March started with a long day of school in 15-20 kts at anchor in Elizabeth Harbor. By 1500 school was completed and it was time to go back to work on Noah’s boat for the competition on Friday. He decided to go for most environmental boat so used items collected from Sand Dollar beach to build a catamaran. Bamboo for the hulls, sticks for the cross beams and palm fronds and mesh (there is a fine mesh material underneath the palm leaves where the stems are attached to the palm tree) for the sails made up the material list. Beth was very patient and helped him learn how to secure all the parts together with cotton thread. Working until he ran out of light, the boat only needed a few sheets to hold the bottom of the sail.
Today was children’s day at the cruising regatta, the main reason for being here. After a lumpy night at anchor, Noah was up shortly after dawn and immediately went out to the cockpit to finish the “Binocular.” At least 150 kids converged on Volleyball Beach where they were grouped into teams after swearing a “blood” oath on a pirate’s sword. The sword had been cleverly coated with red magic marker, leaving a mark on each child. Games included a scavenger hunt, bean bag toss, and an obstacle course.
After a craft project, it was time for the big event — the model boat race. Boats were divided into divisions based on age. There were some very interesting entries in all the categories; downwind, cross wind, environmental, and creative. Noah’s boat floated okay in the downwind category but didn’t move very fast, or far for that matter. He wasn’t disappointed as he said all along he was going to be the best environmental boat. We tried to prepare him for being a good loser, but his name was called for first prize!
Afternoon brought boatloads of local bahamian kids for an environmental talk and to join in with the teams for afternoon activities. Everyone went home with a prize of some sort and it looked like all the kids had a great time. Plenty of water and snacks were provided to keep the kids hydrated and energized. We thought Noah had scrapped his face on something, but it was only the remnants of the pudding eating contest. The organizers and volunteers deserve special awards as they really did a fantastic job.
As long as the wind moderates in the morning, we plan to head up to Emerald Bay to do laundry, fill up the tanks, and take a little break from anchoring.