Salt Cay During Whale Season

No, I'm not sitting on a whaling schooner in the Caribbean; I was recently at our house in Salt Cay recovering from a terrible chest and head cold that came as viral baggage apparently. (For more info go to www.saltcay.us) This was not shaping up as the trip of a life time from day one.

Right: South District of Salt Cay with the White House at center

I didn't feel good when I left, thinking I was having the after effects of flu shots (stupid) and trip prep. Wrong. I was getting sick and taking it with me.

And someone stole or appropriated my Kindle when I left it on the airplane at midnight in Miami. Don't even get me started on my 2 hours of airport errands at midnight in the Valley of Hell. All I can say is I hope my former Kindle explodes in the thief's face and spews them with bad writing. After running around, making phone calls and getting frustrated I went to bed at 2 am with the knowledge that at 6 am I could contact lost and found at American.

Left: A conch after the meat is removed

Carol of the Miami American Lost and Found was a big help, but she can't make a stolen Kindle fly into my arms. With 4 hours till flight time I went back to my hotel and sulked.

By the way, when traveling and you have an overnight layover, stay in an airport hotel. Two airports we stay in regularly are Miami and Dallas-Fort Worth. Miami has a hotel right at the E concourse security gates. It is by far the handiest thing going. And reasonable. No cab, no delay. DFW has the Hyatt and Grand Hyatt. One is in Concourse D and is very nice and if you shop it, you can get a good rate.

But, travel in the Greater US of A aside, I am (was then anyway) home in Salt Cay, burrowed into my comfy bed but without anything for a cold except good old Bayer Aspirin. No Vicks, no Nyquil, just Bombay Sapphire Gin and aspirin. And fortunately, my dozen planned Kindle books are on my iPhone that is being worked more than it ever dreamed.

Left: Dunscomb Point's rocky shore

Right now it is sunset and a green flash has just made for a spectacular close to a crappy day health wise. A big old cruise ship from Grand Turk is trundling by on the horizon and I'm sure a few thousand souls missed the green flash until the Captain announced there was one. You may be able to tell I am not a cruise ship kind of person, especially when they are trespassing on my ocean view.

I have not been out whale watching because I am a Judas. I bring rain, but I don't bring whales. But even this trip I've only brought clouds and rough seas, and no rain to speak of. And whales here are a tourist attraction so my presence is not exactly appreciated. In over 10 years I have seen one fluke and the back of a whale escaping Joel's snorkeling. That's it. Others have seen 21 whales on a single dive boat excursion. Other's more and less. Me, if I go on the boat the whales will leave the centuries old route and go to Singapore on vacation and to mate with new whales. I shouldn't be allowed on island unless there is a drought.

Right: The Compass Rose, with the white roof, just after dawn

Now, as I pen this over the two weeks and a couple more at home, because I was so sick I really did not care, I look back and realize I spent most of my working vacation on the patio sofa and in or on the bed. As I told Captain Mike Hawkins, I've spent the better part of two weeks on my back and all of it alone and sick. When my carpenter brings me water and checks on ME I know I am sick. Here's a shot of the newly enclosed patio with Hearty's finished doors and our cool patio furniture.

I did recover long enough to have one dinner party in the new dining room (patio again) and then I mostly ate with friends willing to have a sickly me in for food. My neighbors Don and Donna threw me a can of chicken noodle soup from a distance to keep my germs on my own property when I was at my worst.

Then we had Thursday night Salt Cay Hold 'em Poker. Wow. I came in third. I couldn't last. The competition was stiff and the game went on till 1:30, which by then I was long in bed. They finally called it a draw as no one could deal anymore and no one was really sober anymore either. A $20 buy in made for a good evening of fun and entertainment.

Sadly we had two funerals while I was on island. Two beloved women, Mrs. Natalie Simons and Mrs. Lillian Lightbourne, passed on and they are pictured here. They are and will be missed greatly.

Left: Mrs. Natalie Simons; Right: Mrs. Lillian Lightbourne

The whale deck is now the wifi deck. I can pick up signals all over the island up there. Weak, but a signal. Time to bring a Yagi antenna and booster router I think.

But Salt Cay in spring at the end of the season was still a good time.

I spent the better part of a morning watching Captain Mike lead a crew of expats in the effort to raise the Lucky Lady which ran out of luck during Hurricane Ike and sank at her mooring at Deanne's Dock. Now glued to the bottom of the harbor, she defied Captain Mike and crew's every plan. When I left the thought of little C4 dots around the hull was sounding good. With any luck the boat and the crashed plane from last year will become dive/snorkel sites. But, between my cold and boredom, since I am an Action Jackson kind or reporter, I went home and took a nap.

We also did self help on island when the Airport Authority decided to close the private parking area. Philip Johnstone arranged a work crew and as I documented, they cleaned, regulated and spruced up the airport area for everyone. All is well once again.

