“I see kids!  I see kids!” shouts our daughter from the bow of our catamaran.  We are entering another one of several idyllic anchorages in the Exumas, a scattering of beautiful cays located in the center of the Bahamas island chain. 

     

Madison with friends on Stocking Island

          Leaving her land friends behind to live aboard a boat for five months was not the easiest thing to talk a five-year old child into.  Our youngest daughter, age one, didn’t seem to mind so long as she had a firm grip on her “bobble” (bottle, in toddler-speak).   

          Prior to becoming proud parents of two little girls we sailed through the Bahamian waters several times - we pretty much knew what we were getting into.  What we could not foresee is how two energetic kids were going to take to their new home and meet friends along the way.   With barbies, books, and legos in tow, we took a chance and felt confident there were cruisers like us doing the same.   How right we were!

It wasn’t until we hit Georgetown, the southernmost harbor on Great Exuma that we realized where all the little urchins were hiding.  It was the week of Georgetown’s annual Cruising Regatta where hundreds of boats, power and sail alike, come for big fun.  From February 28^th to March 8^th, cruisers from all over the world gather in Elizabeth Harbor and quickly establish a community amongst themselves.

            Getting involved was easy and regatta events offered for all abilities and ages.  Besides racing ‘Ohana, our Silini 50’ catamaran, in the Around Stocking Island race and fishing derby, the highlight for us was “Kids Day”.   After a full day of scavenger hunts, egg races, face painting, sand sculpting, obstacle courses, and model sailboat contests, our girls had acquainted themselves with enough friends to carry them through the remainder of our hiatus here in the islands.  

           My fear of the girls becoming anti-social and alienated quickly abated once I saw how amazingly fast they made friends.  For the following month we sailed together with different families sharing the challenges and joys of cruising with children. 

We are back in Alaska for a break and preparing for the next leg of our journey -  transiting the Panama Canal enroute to Mexico.  Madison is reacquainting herself with old friends with a new air of confidence and wit she gained just over the course of four months.  My husband and I can only imagine what the following years will bring for them.  We can’t wait to find out!

To find out more about the Georgetown Cruisers Regatta, visit their website at : www.georgetowncruisingregatta.com .