We left Great Harbor Marina yesterday evening about 5pm and pulled into Dania Beach at 10am this morning. We are now 6 for 6 on easy, calm crossings to and from The Bahamas. THAT is a accomplishment.
While at Great Harbor we took a cab ride/tour of the island with Milton who is a retired policeman, now a cab driver. He showed us Shark Creek, some beautiful homes and as you will find on almost every island ruins.
Most every island has a history steeped in the drug trade. Back in the 60’s and 70’s is seems the Bahama islands were a conduit for drugs and many islanders made good money assisting the trade. It also brought many people over from the US to party and vacation “where the action was”. Now that the drugs are not as plentiful, or tolerated as well, the result is resorts, golf courses and housing compounds deserted and in ruins. There is also a lost generation of island men who are still looking for the “easy” money of the drug years. We met an islander from Eluethra who is involved in a program to train young men for jobs in todays market. It’s a two week program that pays the individuals a daily wage while they are in the program. Unfortunately he said the men sign up just to get the money and when the two weeks are up they go back to being unemployed and uninterested in working. His comment was that the women will be the salvation of that generation as they think nothing of working hard to provide for themselves and their families.
It was a fun three months in The Bahamas. I will miss the beautiful water and the people both on the islands as well as in the cruiser community.