Once we were flying, Philip and I did a flight to Grand Turk and had Elinor and Bram Davies as passengers. Later, when we picked them up, old friend and long time Salt Cay folk hero, Bryan Sheedy came into the airport libation clinic where we enjoyed some old times. Salt Cay hasn't really been quite the same since Bryan sold the Mt. Pleasant and the old diver's crowd has turned gray at best. Philip and I enjoyed our Cokes and conch and headed home with a plane load of provisions.

Right: Bram, Elinor and Bryan

I shot the White House and old Salinas at dawn as well as our house. It is so hard to believe someone, well a corporation of foreigners actually, wants to turn this peaceful, historic spot into a marina for 200 foot yachts. Cut a big hole in the island and put boats with absentee owners in it. Put some diesel tanks in and you have a dump for big boats.

In some of my more lucid moments I managed to get down the street to a couple of construction sites. The neighbors are putting in a new sea wall. What a job. And next door, I captured Henry and Pat's hard working Haitian gentleman doing what is called "knocking rocks". This is how we make gravel for cement work. Breaking big stones into little ones.

The close of the trip saw the Ladies Auxiliary plan and put on an island "Pirate Party". Let me tell you, folks pull out the stops for this. All the ladies brought food for a buffet; beer and wine were sold to raise funds and a costume contest was held between sets of DJ music and the Rake and Scrape Band of Salt Cay. I was in charge of transportation it seems, hauling equipment, drinks, finding and hauling the band members and some of our elder ladies from the South District. Since I still wasn't at my peak, I finished my chauffer duties and went to bed before 10.

There was no shortage of costumes. I personally came as a cruise ship tourist, white shorts, shoes and stupid fanny pack, kidnapped by pirates into white slavery. I didn't win but it was one way to dress when one doesn't have a pirate outfit. I didn't know there was such a party happening when I packed.

I managed a little photography and one serious senior portrait of Prince Smith and his great grand children, one of whom was right out of the oven. I also wrote a profile on Polie Dickenson and did some church images with the visiting Archdeacon Cartwright and Father Kendal from Grand Turk. The ladies turned out in force with their white dresses and hats.

Left: Ma Lucy, Miss Mellie, Miss Vida, Nurse Barbara,Miss Amie, Father Mark Kendall, Miss Rosie, Mr. Polie Dickenson, Miss Pat Simmons, Rebecca Simmons, Eloisa Dickenson, Archdeacon Mark Cartwright

I gave Miss Mellie, Miss Rosie and Miss Amie a ride home in the front seat of the Ranger. It was tight, but as Miss Amie said, no was in a position to look up her skirt as she straddled the four on the floor gear shift. It was quite a sight with their 3 white hats fluttering in the cab. Put those ladies in the truck for 5 minutes and the stories and laughter starts flying. Everyone wants to ride with us. Ma Lucy was heartbroken, but we would have had to strap her to the hood like a deer to take her home. I think Miss Ella was envious, but since she wasn't even at church, she couldn't complain too much on being left out.

While at the church I made sure to catch some portraits, including two of our ministers; Noyle Hamilton of the Methodist church and Gary Lightbourne (left) of the Baptist Church. I caught a picture of Gary and his dad, Edwin (left) as well as Gertie Landy and her beautiful granddaughters. (right)

Then it was time to close up; stuff everything into the house for the summer/hurricane season; have Dayo wash and polish the truck to lock it away in its little garage. Luckner drug all the furniture in and swept the patio down. He will keep chopping at the burr grass in my absence in the hope it will be eradicated some day.

Philip and Cynthia flew me off to Provo to catch my Dallas/Ft. Worth flight and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Grace Bay.

Word to the wise when going and coming into Provo. Do not do it on Saturday. It is really, really busy at the airline counters. American has self-serve check in computers and I suggest you use them. They are hard to see in a crowd and you have to push your way to them, then push your way to the luggage check position directly in front of you. It is NOT crowding, it is using that line that fills with spillover from the other line.

But for a Saturday departure, the new PLS-DFW American flight is wonderful. Over nighting in Dallas is easy at the D terminal Grand Hyatt and their price isn't too bad if, as I mentioned, you shop it. I have to usually overnight somewhere and LA is too close to home and no airport terminal hotel; Miami is still a long ride home and Provo…well, that makes for an awfully long day to California.

Left: One of our Haitian residents working at the seawall project

I arrived in Fresno at noon with Joel and Marley to pick me up. I was ready to be home, but as you will see, I was off to Bloomington, Indiana a few days later for Corey's exhibition….another Post Card From the Pound coming soon.

Left: Gertie's granddaughter, Ariana Bassett

Right: Prince Smith with his grandaughter

and great grand children