TravelStream™ news feed for member roy.eaton on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/roy.eaton en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:52:59 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984004140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984004140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984004140/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:52:59 -0500 Venice to Paris - 2001

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Venice, Italy

Our Gondola cruiseHenry James wrote of Venice in 1882, "... your visit becomes a perpetual love affair." When we first thought of visiting Venice, the one thing I hoped for was that there would be some free time in order for Margaret and I to take a romantic gondola ride with the gondolier entertaining us with traditional Italian songs. Frances Mayes described what I thought wed experience: You are seated in a sleek gondola, gliding along the Grand Canal through the heart of Venice. Gracious Italian palazzi and colorful facades flank your route, their large windows drinking in the Adriatic light. You've just passed a lively café and the ornate Rialto Bridge. Every push of the oar propels you farther into this romantic city.The reality was far from this picture. Thirty of our group opted for the cruises and each boat had to have 5 people in it, plus the gondolier. Our guide said he arranged a special discount price for our group. We each had pay about $25 Canadian for a half hour trip so it wasnt cheap. At $125 per boat, six boats, total $725. We wondered what the regular rate would have been! To be fair to Venice's gondoliers, they apparently invest upwards of $20,000 US for a traditional hand-built wooden gondola with a useful life of about 20 years. Gondoliers pass their art and knowledge of the mazelike waterways from father to son in this male-only, family-dominated industry.I would think that everyone knows the gondolier maneuvers his craft by pushing on a single oar. What you may not know is how the boat is constructed to assist in this operation. I found the following tidbit on a web site about boats. The most important characteristic of the gondola is its longitudinal asymmetry: the keel is not straight but curves towards the right so that the gondola lists to the right. This counterbalances the push of the single oar which would tend to direct the boat to the left. Also, the gondola has a flat bottom which allows it to float in very shallow water.We saw hundreds of gondolas that day, all the same colour - a unique, glossy, black. In Death in Venice, Thomas Mann described gondolas as strange craft ... with that particular blackness which is found elsewhere only in coffins.Having Joanne Smith on board, our music teacher extra-ordinaire, the first thing she asked was would our man sing us a song. No. Okay, we would provide our own music and sing ourselves. Well, he wasn't happy with that either. So much for that idea! We did pass one boat which had a singer and an accordion player on board so I guess there is a union there and if you want music you hire it extra. As for quietly gliding along the maze of canals, that wasn't quite as expected either. We were one of a horde of boats. Our driver also kept only a few feet away from the boat in front of us so that he could carry along a conversation with his friend steering that boat.Cruising through the maze of narrow canals we arrived at the spacious Grand Canal which winds its way through the city, with boats of all sizes and shapes to be seen, just as we see all types of vehicles on a highway. Then it was back into the narrow canals, passing buildings with wharfs stained over hundreds of years from the eternal rising and falling of the tides. As we passed one ancient building, a working boat was delivering supplies. Inside an opening, we could see that the entire interior area had been gutted. As in all the old cities of Europe, it is against the law to change the appearance of the outside of building but you can remodel the inside to your hearts content.Despite the drawbacks of our cruise, nothing could prevent this experience from being a truly unique part of our trip. As we traveled this waterway, it was as if we had stepped back in time to an ancient maritime world. There is certainly no city like Venice.I am now reading Frances Mayes second book on Italy entitled Bella Tuscany. After reconstructing their villa, described in her first book, they now have time to do some sightseeing outside of Tuscany. On her visit to Venice, she vividly and accurately described what we saw and experienced that day."The reality of the working gondolas laden with fruit and cases of aqua minerale, the construction barges piled with boards and sacks of concrete, the mind-stopping, stupendous, fairy-tale, solid beauty of the palazzi lining the canal and reflecting in the water. The beauty does not just pass before your eyes. It ravishes. I begin to feel the elation that a traveler experiences when in the presence of a place supremely itself. Heaven. Unbelievable."
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/1197326700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/1197326700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/1197326700/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:49:12 -0500 Venice to Paris - 2001

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Paris, France

The Louvre in Paris, FranceMargaret and I had not read anything about the museum and had just heard that it contained very famous works of art such as the Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa. As we stood in the street looking up at the building, it of course looked large but just a big, several block long building. One enters and goes downstairs to a lower ground floor where we had to gather all the students. We had to leave all the backpacks in a huge wheeled storage bin (like a coat check area) before we could enter the rest of the museum. Very efficient because there were many groups and backpacks and students seem to go together.Up an escalator and back to the main floor brought us to a center courtyard area under a glass pyramid. Before going further I wanted to see the upper area . There the true immensity of the museum became apparent. We were in the center of a huge palace courtyard and the different buildings housed the different collections. It was awesome to realize the extent of this museum. A map showed us that what I had initially thought was a building a few blocks long was really 6 blocks long and that building was only one side of the giant U shaped palace.Everything was on such a huge scale. The entire museum/palace now contains approximately 93,000 works of art. We were interested in Egyptian art but then read that: "Department of Egyptian Antiquities has gained an extra 60% of exhibition space. It now presents 5,000 works in 30 rooms.Where to start? After marveling at the beautiful statues in Venice and Florence, we decided to start with Sculptures, and first with the "Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities" section.The guide book states: "The Department of Sculptures of the Louvre museum incorporates sculptures from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and modern times. The collections in the Louvre museum include sculptures in marble, stone, bronze and wood. The works included in this department cover the Greek, Etruscan and Roman civilizations. They illustrate the artistic activity of a vast region, mainly centered around the Mediterranean, whose history dates back to the Neolithic period (IVth millennium B.C.) up to the VIth century A.D."This one section took us most of the time that was allotted to us. Incredible works of art. We made our way to the Venus de Milo, a sculpture which was found in the second century B.C. on the island of Milos in the Aegean Sea.Aphrodite was her Greek name, but the Romans called her Venus. She was found during the second century B.C. The 6' 6" piece used to have arms, but no one knows for certain what position they were in.One of the most impressive marble sculptures we viewed was the "Victory of Samothrace". (Samothrace is an island in the North Aegean Sea). It depicts a lady on the bow of a ship crashing through the sea. "The giant wings thrust the lady forward, and the clothes of the figure, damp from ocean spray and blown by sea winds, cling to her body. This spectacular piece stands 6' 9 1/2" tall and is almost 2200 years old."So many exquisite sculptures. Another one that amazed us was of Aphrodite in robes, the hems of which were so amazingly thin that it looked like she was draped in cloth instead of marble.Finally we left this area to see the Mona Lisa."The Louvre museum houses more than 6 000 European paintings dating from the end of the XIIIth century to the mid XIXth century. The most famous painting in the Louvre is Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci. This painting, considered da Vinci's most perfect work, took four years to complete and measures 30 1/4" by 20 3/4". Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa on a piece of pine wood in the year 1506."What a disappointment! While most of the other famous works of art we saw on our tour were exhibited in the best possible settings, this had to be the worst. This small painting was in a huge room with giant sized paintings on the other walls. The Mona Lisa is behind a secure area, behind a glass wall, hung in a separate hermetically sealed room. One is better off looking at a print of the painting.Last week, I read in the Toronto Star that the Louvre is responding to numerous complaints and has funded a million dollar renovation of that section to display the Mona Lisa in a better setting.Have you ever wondered about the Mona Lisa and her smile? Well then, you should check out the following site to discover the latest theory on this famous painting. Also use this site to visit the Louvre to see Leonardo's art: http://library.thinkquest.org/13681/data/davin2.shtmlIf you are interested in the history of the Louvre, the official site is excellent: http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm From this site, I edited the content to prepare the following brief history.The Louvre, the richest of museums, has stood for more than 800 years and reflects stages of change in French life through the centuries. The earliest known building was a fortress built about 1190. The fortress not only protected the city of Paris from invasions from the west but protected the king from his own subjects on the east. This fortress served as an arsenal, its dungeons housed political prisoners, and its rooms held the royal treasures--icons, armor, manuscripts, and jewelry.By about 1400, the Louvre had become a royal retreat where banquets, tournaments, and state occasions were held. It was at this time that elaborate gardens were added and an aviary for exotic birds as well as a host of wild animals.In 1415, the French were conquered by the English who then plundered the Louvre. The Louvre, just an arsenal and prison once again, was neglected for 150 years and its buildings fell into ruin. Francis I, in 1546, put artisans to work erecting a palace, the beginning of the Louvre as we know it today. His son Henry II had such imagination and grand plans for the Louvre that it was more than 300 years before these plans became reality. Each king after Henry II attempted to complete the plans for the Louvre--it was a "work-in-progress."During the reign of Henry IV, the Louvre began to become the artistic capital of the world. Hundreds of artists and craftsmen lived in the Louvre as guests of the king, a royal tradition which continued until the reign of Napoleon I. Under Louis XIV, the government made it its business to promote art, and by the early 1700's the royal collection contained more than 2400 objects of art. New wings were added to the Palace of the Tuileries, which housed the residence and throne room of Louis XIV; the Petite Galerie, built for Catharine de Medicis, was enlarged; buildings were constructed on three sides of the quadrangle of the old Louvre; the Gallery of the Kings, which had burned previously, was replaced by the Gallery of Apollo. The Louvre was nearing completion; however, when Louis XIV moved to Versailles the Louvre began to fall into disrepair. Hovels and trash filled its courtyards, shops were set up in its entrances, and the poor set up residence in its unfinished buildings.In 1793, after the French revolution, Napoleon instituted renovations of both the interior and exterior of the Louvre and removed all the shops and hovels that filled the Louvre in the 18th century. The Louvre became a public museum. Art was no longer available only to the upper classes, but became accessible to everyone.Advice:Unlike us, go to the web site and study up on the Louvre and its exhibits. Unless you are going to go back each day for a week, make a plan so that you ensure that you at least see whatever interests you the most. Lastly, try to be prepared for the largest, most awe inspiring museum you will ever enter.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984782820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984782820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984782820/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:48:29 -0500 Venice to Paris - 2001

