Emerald of the Exumas

2011 02 23
Emerald Bay Marina
Georgetown, Grand Exuma Island, Bahamas

The View from the Upper Level Bar
Emerald Bay Marina

This is written while we sit at the nicest marina Meredith and crew have EVER had the good fortune to attend.  Floating docks, free laundry, new facilities and friendly staff. 

My computer is set up in the   upper floor reading room shown on the left.  On the right is the lower level reading room.  Internet is fast by this country's standards (it is nice to find at least one country in the world where internet service is more expensive and slower than that of Canada) the rooms are all airconditioned and far too classy for this scribe.


All this for $1 per foot, 40 foot minimum.

What makes this so unbelievable is that the marina is in the Exuma chain of islands in Bahamas.  

Even the Laundry is fun to do.

Fuel is $4.80 a gallon which is the government set price and it is clean sweet No. 2 diesel unlike the only surviving fuel station in Georgetown.  There you must lug your diesel in jerry cans from town to dinghy to boat to deck.  Repeat as necessary.  In Gtown the word is out - they are selling a large quantity of water, slime, dirt  and sand along with their diesel.   No one is buying anymore. 

Water which is free in chickentown and must be paid for here at $0.40 per gallon.  However you use a hose to transport it to your boat whereas the free water requires 10 dinghy trips at 10 gallons per trip plus carrying, liftying and gas to move you.  Here the water is first class sweet RO water.  I'll pay the $40 a tank.

A grocery is in walking distance as is a liquor store and atm.

Friendly staff is something that is rarely found in this island nation yet abounds here.

Floating docks are found nowhere else in this desert of the Atlantic.  Simple tie up, no tide to allow for and worry about.

Located 10 miles north of Georgetown it should be a stop on everyone's itinerary both in and out.  We will not likely waste any more time in the tired and overcrowded anchorages of Chickentown.  A stop here enroute is all that is needed.

I am in heaven.  Time for a second shower.