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Part 3: Down the road at Albury’s Sail Shop, we discovered
the sturdy canvas bags that have become something of a trendy item for
boaters.
By Eileen Mansfield — Spring
2004
Liz, the evening’s designated driver, got us back
to the boat under a bright full moon. We woke the next day feeling surprisingly
refreshed but took our time before heading to our final destination, Man-o-War
Cay. I was back at the helm, and by day four, I was finally at ease. Our
guidebook said that Man-o-War’s population is 100-percent white and
extremely religious. It also described the island as “dead as death”
after dark, so we were not expecting the flurry of people we encountered
upon arrival. Following a casual lunch at The Pavilion (even a ham and
cheese sandwich is mouth-watering when served on Bahamian bread), we walked
through town, noticing a common theme to all the shops: Joe Albury’s
Studio, Albury Sail Shop, Albury Ferry, Albury Bros. Boatyard, etc. The
Alburys have a long history on this island, dating back many generations.
We wandered into Joe’s Emporium, a shop in front of the studio, and
checked out the beautiful half-hulls Joe makes out back. As luck would
have it, Joe came into the shop, covered in sawdust, and invited us on
a tour of his workshop. In addition to the half mounts, he showed us the
16-foot sailboats he builds by hand out of cedar, mahogany, and local
woods. Joe reminded me of my father: Both seem to have about 30 projects
going at the same time, and it’s amazing they’re able to finish
any of them.
Down the road at Albury’s Sail Shop, we discovered
the sturdy canvas bags that have become something of a trendy item for
boaters. The Albury women, who like to call themselves “Bag Ladies,”
sit at their sewing machines, underneath hundreds of bags hanging from
the shop’s eaves, while relatives drop in to say hello. They have
a casual air about then and greet everyone with a warm smile. We admired
their work before loading up on gifts (mostly for ourselves).
As this was our last night and Man-o-War has just two
restaurants (one of which we’d had lunch at), we agreed we’d
dine onboard. We grilled some steaks and veggies, set ourselves up on
the flying bridge, poured some drinks, and enjoyed the quiet of South
Harbor.
As we watched the sun set, we reflected on our successful
trip and toasted a job well-done. The rest of the evening was spent chatting
and laughing under the stars, enjoying the time this cruise allowed for
getting to know each other better as well as to become more confident
in our boat-handling skills. Before heading off to sleep, we promised
we’d do it again. And maybe next time we’ll even invite the
guys along.
The NauticBlue 464 Exclusive is available for
charter for about $1,000 per day, depending on season.
NauticBlue
Phone: (800) 416-0224. www.nauticblue.com.
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