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Versailles, France

The Palace of VersaillesThis was one of two optional excursions which we added to our trip. Versailles itself started out as hunt camp for King Louis XIII, in 1623, so he could get away from the royal palace at the Louvre in Paris for a little free time with the boys. This "hunt camp", is the center wing of today's palace and to our eyes looked like a palace on its own. When the new king - Louis XIV came to power he commissioned his architect Le Vau to extend the lodge and create magnificent gardens and waterways.Our guide took us on a tour of the gardens but March is not the time to enjoy this spectacular scenery as most of the bushes were still covered in burlap and the ponds and pools around the palace were drained. One advantage was that we saw the system of pumps which made the fountains work. I asked our guide when these were installed and she said they dated from the mid 1600's to 1682 when the King Louis XIV decided that he would move the court from Paris to Versailles. Water was brought by a series of aqueducts from the Seine some 30 miles away and then horses worked the pumps which produced the pressure to make the fountains work. There are so many fountains that enough pressure could only be produced for a few at a time so when the King went for a walk the fountains surrounding him would work and then valves would shut them down as he left so that the ones he was approaching could start up.I found touring inside the palace to be a very special time for me. My minor in university was History and here I was walking the halls where so many famous events took place. Versailles was the cradle of the French revolution and on Oct 5th and 6th in 1789 a mob from Paris swept in to the palace to bring the royal family back to Paris and eventual beheading. In 1870, the Germans set up headquarters in Versailles and proclaimed the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors. As I stood in the Hall of Mirrors it was easy to visualize the famous photograph of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which ended the First World War. The entire 210 feet long hall faces south overlooking the pools, ponds and waterways. The sun wasn't out that day but apparently when it is the sun comes in through the windows reflects on the entire hall of mirrors and turns all the golden statues in the hallway into magnificent gleaming works of art. Apparently the hallway and its contents have been appraised at several billion dollars if it had to be recreated today.We saw the queen's but not the king's private apartment because that was an addition tour which we weren't signed up for but we did hear about life during Louis XIV's time. Apparently the nobility had very little to do in those days but to watch the king. When he got up, selected nobles would be allowed to watch him dress, go to the royal bathroom open to all eyes in the room, watch him eat, etc., etc. I guess it was their answer to soap operas on tv. :-)ADVICEIf you are going to Paris, definitely sign up for an excursion to Versailles. Our guide said the best time would be in late May or June when everything is in full bloom but it is not as hot as apparently it is in July and August. Also in those months there are huge crowds and line ups. Our guide also suggested arriving before 10 am. to help with line ups. If you can afford the time, plan on spending a day so that you can take additional excursions to the waterways, the town and the king's apartment.Maybe sometime I'll add to these descriptions by writing about our time in Monaco, Nice, the perfume factory, the Efiel Tower to name only a few.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984609780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984609780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984609780/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:44:58 -0500 Venice to Paris - 2001

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Nice, France

Spent a night here before getting on the train for Paris. After hearing stories of the beaches, we were disappointed to see they were all rock strewn.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984523020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984523020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984523020/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:42:22 -0500 Venice to Paris - 2001

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Monte-Carlo, Monaco

We spent a far too short afternoon here. Georgeous harbour filled with mega yachts. Hopefully in the future I'll write up our time here and also in the next post for Nice. For now it will just show as a pin placement for the Travel log.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984436440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984436440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984436440/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:36:58 -0500 Venice to Paris - 2001

