Welcome 2016

Hi All,
Happy New Year from Hope Town! Since Christmas we've done a lot of taking it easy and enjoying the area. Susan walked up to the top of the Hope Town Lighthouse and took some pictures. I started up but my fear of heights took over and I didn't make it. Later I'll post the pictures she took. I hate being so wimpy.

We've met several new people, Ben on Loon and his friend Iris that was visiting for a week and Bill and Eileen on Cerce 2. Ben has done some 40,000 miles of cruising and Iris captains an 90 year old, wooden charter sailboat in Chesapeake Bay during the summer. We took them with us over to grocery shop in Marsh Harbour on Monday. On the way back we sailed and were able to pick their brains and learn a few things. On Wednesday the four of us motored over to Man-of-War Cay for lunch and to look around and then sailed back. More lessons. The time would have been well spent just for the lessons but we really enjoyed their company as well. Loon is moored next to us so Ben ends up stopping by most days as he watches us struggle to do this or that.Yesterday he helped us lower the mainsail, do a little repair and then hoist it back up again. The in-mast roller furling is working much easier now.  Thanks, Ben, for everything!

New Year's Eve fireworks in Hope Town were fantastic, much better than I expected. That was after a few drinks on Loon with Ben, Bill and Eileen from Cerce 2 and Tobin and Sam from Angel. A good time was had by all.

Today we plan to go outside the harbour, anchor and clean the bottom of the boat. Not really something we're (I) am looking forward to but it needs to get done. It will be our first attempt at using the snuba / hookah we bought before leaving Kemah.

That's it for now.
Take care.
Brian