water, the average depth in this end of the 4 mile long bay surrounded by coral on one side and land on the other with entrances at the east and west ends.
This being our first point of call in the Bahamas we needed to check in, which has been designated as my job, being more suited to paperwork and being female generally get less hassle from the officials. It was pretty blowy in the morning with grey overcast skies creating a swell across the bay that was creeping over the reef. The government dock is about 1 mile from where we are anchored and we decided that as our tender is at best a wet ride and struggles to get on the plane with both of us, it will be safer and more comfortable if I go alone. I managed to get fairly soaked just detaching the lines from the davits, but have my Kag-In-A-Bag on ready for the deluge so I head off.
I have obviously misunderstood the instructions in the pilot book about how to miss the reef on the way up to the dock and diverted too far because about 200yds off the dock I finally come to a stop, the dingy now barely floating in the rapidly shoaling water. Luckily it is just sand so I bow to the inevitable, take of my flip flops and walk the dingy in. There is a local standing on the dock watching me and as I approach he makes what I consider to be the fairly obvious statement that I have come across the bank. He tells me I needed to have come between the posts (which I had understood to be avoided as reef markers). He turns out to be very helpful and instructs me to moor next to his opening fishing boat along the dock. There are no steps here, but there is a steel hoop to tie up the only one on the pier. I look at the sheer wall which is about my shoulder height dubiously and consider wading back to the steps further up the dock but the fisherman very courteously offers me his hand if I would like it and I scramble up the wall. He is really polite and tells me he lives on the island and grew up here, one of only 500 inhabitants. He offers me a lift but I decide not to trust his courtesy that far and start the ten minute walk to the Abraham Bay settlement.
It is either mangroves or bare earth each side of the road and not particularly attractive, the islands highest point is only 41m high. The Battelco (Bahamas Telecom) buildings are the administrative centre of each island, usually under the Battelco Tower mast and are the first buildings I come to. The Bahamian government crested sign outside declares this collection of three small buildings to the tax office, local court, customs & immigration, telephone service and just about everything else you could need to do I think. I complete the three forms – cruising permit, fishing licence (apparently mandatory) and immigration clearance fairly quickly only to discover that the fees are rather more than I anticipated - 300$US and I don’t have enough with me. Arrgghh! I ask about banks – none on the island (or infact the next three islands) and no they don’t take cards. I bow to the inevitable and head back to the boat.
The trip there and back despite correctly taking the route between the poles is arduous, the dingy can barely keep to the 6ft wide deeper water channel with the prop on the tilted position required due to the shallow water because of the strong cross wind. Kevin is sympathetic and gives me the cash but I realise this is my error for not checking before heading off so off I go back to the office. As the fisherman is not there to help me up the wall this time I have to tow the dingy along from the steps, that done and now fairly soaking wet I start the walk back to the office. I am passed by two trucks, the first smile and wave, the second with two local men on board stop beside me and then drive at my walking pace literally hanging out the windows telling me I am the most beautiful girl they have seen, asking me where I am from, do I need help to find where I am going etc etc. This line of patter is becoming rather a broken record for me in the Caribbean and I am neither flattered nor amused as this is quite intimidating on a deserted road. Luckily the Battelco buildings come into sight quite soon and I see a lady stood outside so I say she is waiting for me. The driver looks round and amusingly says “Oh my god, my wife is watching me!” and drives off rapidly presumably to try and explain! Obviously one of the downfalls of the small populations.
I am feeling quite smug that these guys have been caught out and told off for their behaviour… until that is, the same woman comes into the customs and immigration office and is obviously the head of the office, oops. Another guy come in and asks her how she is, she says she is pissed (from her tone she means angry rather than drunk). I do not look up to see if she is looking at me when she says this. I do not however feel guilty as I was certainly was not doing anything at all to encourage them. I quickly pay the fees to her assistant and depart.
I get back to the boat where Kevin has made me a nice fresh coffee and I get an extra ginger nut biscuit for my efforts. Shortly after the heavens open and I am pleased that I have got that over with but tell Kevin after that intimidation I am resigning that job. The rain does not let up at all day or evening, so we both settle down with a good book listening to the rain hammering on the roof. Reading a book being one of the only four suggestions in our pilot book of things to do in Mayaguana. However, it is quite cosy and reminds me of England!
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