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Pisa, Italy

What a beautiful bus ride on the autostrada from Florence to Nice. As we drove through the rolling Tuscany hills, we could see in the distance, atop every hill, a small town estate, or villa, overlooking the beautiful valleys below. On and off during the day we had rain and then beautiful sunshine. I am presently reading a novel by Frances Mayes entitled Under the Tuscan Sun. It is the story of her purchase and renovation of one of these old houses or "una bella villa". She paints with words the following picture which remains so clear in my mind of our trip that day."The balcony faces southeast, looking into a deep valley, then into the Tuscan Apennines. When it rains or when the light changes, the facade of the house turns gold, sienna, ocher: a previous scarlet paint job seeps through in rosy spots like a box of crayons left to melt in the sun. The house rises above a road of white pebbles, on a terraced slab of hillside covered with fruit and olive trees."This is exactly the vista we saw mile after mile as we trekked in comfort across the Tuscan hills. In one area, our tour guide said that the hills were noted for their sulphur springs. Tourists for centuries had made their way to this area to bask in the restorative and healing springs. Today the tenants of the hillside villas include the likes of stars like Cher, Sting and the now famously divorced stars Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.The evening after I wrote the above, imagine my surprise to read in Frances Mayes' book the following passage."In the morning I have one of the favorite experiences of my life. We get up at five and go to the hot waterfall near Saturnia. ... Pale blue but clear water cascades over tufa, which the falls have hollowed out in many places, forming perfect places to sit down and let the warm water flow over and around you. When I first heard of the falls, I thought we might emerge smelling like old Easter eggs, but the sulfur is mild. The current has enough force so that you feel massed, not enough to sweep you away. Bliss. Where are the water nymphs? Whatever it is supposed to cure, I'm sure it does. After an hour, I feel as though I have no bones in my body. I am utterly relaxed, limp, speechless."Driving out of this beautiful area, we arrived at Pisa. Being a sailor, I of course was interested in the maritime history of this ancient city because although it lies 13 kilometers from the sea, the river harboured a major Roman fleet over 2000 years ago. In the 11th century and for the next 300 years, Pisa was a powerful center thanks to its fleet of ships. I read that "Pisa participated in the first crusade with 12 ships and founded numerous merchant colonies." In the 12th century, at the height of its maritime prowess it "won a great victory over the Muslim fleet and later defeated its rival Amalfi." It was during this time that work on the Cathedral began.We were only allowed a short time in Pisa so we didn't have a chance to enter the Cathedral and the famous leaning tower, which was the cathedral's bell tower, was closed to the public so all we could do was wander around the outside taking pictures. We were allowed to enter the Baptistry which turned out to be a highlight for many of us. "The Baptistry is circular and the interior consists of an annular nave covered with vaulting which rests on columns and piers". This empty interior continues upward what we guessed to be maybe 100 meters. As we stood in front of the baptismal font, a man started a chant, one sound slowly emitted at a time. The echoes magnified his voice and reverberated throughout the building. Then his second chant overlaid the first and so on until shortly it was as if an entire choir was present. Words can't describe the beauty of the music produced. I believe that no one present will ever forget the experience.Margaret and I then climbed a narrow, circular staircase which wound its way along the outer wall to the women's gallery and then to the very top of the Baptistery for a beautiful view of the surrounding area.As we left Pisa, we could see the marble quarries to the north of the city. These were the very quarries from which Michelangelo obtained his marble to create "David" and his many famous sculptures. Another coincidence occurred several weeks after we returned from our trip. One afternoon while channel surfing through the 100 TV channels we receive from our satellite dish, just starting was "The Agony and the Ecstasy" with Charleton Heston playing the part of Michelangelo and his painting of the Sistine Chapel. But there are two scenes of life in Pisa. The first shows how they transported the huge marble blocks on wagons pulled by 10 giant oxen. Another scene shows how they cut the marble slabs - maybe from the very quarry which we passed that day.Leaving Pisa we traveled up the coastal highway to our next stop, Monaco but that is another story which hopefully I'll add to this narrative.Some facts about the famous tower.Since we weren't allowed into the leaning tower I thought I'd investigate it more on the Internet. From the official web site: http://torre.duomo.pisa.it/ I learned the following:"- The Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral. Its construction began in August of 1173 and continued (with two long interruptions) for about two hundred years.- The tower started leaning when the soil beneath it started shifting shortly after work to construct it began.- The height of the building from the foundations to the belfry is c. 60m- The ring shaped foundation has an external diameter of 19.6m- The Tower weighs c. 14,500 tonnes- The Tower is shaped like a hollow cylinder formed by two concentric walls (in marble blocks) which contain mortar and other matter- A spiral stair within the cylindrical body allows access to the arcaded storeys and to the summit of the tower- The thickness of the wall at the first level is 4.1m. At higher levels it is 2.7m- The inclination is c. 5½ degrees towards the south; this means that the seventh cornice protrudes about 4.5m over the first cornice.- the rotation speed of the Tower has accelerated from 4" per year in the 1930s to 6" per year at the end of the 1980s.- Steps to Bell Tower: 294- Number of visitors who climbed to top in 1989: 700,000- Date Closed to Public: 7 January 1990In 1993, a counterweight of about 600 tonnes, made from lead ingots, was placed on the north side of the Towers' base in order to arrest the southward rotation. The renewed tendency to rotate towards the south was checked and halted by augmenting the counterweight from 600 tonnes to about 870 tonnes."A better and more interesting web site, which lists itself as the "Unofficial web page" is found at:http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/ltpisa/ltpisa.htmlIt gives such varied information as:The bells were regularly rung from the ground using a bellcord. To the 1907-1908 commission this seemed risky and it was decided to avoid the "swinging movement" of the two heavy bells, Crocifisso and dell'Assunta.On April 7, 2001 the following announcement was posted on the unofficial web site.PISA - After 11 years of closing and a job costing 55 billion lire, the Tower of Pisa reopens. Beginning next November, with a ticket costing 25,000 lire per head $12 U.S., a person can ascend the 183-foot-high famous monument. Visits will be allowed in groups of 30 people at a time with guided companions. Visitors will be allowed up to the bell cell and will also be able to go out on one of the loggias.Jamiolkowski has given a summary of the work: the Tower has decreased its inclination by 396 millimeters, therefore missing only some 4 millimeters to the final finish, that of 40 centimeters; the monument is returned to the state in which it was two centuries ago, at the end of the 1700's, while this operation will safeguard it for at least another two and a half centuries - safe from the immediate dangers: turnover due to inclination and structural collapse.The tower was closed in 1990 for a restoration project aimed at reducing its leaning. Officials said the reconstruction reduced the tower's tilt by 16 inches. When the work began, the tower leaned 13 feet on its south side. Officials said: Now its tilt is roughly where it was 300 years ago.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984177060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984177060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/europe_2001/984177060/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:34:12 -0500 Venice to Paris - 2001

