Ferry from Marsh Harbor to Great Guana Cay

After spending a few days on the big island, Great Abaco, we are finally headed for our long term distention...Great Guana Cay.  But to get there from Marsh Harbor, one must take the ferry.  The ferry boat is called Donnie IV.  All of their boats are named Donnie but just with other Roman Numerals.  This ferry service is "Albury"...another common name (like Donnie) here in Abaco.

We:  My mom (74 and with a broken foot), my dad (76), my husband, me, and our two kids (11 and 9).

We had one bag per person for our family.  Our bags were backpacks were stuffed with only the goods each person needed, with the exception of an additional bag of snorkels and fins.  My folks, packed six small bags and my mom with her broken foot was pretty much focused just on walking down the dock and boarding the vessel.  Luckily, the rest of us acted as sherpas and smoothly tended to our belongings.

Then, on comes a woman with a broken wrist!  She was even more impaired than my mom.  At least my mom could hold onto the ladder and lead with her good foot and be supported by one of us.  This broken wrist gal, who we learned was named Shelly, was unable to come down the ladder facing the dock or the boat.  Her husband was behind her and didn't offer any assistance and the dock hand put out his hands to help support her as she stepped down the ladder but he couldn't hold her hand or elbow or upper arm...finally, he bravely stuck his hand in her arm pit.

They sat next to my folks and chatted the whole way.

Kin?

I spent time marveling at the water.  Is the color blue?  Green?  Turquoise?  No, it's really emerald.  Or would the unique shade be better described as a deep aquamarine?   But it's more blue than green.  And there are light and dark patches.



Spray from the foamy rooster tail wake is steady and endless.  The rumble of motor lulls the kids like a snake charmer.  My daughter holds her Rainbow Dog and rests her head on my shoulder.  Somehow, though,  that doesn't manage to drown out chatter of young girls speaking so fast and with such excitement they sound like Chinese.  I am sitting less than two feet from them but can't understand a single word until...a random shout, "Yeah we're here!"  I'm not even sure who said it, but it was the right thing to say and I wish that i would have stood up and high fivved that person.

The water, now a neon turquoise with some foamy white caps on the sea...just like decoration to break up the miles of open water.  I make a ten mile sweep of horizon only one sailboat.


Locals up front: two lying down, one ear buds in other young girl chewing gum (just like kids in a city bus). I bet they don't even think this is exciting at all. Water is now deep navy royal blue with patches of shocking white where the bottom is sandy.
Captain calling out for dive Guana. Chatter stops. Don't know that that is where they ate staying. Troy? Yes.
Locals all lying down now except the oldest she is eyes closed
She got off on Scotland cay. Two girls now one is lying head in others lap and other fixing her braids. At Scotland the ferry was boarded by five local men. One w giant rosary. And a single unlit cigar in his hand Another with black bag w pink hearts all worn off and pencil sharpened w knife tucked into cap. One across from me is carpenter looking. Paint splotches on jeans white sneakers white t shirt and rectangular pencil tucked into his Yankees cap. Jeans tucked into sneaks and a carpenters square in his hand.