Touring the island Monday March 18

Touring about the island Monday

After a breakfast of peanut butter on an English muffin with bananas we set off to discover the island.  We head down to the beach, the tide is out and all you can see as far as you look is beach and water.  A light rain has made us almost the only 2 people on the beach.  The ocean water is only 68, quite chilly for us but not for the dolphin that is frolicking about 20 feet away from us. The sand (ocean floor) is very hard and so easy to walk on. 

We pop into the lobby on the way back and get a map of the island.   Jim has flip flopped from 2 games of golf 3 weeks ago to 4 games of golf last Friday, to saying I don't think I am even going to have to golf,  cough cough as I choke....

We pack up our golf stuff just in case he changes his mind lol.  Off we head to Harbortown, which just happens to have the most prestigious golf course on the island.  A beautiful little town that costs $5 to get into.  Looks like they have their own private security.  The houses are beautiful.  Each community/development has its own colour scheme, from sand to moss to pale beige.  Not a lot of creativity, they want to blend in with nature.  Jim and I are both surprised by how beautiful the island is, huge trees, palms and pines with lots of moss hanging down from them.  Biking trails everywhere and lots of protected land. The houses blend right in.

Harbortown itself is a little touristy with a beautiful lighthouse, around 120 feet high.  You could go to the top and discover a little of the history of the area at the same time as each curve of the steps had artifacts and stories about the local history, including the Tale of the Blue Lady.  Her father was a lighthouse keeper and during the biggest hurricane to hit the region, he died if a heart attack trying to keep the flame light.  He made his daughter promise to do her best to keep it going.  For five days she sloshed through three feet of water going up and down the stairs over her poor dads dead body keeping the light on, saving countless ships from running ashore.  When help finally arrived she collapsed and succumbed to exhaustion. And they say on stormy nights she still wanders the lighthouse.

Next stop was lunch at a very touristy restaurant with giant fish and crabs hanging from the woodwork called The Crabs Rest.  Jim had fish and chips and I had the blackened grouper sandwich.  Atmosphere was fun but food was mediocre at best.

Next stop was Harbortown golf course, surprise, surprise.  Jim finds out there is a tee time at 3. Lets go.  Lol I don't think so.  First game of golf in 6 months I don't think I want to pay $150 a round, plus $25 for a "for caddy".  So after a walk around we head back in the car. 

Surprise, surprise there's another golf course. The Shipyard. Much more reasonable $45. Surprise, surprise we are playing. We are teamed up with another couple from port perry, they come down for the same 2 weeks every year.  Gave us some names of some other reasonable courses and some info on other interesting things to do on the island.  For the first game didn't play too bad, stopped after 15 holes.  Lots of alligators, turtles and some beautiful birds.  

Head back to the hotel and have a lovely dinner at Alexandre's just up from our hotel.  It is on one of the many rivers and was very beautiful.  2 salads a filet for Jim and short rib sliders for me. Delish and I am thinking the short rib sliders would be a good addition to the cottage menu.

The night ended with a crazy wild thunderstorm.