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Florence, Italy

Margaret and I, and many of the students, found Florence to be the most beautiful city which we visited. It is such a historical city and was the birth place of so many famous people. The following is a quote I found on Florence.Few cities have affected more profoundly the course of civilization. In many ways, mankind has drawn its highest inspiration from Florence . Among the great poets, Dante was a Florentine, while Petrarch and Boccaccio were sons of Florentines. Among the great painters Giotto found in Florence patronage and a proper field for his genius. Fra Angelico (Giovanni da Fiesole) was a Florentine, likewise Masaccio and Donatello. Unrivaled sculptors, like Michelangelo and Lorenzo Ghiberti, architects like Brunelleschi, universal savants like Leone Battista Alberti, shine like brilliant gems in the city's diadem of fame, and mark in some respects the highest attainments of humanity. Florence was long the chief centre of the Renaissance.The first place we toured was the Basilica of Santa Croce, one of the largest churches in the city and the largest Franciscan church in Florence. The construction of the new Basilica of Santa Croce was officially started on May 3rd 1294, when the architect, Arnolfo di Cambio, laid the first stone of what was to become a masterpiece of Gothic art. Work continued into the second half of the 14th century but the church wasn't consecrated until 1443.It is difficult to imagine the vision it would take to build a structure which you knew not even your children would see to its completion. In today's world, we ensure that contractors finish the most outstanding structures in a period of years not even decades or, heaven forbid, centuries. Think of how long President Kennedy gave NASA to accomplish the unheard of task of putting a man on the moon.A special guide met us to take us through the church. As in Venice, Sienna and later in Paris our own tour guide was not allowed to describe anything inside the church. He could have been heavily fined and lost his own license if he had been caught playing that role. Only the specially licensed guide was allowed to describe what we would see.After winding our way through several gypsy beggars, we entered the church and were amazed with the immense size of the interior. Our second surprise was to discover that in the floor of church are buried a number of very famous people. The presence of a great many funeral monuments and tombstones (276 can still be seen on the floor alone) has led to the Basilica being thought of as the city Pantheon, the burial place of Florence's most illustrious citizens. The floor is covered with old tombstones for the entire length of the nave. The most famous funeral monuments are along the walls of the right aisle. These include the monument to Dante Alighieri by Ricci (1829); to Michelangelo, by Vasari (1579); to Alfieri, by Canova (1803); to Machiavelli, by I. Spinazzi (1787).The first area to the right of the entrance is devoted to the funeral monuments of Michelangelo. At the foot of the beautiful sculptures is a marble rectangle in the floor under which lies his body. I must admit it was rather strange to be standing in a church and see a cemetery plot under peoples feet.At the front of the church is a beautiful altarpiece is by Giovanni del Biondo (1379).Michelozzo's Medici Chapel, built for Cosimo the Elder, is at the back. It contains a magnificent bas-relief by Donatello and various works by the Della Robbias.As our guide lead us down the left side of the church, we saw at the far end a striking sculpture of a man studying the heavens. We were soon to learn that this sculpture reigned over the tomb of Galileo. Remembering from university Galileo's trouble with the church, I couldnt believe they would allow his body to be interned in sacred ground, let alone this fabulous church. The guide told us that indeed many years passed until the church recognized his genius and allowed his body to be buried in the consecrated ground.When we returned from our trip, I did a web search of Galileo to refresh my memory about this remarkable man, his contribution to mankind and the church's treatment of his heresy of believing the that the sun, not the earth, was the centre of the universe.The following is quoted from the at Web site: http:www.galileo.imss.firenze.it/museo/b/egalilg.htmlGalileo Galilei was born in Pisa in 1564. He studied at Pisa, where he later held the chair in mathematics from 1589 - 1592. He was then appointed to the chair of mathematics at the University of Padua, where he remained until 1610. During these years he carried out studies and experiments in mechanics, and also built a thermoscope. He devised and constructed a geometrical and military compass, and wrote a handbook which describes how to use this instrument. In 1594, he obtained the patent for a machine to raise water levels. He invented the microscope, and built a telescope with which he made celestial observations, the most spectacular of which was his discovery of the satellites of Jupiter. In 1610 he was nominated the foremost Mathematician of the University of Pisa and given the title of mathematician to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He studied Saturn and observed the phases of Venus.In 1611 he went to Rome. He became a member of the Accademia dei Lincei and observed the sunspots. In 1612 he began to encounter serious opposition to his theory of the motion of the earth that he taught after Copernicus. Galileo therefore went to Rome, where he defended himself against charges that had been made against him but, in 1616, he was told that he could not defend Copernican astronomy because it went against the doctrine of the Church. In 1632 he was summoned by the Holy Office to Rome. The tribunal passed a sentence condemning him and compelled Galileo to solemnly abjure his theory.The sentence of the Tribunal of the Supreme Inquisition against Galileo Galilei was as follows:"That the Sun is the centre of the universe and doth not move from his place is a proposition absurd and false in philosophy, and formerly heretical; being expressly contrary to Holy Writ: That the Earth is not the centre of the universe nor immovable, but that it moves, even with a diurnal motion, is likewise a proposition absurd and false in philosophy, and considered in theology ad minus erroneous in faith....."Galileo recanted of his heretical ideas in the face of the church's opposition and he was sent to exile in Siena and finally, in December of 1633, he was allowed to retire to his villa in Arcetri, the Gioiello. His health condition was steadily declining, - by 1638 he was completely blind, and also by now bereft of the support of his daughter, Sister Maria Celeste, who died in 1634. Galileo died in Arcetri on January 8, 1642.We had been told that after the trial Galileo daughters never spoke to him again. Our guide said that no one really knew if it was because he had caused such disgrace to the family name or because he gave in and recanted.ADVICERoy's advice: If you go to Florence, you must see this magnificent church. If you are your own pick up one of the tape recording guide machines to aid you in appreciating the marvels you are witnessing.Margaret's advice: Get a life and return to the real world. Drag your spouse out of the church and run don't walk across the plaza to The Gold Corner and get him to buy you some fabulous Florentine 18 caret gold jewelry.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1016173560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1016173560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1016173560/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 01:43:50 -0500 Nine month cruise aboard Mystic Loon from Little Current,Ontario to the Abacos, Bahamas.

