Hog Cay, Ragged Islands, Bahamas

The Valentine's party got started - Maxine had arrived with lots of food and a generator!

 

Duane and Sam from Booke-end helped tote the heavy generator ashore.  They used it later to power a big speaker system.

 

Things started out slowly around 10AM as people started to come ashore.

 

Duane and I got the conch fritter frying station going! Maxine had provided a 5 gallon jug of oil and a 5 gallon bucket of conch fritter batter!

 

Some of the cruisers toted the pots of food to warm on the cook fire.

 

The kiddos played some volleyball.

We met sortof famous bloggers from Out Chasing Stars.  Nice folks.

As we fried up the conch fritters, they were almost instantly eaten....Carol and several others volunteered to roam the crowd offering up the fritters.

 

Me at the cooking station.  We cooked non-stop for almost 2 hours...hundreds of fritters were eaten!  (I only had one with my lunch though - it was delicious!)

Maxine bossing one of the mailboat crew.

 

Lots of dinghies on the beach!

 

Kids make friends so easily!

Time for dinner!!!

 

Dale and Debbie from Mokakat.

 

Great Bahamian fare - rice & peas, goat stew, sliced turkey, coleslaw, baked mac'n'cheese. 

 

The goat stew!

 

Nicholas chatting with Louie from 360

 

After lunch getting ready for the auction.

 

Sam and Cindy from Booke-end (and Saba, of course)

 

Some of the kiddos making new friends.

 

Maxine taking a short break.

 

The auction underway - good fun.  The auction proceeds will go to benefit the school on Duncan Town that was demolished in Hurricane Irma several years ago.

 

The locals have a particularly good time bidding.

 

The kiddos were un-interested in the auction!

 

Ryan from Wabi-Sabi took my camera up to the hilltop and got a nice panoramic view of the 40+ boats in the harbour.

 

The day was winding down, some of the locals heading home.

 

Since I was finished with the fritter station, I was free to try on a Junkanoo head-dress.  Good fun.

 

Some of the locals partied into the evening....loud music!

We all gathered on the beach for one group shot.  A great day!

 

And a drone shot courtesy of Booke-End.