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By: Paul S Cilwa |
Occurred: 7/2/2025 |
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Page Views: 141 |
| Hashtags: #Places #Bahamas |
| First swim in the Atlantic in years. |
| Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s) (737 words) |
My daughter, Jenny, does remote work and is doing so here. But her
hours assume she's still in Arizona. So she doesn't start until 11 local time.
That means we were able to make a quick shopping trip before she started
work. There were several things I couldn't bring, notably a keyboard
and mouse for the computer I did bring.
What happened was, when I was packing, I noted the TSA combination lock
on the carry-on sized suitcase I was bringing. Now, even though I intended
to use it as a carry-on, I decided to check the lock. The suitcase was
almost full anyway, so I tried locking it to be sure I would be able to
unlock it. I know, dumb. And of course I couldn't unlock it, because
the combination it was set to, was not the combination to unlock it.
And no one knew what that might be, since Jenny insisted she had never
changed it from whatever it had been. So I couldn't add the wireless keyboard
and mouse, although I had already packed my BeeLink Mini.
Thus, I needed a wireless keyboard and mouse, the kind of thing one might
pick up at Walmart. But there are no Walmarts in Nassau. There is, however,
a place called the Quality Home Centre that Jenny said was "like a
Walmart".
To be honest, I hadn't expected to find any motorized shopping carts on the
island. But Quality Home Centre had one, which I gratefully used.
I judged the place to be less of a Walmart, and more of a cross between Home Depot
and Bed, Bath and Beyond. They sold a number of decorative items, which Jenny
needed for the condo, but no food.
However, it turned out they were the anchor store of a mall, and just outside the
doors opposite the ones from the parking lot, was an electronics store
that had the wireless keyboard and mouse set I needed (and which I'm using to
type this paragraph!)
So we got breakfast sandwiches at Burger King on the way back.
Jenny had rented a cabana at the Palm Cay beach, so she could work while looking at the ocean.
A nice lady came by to take food and drink orders. Jenny and I each ordered
chicken wings. (I was a little surprised that the wings had not been de-boned,
but they were tasty nonetheless.)
Finally I decided to swim while Jenny worked. I wasn't wearing a proper bathing
suit but I was wearing quick-dry shorts that would serve. I was able to walk to the
beach with no worries, but the sand was soft as I approached the water and I couldn't
keep my balance, so I wound up crawling into the sea. Once in the water, though,
I had no problem swimming. Floating, really. The water was warm, over 80°F.
I was still sleepy so I actually dozed a little while floating. (I tend to bob
like a cork, especially in salt water.)
The swimming area is protected by jetties. Since Maui (where I used to live)
also has jetties that were constructed by aboriginal Hawaiians, I was curious
about these. But it turns out they were built specifically as part of the
$200 million Palm Cay development project, which began in 2010. Unlike the
Hawaiian jetties, which often have cultural and historical significance tied
to indigenous engineering and fishing practices, Palm Cay's jetties serve
practical purposes for the marina and beach club, supporting boat docking,
shoreline stabilization, and recreational access.
In other words, they create a calm area perfect for non-athletic swimming
and floating. Jenny (who joined me when a client canceled) remarked that
the water was rougher than usual, probably due to the storm systems
currently affecting the whole east coast of North America. But I didn't
find it rough at all, especially after swimming in Maui!
Unfortunately, I can't stay here forever. The rules for visiting the Bahamas
specify an 8-month limit. (That can be extended for people who wish to emigrate.)
Anyway, tomorrow we are going to try for more shopping. And there's a pool
right next to the condo, which I may try out.