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Hope Town, Bahamas

February 15ACCLAIM, FOREVER YOUNG, and RIVERDANCE were anxious to be on their way as they were headed to Eleuthera and then to Nassau. We decided to go part of the way with them so, early Saturday, our four boats headed out to Hope Town. We decided to stop behind Johnnys Cay and take the dinghies out to do some snorkeling on the ocean side reef. It was advertised in the cruising guide as one of the three top sites in this area. John from RIVERDANCE, picked me up in his dinghy and it was a good thing as, despite the fact that he had a 15 hp engine, it still took us some time to get out to the reef.It was exciting to dive on the ocean side once more, with the breakers throwing huge sprays into the air as we safely snorkeled on the relatively quiet backside of the reef. Lots of fish and quite a number of good sized fish. We snorkeled as close as we could to the breakers until we had to turn back due to the fact that we could no longer see due to the air bubbles in the waters caused by the crashing waves. Martin and Pauline soon arrived and then John and Alida who didn't dive but tried their hand at fishing with no more luck than we had with our spears. Martin had the best chance of the day with a large grouper but, as they say, close only counts in horseshoes.The harbour of Hope Town is quite small and there is no room to anchor due to the moorings which have been set by the marinas. We were unable to obtain any moorings so our four boats anchored off the entrance out of the way of the ferry traffic but still affected by the large waves their wake caused.February 16RAIN!!! It was a miserable day and, since we knew we'd have other chances to tour Hope Town, we stayed aboard while the others went ashore in the rain. The weather forecast that morning indicated that we could expect similar weather for the next several days so we decided to abort our plan to sail further south with the group and return to Marsh Harbour the following day.That evening we invited everyone over to MYSTIC LOON for a farewell evening. Even though it was still raining and even though our boat is quite small to host eight people, we had a wonderful final evening together. The evening was tinged with sadness but happy with the recollections of so many shared moments during the past four months.Martin and Pauline plan to marry in Nassau when Pauline's son arrives for a visit on his March Break from school in Toronto. We desperately wanted to go with them to attend the event but then we would be faced with very long ocean passages by ourselves to find our way back to the States. This was not a project we wanted to undertake in our boat with no radar, life raft or EPIRB. We gave them our wedding gift and with tears that night and the next morning we said goodbye to wonderful friends.February 17It was a sad moment when we waved goodbye to everyone that morning and the dreary weather did not help. When we returned to Marsh Harbour the crowded anchorage seemed very lonely. Going ashore on a Sunday did not help as everything was closed except a few grocery stores. It was very depressing.Normally when you say goodbye to friends, there is a good chance you can see each other again. Even if they are visiting from far away, both of you have homes and, if the will is there, you can travel to see each other. In this case, all three boats are their homes and they can travel any where in the world so the chance of our paths crossing again is almost nonexistent. But one never knows as we were soon to find out.February 18 - 21I spoke with FOREVER YOUNG via our Ham radio. They and ACCLAIM left on their way to Eleuthera. The seas were 8 feet and so rose to 12 feet. Rough ride for all but they made it safely. John and Connie on RIVERDANCE decided to wait till the next day in hopes that the seas would moderate. When they did leave they got out of the ocean cut at Little Harbour without too much difficulty but quickly found themselves in big seas which buried the bow of their boat and threw spray back out the entire length of their 38 foot boat. Their boat is a heavy, ocean going Island Packet but they were just tossed by the seas. Everything was secured below but it still went flying with the pounding they took trying to reverse course and return to the safety of Little Harbour. Margaret and I were certainly glad we were securely anchored here in Marsh Harbour.Dave and Judy from NICOU returned from their trip back to Maine and, on Feb. 21, RIVERDANCE returned. They have given up on the idea of going to Eleuthra and Nassau. They phoned their friends and told them to meet them instead here in Marsh, when they arrive in March. We are also eagerly awaiting friends as Valerie and Grant Boland (who looks after this web site for us) are arriving on March 1.One decision our three boats have made is that we will sail together on the trip back to the U.S. and we will return via approximately the same path we followed getting here. We had thought of going around the south end of the Abacos but, after RIVERDANCE'S experience, we decided the more protected northern waters would be just excellent.Here in the Abacos, there is a Cruisers Net operated on VHF channel 68 at 8:15 a.m. local time. Patty and Bob Toler have managed the net from Marsh Harbour for the past ten years and various people help out with different parts of the net. The net schedule starts with a comprehensive weather report based on NOAA forecasts with local interpretations. This is followed by observations from boats in the various areas on conditions at several Atlantic passes where rage sea conditions sometimes exist. After the weather, community, news, and commercial announcements are made. Then cruisers are welcomed to the area, departing cruisers offer to take mail back to USA or other countries, and cruisers leave messages with each other for chats on other channels. It lasts for about 45 minutes to an hour and hundreds of boats listen to it religiously each morning.The news, these past few weeks, has concentrated on the Olympics. Unfortunately there is never any news on how well Canada is doing as the people who do the news are all Americans who download off the Internet or watch CNN at the marinas. We had to get our news via our HAM radio from Radio Canada International which broadcasts "The World at Six" each evening on several frequencies. After listening to some great stories of our athletes, I decided to use the Open Mike portion to broadcast Canada's medal count and some details of our wins. After doing this for two mornings and receiving a number of calls from Canadian boats thanking me, Patty, the net controller contacted me and asked if I'd be willing to do a regular report each morning after the world news segment just on Canadian news. In reality, there are more Canadian boats in the Abacos than American boats so there was a real listening audience out there.It has been a wonderful experience leading to meeting many new people. It was especially great to announce the gold medals in men and women's hockey. The chap who does the news and I had a deal that which ever country won the gold, that person would get to announce the final scores so both days I had the honour.February 24Canada vs the United States in men's hockey. NICOU was tied up at the Conch Inn Marina as Dave and Judy's daughter and family were visiting for a week. Since Dave had power, we took over a television from RIVERDANCE to watch the game live. As the only Canadian aboard a boatload of Americans we had lots of laughs and with a perfect ending (as far as I was concerned). When the game ended, all around the harbour horns blew and Canadian flags were high aboard the ships.February 28We checked into the Port of Call Marina to prepare the boat for Grant and Val's visit. As we moved and repacked supplies we couldn't believe how much new space we were able to create. It certainly was a good thing they didn't come early in the trip when we were still loaded down from our shopping and provisioning for three months.March 1What a delight to meet friends from home. We have met wonderful people on this cruise but there is something very special about people you have known for so long. Grant and I have been friends since high school and we have been friends with his wife, Valerie, for over 30 years. They have sailed with us for a number of years in the North Channel so had a good idea of what to expect but still were surprised with how we had packed so much on this little boat and all the modifications we had made for this trip.Unfortunately we are in for a week of unsettled weather so we spent the day showing them the sights of Marsh Harbour. This picture was taken near the marina. Note the lack of earth and grass which was common throughout Marsh Harbour.One of the more interesting volunteer efforts is that of trying to save the wild horses of Abaco. "These are horses which may be descendants from the time of Columbus. In the early 60's there were nearly two hundred, but the herd fell victim to sports hunters and only three were rescued. Today's herd, once up to 35, now numbers only 17. Uncontrolled feral and domestic dogs and limited medical care threaten their future." If anyone is interested in more information on the horses they have a web site at http://www.arkwild.org One woman in particular who has devoted so much time to the project is Mimi, a singlehander aboard "Aldelon". To raise funds she got an old ship's container, permission to set it up at the end of the local mall and hosts "Buck a Book". Cruisers are asked to donate any books they've read and then she sells them for a buck. Any money raised goes to support the wild horses.Wild dogs threaten the horses so she has put together a band of volunteers - veterinarians, etc. who donate their time to neuter any dogs she retrieves. Abaco dogs have the name "Potcakes" and when she retrieves pups, they are advertised on the cruisers net for adoption. During the past week she was able to have 7 adopted by cruisers, all with their shots provided free of charge.March 3We invited John from RIVERDANCE to join us as we sailed to Mermaid Reef and snorkeled the reef. Grant and Val couldn't get over the beautiful colours of the sea which we sailed over. Going back to the marina we made sure we rinsed off our dive suits with lots of fresh water. If you don't do this, they quickly develop a smell from the salt water.March 4 and 5Sailed to Treasure Cay to enjoy their world famous beach. Unfortunately we just beat a storm into the harbour and no sooner had we anchored than the skies opened with a 180 degree wind shift and a deluge of rain. Great evening to stay aboard and play bridge. The next day although it was too chilly for sunbathing, we were able to enjoy the pleasures of the area.March 6We motored into large head seas on the way to Baker's Bay. At one point we were going into six foot seas which would normally not be a problem but gets scary in shallow water. For about 1/2 a mile we watched the depth sounder go from 12 feet at the crest of the wave to 6 feet at the bottom. It was a relief when we got into a more sheltered area.With the strong winds there were only three other boats anchored off the beach what a difference from the 40 plus boats we found the last time we were there.Before supper, we went ashore to explore the ruins left by the failed charter company which I've described previously.March 7We returned to Marsh Harbour with an invigorating beam reach sail. That evening Grant and Val treated us to a wonderful meal on the eastern side of the island at the