Georgetown is a delightfully picturesque
community of 1,000 people and serves as the
southernmost cruising headquarters for visiting yachtsmen exploring the Bahamas. Travelling south, the town is said to be the last stop in the Bahamas and the beginning of the trip to the Caribbean. Georgetown is also called “Chicken Harbour” because so many boats head off to the Caribbean but are daunted very quickly and return to Georgetown never to venture further south again!
We are anchored at Stocking Island, which is an island opposite the town centre, off “Volleyball Beach” and a Caribbean style beach bar. There were approximately 30 yachts and cruising vessels anchored when we arrived. From reading the yachtsman’s guides and hearing conversations on the VHF, it seems that a large number of cruisers (both sailing and motor boats) spend their winter in this area. This boating community make their way to Georgetown every year and organise afternoon volley ball games, poker nights at the local resort and other social activities. They have an 8.00am bulletin board over the VHF every morning, where announcements and arrangements for social activities are made. We have been told that the number of boats can number up to 300 later in the season.
“Hasta La Vista” and “X-T-Sea” arrived on the 3 December planning to stay for a couple of days, then sail to the Dominican Republic for Christmas. Once again, the weather was not favourable. We were anchored at Stocking Island for approximately four weeks during which time we visited Georgetown to explore and restock our supplies. We perused the shelves of the well-organised second hand book library and also visited the many souvenir stalls which were owned by locals. Afternoons were spent sitting in the cockpit watching the world go by; dinghying to Volleyball beach to sit and talk to old and new friends; and occasionally we would have friends over for drinks and nibbles or be invited to other boats for drinks and nibbles and sometimes dinner. Our Christmas was an “Aussi” style picnic lunch on the beach with Diego, Sandra and Corizon from “X-T-Sea” and Bill and Rosemary from “Levity” a New Zealand registered boat.
