We had a quiet day escaping the heat and the wind. We managed to give the boat a really good scrub down, it was amazing how grimy it had got, though I think most of that was contributed by being in such a built up area. It started to pour down whilst we were washing the boat but we just carried on, now just having to apply soap. Eventually it stopped raining as quickly as it began, we were both fairly soaked now but soon were over hot again trying to work in the heat. So once Invincible was gleaming again we both got a hose down on the dock!
Later that afternoon, after all of that activity we felt we had earned some refreshment and Kevin was very keen to try out the stalls on the edge of Potter’s Cay the fishing wharf, under the shadow of Paradise island bridge. We walked down the row of 10 or so stalls, many of which were filling up with local visitors apparently on their way back from work. The dominoes table at the end of the row was the scene of quite a concentrated game, though from our previous visits that goes on all day everyday.
We opted for Uncle Tellis’ stall at the end of the row, which was already busy. All of the stalls seemed to provide much the same menu of local fish (snapper, conch) and chicken (roast and jerk) dishes. A few more adventurous stalls also offer barracuda though they display a warning that these are eaten at the customers risk – being a potential ciguaterra (poisonous algae) carrier. I wasn’t too hungry and being a little cautious of local caught fish for the same reason opted for the conch fritters. Kevin despite his raving about eating local seafood straight off the boat opted for chicken this being one of his deprivations living with a veggie (albeit fish eating – I haven’t ventured to try chicken again since my first attempt).
Uncle Tellis’ stall, basic but freshly supplied
The crowd at Uncle Tellis’ were a lot of fun, firstly a young American couple who were from somewhere near Savannah and though being in Nassau only a few days had mastered the local buses and tried quite a few local places. They were I think fairly shocked by the cost of living compared to the States and were hence finding the local cheaper alternatives. They soon departed to get their bus. Uncle Tellis himself then came round the bar and told us about his travels in England which seemed to have been more extensive than most of the English. Though I think his biggest achievement in his travels came from his sampling of local bitters which he apparently did very thoroughly. It seems he found one of those local pubs with their own noxious brew of which even the locals would drink no more than three small glasses, a challenge he gamely took up, despite dire warnings of the fate of anyone passing out from the effects within the premises. It seems he survived though, but only by timing his collapse to be just outside the door. There were a number of other tales all told at top speed and usually involving a lady, plus some pretty choice jokes which I think Kevin has noted for later retelling with the boys!
Uncle Tellis himself
We also met another older local guy, George and his three friends who also bounced the banter off each other. Although George’s walking was rather laboured and assisted by two sticks having apparently been on a sinking ship and various other mishaps during his local nautical career he also left us to go out on the town with the girls, two of, at least 20 years his junior, no wonder he was always smiling. It was a fun night, the Bahamians have definitely been the friendliest people we have met so far and have earned the reputation from their islands being called the Friendly Islands.
Uncle Tellis’ stall
After an hour or two I decided it was time for us to go too – the bathroom facilities being a gap between huts leading to the waters edge which the men took their turn to use. One local lady did also venture, with her husband / boyfriend to stand at the entrance but I declined this option!
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