Lazy Parrot. We were picked up at the marina for the four mile trip and returned after dinner. It was nice seeing the interior of the island as the driver took us on a bit of a sightseeing tour on the way to the restaurant. This restaurant doesn't advertise on the cruisers net but for anyone staying in Marsh Harbour, I'd recommend it highly.March 8Breakfast at beautiful Mango's and then all too soon we had to say goodbye to our great friends.About two hours after they left, the strong winds which we had endured all week died and for the next ten days we enjoyed some of the finest weather of the winter. Why couldn't we have had this when Grant and Val were with us?March 9 to 12Before leaving the marina, we took advantage of being closer to the laundromat (only ½ mile away). We found the best way to haul everything is inside the BAJA bags we purchased at Outdoor Experience in Toronto. Thanks Bruce Cunningham for the great tip!!! They come in especially handy when we are returning from shopping and have to store everything in the dinghy for a wet trip across the harbour if there is a choppy sea.With town chores done we returned to life at anchor. We enjoyed going to Mermaid Beach each day together with John and Connie and Dave and Judy. We never tired of snorkeling the small reef there which is so filled with marine life and then returning to the fresh water pool at the Marsh Harbour Marina at which Dave and Judy dock NICOU.During these days we went to an arts and craft show hosted at the Jib Room and on another day attended the "Great Blindfold Dinghy Race". We went with Dave and Judy aboard their dinghy and watched the antics of the members of the Marsh Harbour Yacht Club. The driver of the dinghy has to be blindfolded and the navigator yells instructions as they wind their way along the course.March 13 and 14Along with RIVERDANCE and NICOU, we reserved two nights on moorings in Hope Town. Because it is such a small congested harbour there is really no room for anchoring and you must book ahead for a mooring or stay at one of the marinas.Hope Town on Elbow Cay is a beautiful community. The cruiser's guide book states: "In 1900 Hope Town was the largest and most prosperous settlement in the Abacos. It was the seat of the commissioner and its population of 1200 lived by fishing, sponging, shipping and boat building". It now has a population of about 350 and most of the homes are second homes for people from around the world who spend a limited time here and rent out their homes for the rest of the year.Hope Town is described as "a time warp hamlet". It has clapboard, saltpox cottages weathered to a silver grey or painted in pastel colours, with white-picket fences setting them off. No vehicles or golf carts are allowed in the town itself except for a specially designed fire truck which can navigate the narrow streets and a similarly designed garbage truck.We rented two golf carts and set out to explore the island. Throughout our trip we constantly were stopping either to see gorgeous views of the seaside or one of the many beautiful, very expensive homes belonging mainly to people who use them as a second home for the winter.About one and a half miles south of Hope Town, the Abaco Inn sits on a ridge of sandy soil overlooking both the Atlantic Ocean with its crashing waves and quiet protected waters of White Sound and the Sea of Abaco. There was a good wind that day so no sunbathers in their beautiful ocean side pool.We finally made our way down to Tahiti Beach at the south end of Elbow Cay, about 5 miles from Hope Town. There is no access other than by boat or the way we came by golf cart. We found this beautiful beach almost deserted and we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring, shell collecting, swimming and just relaxing sunbathing. That evening, we enjoyed happy hour aboard NICOU and made plans to attend the once a year "house tour" the next day. The local school was sponsoring this tour to raise money for new computers.In 1900, Hope Town was the largest and most prosperous settlement in the Abacos. It was the seat of the commissioner and its population of 1200 lived by fishing, sponging, shipping and boat building. It now has a population of about 350 and most of the homes are second homes for people from around the world who spend a limited time here and rent out their homes for the rest of the year.March 14I went exploring as the others went on a house tour arranged as a fund raiser for the local school. Margaret had a wonderful morning and now has tons of ideas of what she'd like back in Little Current. Our first task will be to win the Lottery and after that I have assured her that the rest will be easy. :-) The homes were a mix of private residences and homes now available for rent. The homes ranged from the one of the oldest homes on the island to the newest. To give you an idea of the variety of homes on the tour, I'll quote descriptions of three from the guide.One of the 15 homes Margaret toured was "Southern Fancy" which once belonged to the editors of Ladies Home Journal and was built in 1898. It had a chandelier "which once graced a Bawdy House in India". The fixture was transported to the Bahamas from the Goulds house in Martha's Vineyard."Dream On" is the newest home in Hope Town done in Southern Caribbean style. The colourful guestroom reminds one of a manor house in Barbados. At the top is a study with its own balcony overlooking the Sea of Abaco and the ocean beaches of Elbow Cay. The "Flamingo Villas" are two pink rental villas with six individual balconies and every bedroom overlooking the harbour.The Hope Town School is an historic site built in 1893. The original red and white one room building has "stood firm on its foundation despite major hurricanes in 1927, 1935, 1965 and 1999. The rooms are now air conditioned, however the carved wooden corners built by loyalist shipbuilders are still very much in view". There is now a second building built in the same style. They have an enrolment of 38 students as many of the more prosperous parents send their children to the new private schools in Marsh Harbour. Each day these students take the small ferry across the 6 mile stretch of water between the two islands.While in the States, we had been able to purchase very cheaply: calculators, boxes of crayons and pencils, magic markers and high-lighters, folders and binders. We had been carrying these aboard to donate to an island school. In Hope Town, we found the students we wanted to assist.In talking with Candace Key, the Head Mistress, her students come from a wide variety of backgrounds including a number of Haitian students who could certainly use assistance with school supplies.March 15- the most photographed lighthouse in the Caribbean.We had been saving our visit to the Hope Town lighthouse for a perfect sunny day and today couldn't have been better. We even had special visitors, as Koos and Kelly joined us for the morning. We had met these two delightful young women when Grant and Val took us to the Lazy Parroy in Marsh Harbour. We had looked forward to meeting up with them again as they were on a charter aboard a beautiful 46 foot Hunter. Rescuing them from the opulence of BANANA WIND, we dinghied over to view this famous lighthouse..The candy cane striped lighthouse is one of the few remaining manned lighthouses in the Caribbean and is supported by the Bahamas Lighthouse Preservation Society which is headquartered in Hope Town. Volunteers make some of the out-of-production parts such as "the delicate, antiquated mantles needed for the kerosene powered lights". In the Fall 1998 edition of Abaco Life, the Keepers of the Lighthouse were featured. The article describes how two men who have worked for the past twenty five years, have six-hour shifts looking after the light. "The rotating Fresnel lenses are kept in motion by the descending pull of seven hundred pounds of weights. The keeper must hand wind these weights every two hours to regenerate the lights rotating power. The cut glass lenses, which concentrate and amplify the mantles light rest in a tub of mercury so they turn with little friction. So ingenious is this design that a person can put the four-ton apparatus in motion with one finger!" The original logbook for the lighthouse which is kept in Nassau dates completion of the lighthouse in 1863.The article continued with a small story recording that: "Both men had to crank the gears all night recently when the weight mechanism broke down. And it can be dangerous. Forbes shows scars on his chest from burning alcohol that accidentally spilled on him during the mantle pre-heating process".The climb of the 101 steps to the top of the lighthouse is well worth the effort to obtain unforgettable views of Hope Town Harbour, the Sea of Abaco to the north and west and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and east.There is an new IMAX movie out on Dolphins. We found out that the film crew spent several weeks in Hope Town while they were filming the area. Bruce Cunningham and his family saw it recently in Sudbury and said it has some great shots of the harbour and the sailboats so if you really want to view where we sailed you will enjoy this movie.RIVERDANCE left to return to Marsh Harbour to await guests while NICOU and MYSTIC LOON proceeded southward. We had wanted to stop and snorkel at Sandy Cay but the east wind had raised large swells at the reef so we continued on and anchored for the night at Lynyard Cay. Quite a number of other boats were here also as this is one of the main inlets to the ocean to proceed or enter from a voyage to the Eleuthras or Nassau.Dave and I took advantage of the clear water to scrub our hulls. Even with the best bottom paint we could buy, there still was quite a build up of vegetation on our hulls. It would take a number of attempts to do the entire hull as one soon tires from the exertion of snorkeling down, scrubbing a small area, back up for air, down again, etc. I didn't have bottom paint on the shaft or the propeller and there were quite a number of barnacles growing on the metal. Thankfully the zincs which I had installed four months earlier at St. Augustine were still in good shape and only needed the barnacles scrapped off. Dave later hired a diver back in Marsh Harbour to complete the job on their 38 foot boat but I kept doing a little each time we anchored in clear water.We enjoyed walking the beautiful beach and Margaret and Judy continued to add to their shell collections. The next day we would head a short distance away to the delights of isolated Little Harbour and see for ourselves where a famous artist escaped from the world to raise a family in a cave.Someday, I'll complete this web site journey and describe our trip back to Grand Bahama Island and across the Gulf Stream to Lake Worth Inlet.We made it safely back in company with NICOU and RIVERDANCEWe enjoyed our time so much that we decided to leave MYSTIC LOON at Fort Pierce, Florida where it is stored in the Harbortown Marina Boatyard. This coming winter we will return to cruise ???... somewhere WARM!!!On April 20, 2002 we returned by car to Little Current which we had left on July 21, 2001 completing a dream-come-true nine month cruise.Written June 5, 2002Roy Eaton
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1013667300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1013667300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1013667300/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 01:21:47 -0500 Nine month cruise aboard Mystic Loon from Little Current,Ontario to the Abacos, Bahamas.

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Marsh Harbour, Bahamas

January 31In the morning, Martin and I together with John and Alida went back to school. Every Thursday, Marsh Harbour Marina sponsors talks by local experts on a wide variety of subjects. They call these talks "WD40 For Your Mind". Today, there was an excellent seminar on Fishing in the Bahamas. Now all we had to do was to put our new knowledge into practice.We had a perfect beam reach sail to Treasure Cay which we had enjoyed so much the previous week. We convinced FOREVER YOUNG and ACCLAIM that they had to see it also, so after the seminar, off we went, sailing and fishing. John hooked a very large fish but it got away. At least it gave us encouragement to troll every time we sail to see what hits our rigs.February 1 Treasure CayDave and Judy aboard NICOU joined us today and off we all went to enjoy the world famous beach. Since our last visit, we learned of a beach-side bar and grill about a half mile walk up the beach. What a great open-air place. They serve the largest hamburgers we have ever seen for the lowest price anywhere - five dollars included a generous helping of fries. The girl took a long time to slowly barbeque the burgers so we were forced to have several Bahama Mama drinks as we waited.After swimming in the ocean we returned to the Treasure Cay resort for showers and a swim in their beautiful pool.Feb 4 Back at Marsh HarbourAlthough more than 25 years old, our outboard motor has given us excellent service. Finally something went wrong. The pull cord broke. Thankfully it occurred while I was still tied to MYSTIC LOON. The next day, I removed the pull cord mechanism and brought it inside MYSTIC LOON before taking it apart. I installed a new cord, reassembled it without the spring flying all over the cabin and reinstalled it on the motor as the dinghy pitched to and fro in the strong winds. The flywheel spins in a clockwise direction so of course that's how I rewound the starter cord - WRONG. It gets wound in the reverse direction, so do it over again.John from RIVERDANCE came over to ask for assistance with his GPS. After spending quite a bit of time, our conclusion was it was malfunctioning and since it was quite an older model he'd just replace it in the near future.Martin from FOREVER YOUNG was to take Pauline and Margaret into town so they could do their laundry. Well...he found his gas tank had overturned in the night and all the gas was swishing back and forth over the floor of the dingy and everything stowed there. I took them in and even though we went slowly, having to motor into the high chop in the harbour, meant we all were wet from the salt spray. This is one chore that Margaret will not miss when she returns to the comfort of doing laundry back home.Martin picked the ladies up for the return trip with the waves and thankfully laundry and passengers all returned dry.February 5NICOU left today to Man of War Cay where Dave and Judy will store the boat for the next two weeks while they fly back to Maine on business and family matters.February 09 Engine zincsJohn and Martin came over this morning to check on a problem I was having with my water temperature gauge. While looking at the engine we talked about when the last time was that I had checked my engine zincs. MYSTIC LOON was launched on August 3, 1984 and up to this year spent all her time in fresh water. Zincs are installed so that any electrolysis will attack the weaker sacrificial zinc instead of expensive engine components. I had checked the zinc last July before the start of our trip and as always it was in perfect condition. Their question made me curious so I took out the plug. After 5 months in salt water all that was left of it was mush. What a shock. Thankfully, I had purchased several zincs before leaving home. Martin recommended that I make a habit of checking the zinc every month that the boat remained in salt water. Later I also checked the shaft zinc I had installed in St. Augustine. It was still in good condition but was starting to show signs of wear.We never did fix the temperature gauge problem because John discovered that it was caused by a faulty sending unit in the engine and none are available here.February 10 Winch maintenanceAnother chore that has never been done was to service the winches. During all the years in fresh water they worked perfectly and spun freely. Now in salt water, they were starting to show signs of tightening up. Martin had serviced two-speed Lewmar winches identical to ours on his previous boat so he volunteered to help. One article I had read in a Cruising World magazine stressed the caution that taking a winch apart aboard a boat in the water was an accident waiting to happen. So many people have lost a spring or a pawl overboard, never to be found again. They recommended putting a box around the winch before taking anything apart so I was all ready for this task.The second tip they had was as you remove each piece lay it down in order so you can remember how to reassemble it correctly.By the end of the job, I felt that the hardest part was ensuring I didn't lose anything. It is a straight forward task and when Martin left I easily serviced the remaining winches myself. I was embarrassed that I hadn't attempted the job long before this.I'm afraid I didn't keep a daily record of our time here at Marsh Harbour. Without cell phone access, responding to email and updating the web site on a regular basis it has been very easy to slip into a 'I'll do it tomorrow' attitude. It is now the end of the month of February and I'm trying to recall what we did to make time pass so quickly. Certainly having all our friends together in one anchorage lead to many Happy Hours aboard each others boats.February 3We had a great time attending a Super Bowl Party hosted by the Jib Room at the Marsh Harbour Marina. A number of door prizes were won by our group and I won a bottle of Champagne and a pair of Heineken sunglasses which Margaret claimed shortly immediately afterwards. It was amazing to think that on October 23, our four boats first met, docked and rafted together at the Welcome Center Dock in the Dismal Swamp, North Carolina.Here we were, over three months and over a thousand miles later watching the Super Bowl together in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas. As Alida would say: Hey gang, a Kodak Moment.Also at the party were Ed and Marlene from VALHALLA whom we had last seen on November 2 at at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.February 7Every Thursday morning at 10 am, two cruisers who have been here for a number of years put on a lecture series for the months of January through March. Their names are Jim and Julie aboard IOLONI and the program they've put together is called WD 40 For Your Mind.This morning John, Alida and I attended a lecture on the History and Geology of the Abacos. We didn't think there would be as many people interested as there was for the fishing seminar but the place was packed and we had to sit on the steps as all available seating was taken.February 10Although we went into town shopping every second day or so, all of us looked forward to a long walk off the boats exploring the east end of Marsh Harbour so one day we decided to walk to The Castle. We had purchased the fascinating little book Castle In the Air by Dr. Evans Cottman who serviced the Abacos from the 1940's to the 1970's. The book describes the times between 1950 - 1960 as he worked to build his dream home in Marsh Harbour. We could see the Castle from our boats, silhouetted by the rising sun each morning and after reading the book we engaged everyone in a trek to the Castle. The book stated that, in 1993, his daughter opened Sea View Castle to the public, and established the Castle Café and Gift Shop. In 2002, the sign is still there but unfortunately the daughter's experiment failed and now it has been rented so we were unable to go inside to view this unique testament to one man's dreams. Hungry and thirsty we traveled onwards. As this was Sunday, almost all the restaurants were closed. We finally found the Conch Inn Marina open and immediately ordered lunch and a round of "Kalik" The Beer of The Bahamas.February 12FOREVER YOUNG needed to run their water maker and with the water in Marsh Harbour of dubious quality they decided to go for a sail inviting us to go along for the afternoon. FOREVER YOUNG is a 42 foot Manta catamaran with a beam of 21 feet so it was quite a thrill to sail aboard her and take over the helm for awhile. What a beautiful boat! Martin and I tried our fishing skills but to no avail as the most we caught was seaweed. Still it was a great afternoon with our two friends.February 13 My birthdayWe had celebrated both Dave and Judy's birthdays in January and Martin's the previous week. Mine was the last we would celebrate together and everyone seemed to go all out. Pauline and Martin hosted the party aboard FOREVER YOUNG but as usual everyone contributed except that this time it was a feast. I had mentioned previously that I wanted to go to Rib Night at Marsh Harbour Marina so Pauline and Martin bought a huge quantity of baby back ribs for the evening. It took three loads in the pressure cooker for Pauline to get them all ready for Martin who then barbequed them to perfection. Alida made a huge serving of her special hot wings, Connie made vegetable dishes and a scrumptious, mandarin orange birthday cake. What a feast!!! Great presents made the evening complete and Martin set up his camera to take a final picture of the gang all together. We all regretted that Dave and Judy still hadn't returned from Maine to complete the evening and the picture.February 14We decided to return the favour of Martin and Pauline's day aboard their boat and invited them to sail to the eastern side of Marsh Harbour to snorkel the reef off Mermaid Beach. Margaret has really taken to snorkeling and even though there was quite a swell on the water, she stayed the entire time with the rest of us diving the area. The reef itself is not of the best quality but we saw more fish here than anywhere to date. In several areas at the edge of the reef wall, schools of 20 to 30 fish would be clustered swaying in the seas currents. This reef is also accessible from land via a landing area a short distance from Marsh Harbour Marina. Soon we were joined by John and Alida who swam out from the eastern beach, to our anchored boat.After lunch onboard, we sailed back to Marsh Harbour where John and Alida came out again by dinghy to join us in our traditional evening happy hour. We had such a great time that happy hour and snacks became supper for all.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1012284420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1012284420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/roy.eaton/bahamas_2001-02/1012284420/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 01:15:52 -0500 Nine month cruise aboard Mystic Loon from Little Current,Ontario to the Abacos, Bahamas.

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Man of War Cay, Bahamas

January 26We could have easily spent a week at Treasure Cay resort but we knew that we'd be returning when our company came so we headed off to Bakers Bay, on Great Guana Cay. Bakers Bay was dredged out by Treasure Cay Limited in 1989-1990 and the land developed for use by cruise ships. In 1993, the experiment was declared a failure due to the constant uncertainties of the ships being able to make it through the Whale and Loggerhead channel. When weather didn't permit entry, the ships had to be diverted to the city of Nassau. People who had paid a hefty sum of money to be transported to a wilderness area were very disappointed. When the company dissolved, they merely walked away from all their buildings leaving everything to the jungle to reclaim. Abandoned, it has a ghost town quality about it.Wood and tile walkways lead from a huge dock to lovely and well made buildings scattered around the island: a beautiful amphitheater of rough-hewn logs, several tiki bars surrounded by fragrant red flowers, dining rooms, cafeterias and stages, basketball courts and playgrounds all left for the jungle to reclaim. Behind one building, I came across the remains of jet skis, all in a line, stripped of their motors but waiting silently for people who would never again enjoy a ride on them.January 27We decided to go with Martin and Pauline from FOREVER YOUNG to snorkel the reef off the north west end of the Cay. It was a good distance off , so we both took our dinghies for safety reasons. Protecting the Abacos is the world's third largest barrier reef. We dove some of it at Moraine near the northern end and now wanted to see what this middle area was like. Wonderful!This was only Margaret's second time snorkeling and she was a bit hesitant to swim too close to the reef and soon went back to the dinghy. Martin had brought his pole spear so the three of us continued to look for lobster. Shortly afterwards, I saw that Margaret had returned to the water on her own and, with her courage up, we swam over the reef area instead of just at the wall.With the swells from the ocean you have to be very careful swimming over the top of a reef as four feet can easily become one foot in the trough of a wave. The area was teaming with fish of all sizes and colours and we would have stayed longer but as we crossed over the top to the ocean side we ran into a school of six barracuda just hanging in the water watching us. GOODBYE!!! As we headed back to the dinghy one barracuda about five feet long followed us. We made sure not to look at him directly so we would not appear threatening in any way but he watched us until we were back in the dinghy and then slowly slipped away back to the reef wall.Martin and Pauline didn't have any luck lobster hunting but we had a great day. No matter how careful you are, you always take in some salt water and it is good to bring fresh water or soda with you to drink at the end of a dive. You'll note our wet suits. The water was a warm 72F (23C) but time passes so quickly when you're fascinated with the reef and the fish that a half hour to an hour seems like five to ten minutes and suddenly you are quite chilled.January 28A beautiful sunny day saw our three boats heading southeast along Great Guana Cay which is one of the longest in the Abaco group. It has perfect sand beaches that stretch for miles on both the Atlantic and the Sea of Abaco side. We anchored off the little village at Settlement Harbour. The settlement is one of the smallest in the central part of the Abacos - the latest survey listed only 95 residents - but this is the home of Nippers Beach Bar and Grill. The opening of Nippers a few years ago has brought large numbers of cruisers, tourists and area residents to the cay. It is located a short walk from the settlement high on a dune overlooking the beach and the ocean reef.We landed with our dive gear and were pleasantly surprised to be met at the dock by a golf cart from Nippers. The ladies took our gear and had a pleasant little ride as we men walked through the quiet village. What a contrast when we reached Nippers. This was Sunday and the weekly pig roast would be held that afternoon and the crowd was starting early. Everyone enjoyed sunbathing on the beautiful beach, snorkeling the reef just offshore and Margaret and Judy enjoyed a long leisurely walk along the dunes.After a wonderful relaxing afternoon, we hoisted anchor and sailed to Man of War Cay a short 7 miles away. This Cay has two of the best harbours in the Abacos, safe in any weather. We entered the southern anchorage and found it filled with moorings with almost all being taken. Finally NICOU and MYSTIC LOON found a mooring we could share but FOREVER YOUNG (42 feet long and 21 feet wide) had to anchor outside the harbour. We ended a perfect day with supper for everyone aboard Mystic Loon.January 29We dinghied over to the village of Man of War in the northern anchorage. This is a deeply religious community and at one time quite puritanical. It is one of the few white communities in the Abacos. Until recently a black person working in the community had to leave at the end of the work day. The sale of liquor is forbidden on the island and visitors are advised to wear more modest clothing than on other islands.I found the people to be very friendly and they went out of their way to respond to questions. One of the more unusual stores on the island is Alburys Sail Shop. All of the brightly coloured canvas garments and accessories are made from 8-ounce cotton duck which once served as sailcloth for the community's boats. A note states that when synthetic sails came into vogue, four generations of Albury women put the sail cloth and their talents to work to produce these unique products.The wonderful weather continued and in the afternoon we enjoyed a perfect lazy sail to Marsh Harbour.
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