WHERE NORTH MEETS SOUTH

Georgetown, Exumas 23º21.48N | 75º45.94W

Gratuitous shot of the signpost on Chat 'n' Chill Beach in Georgetown.

Of all the things Georgetown means to cruisers -- social center, reprovisioning outpost, guest pickup/dropoff -- it is very much a turning point. No matter what you do after Georgetown, you must turn.

So many people, when asked where they're heading next, heave a big sigh. "Oh, we can't decide."

Some call this "Chicken Harbor," because, theoretically, some are too afraid to keep going south into more challenging waters. For most I don't think that comes into play. The painting is much larger.

Children, grandchildren, aging parents, businesses, property, jobs. There are many reasons to head back home, but for those of us with no jobs, no house, no business, nothing that puts a date on our return, it is a confusing outpost here at the corner of north and south. But when we left North Carolina, in the emotional maelstrom of all the other changes we were undergoing, it was much easier to say, "see you next summer" than heave a weighty, open-ended goodbye. So we promised our ourselves, our families, our kids, our friends, that this first year, we would return.

These last few weeks, goodbyes have loomed up anyway as friends have waved from their boats headed to Cuba, to the Turks and Caicos, to the BVIs and other exotic destinations beyond. It made us ponder leaving Cara Mia somewhere along the southern route and flying home for a good visit, then continuing the migration south on our return. But we made one other promise, to Cara Mia, that we would spend some time and money preparing her for the blue yonder, because, even though she has been there before, we have not. Now that we have some cruising behind us, we need time to reevaluate what we thought was critical, what we thought wasn't, and how the things we put in place are working -- or not. Could be a long summer!

Our next step will be a bittersweet one, as we turn north, our dear friends on Jessie Marie plan to turn south for the Jumentos and Cuba.

In an effort to prolong that goodbye, we've planned a little side trip to Long Island, dipping just below the Tropic of Cancer, the southernmost point on this year's plod in paradise. One last adventure, together.

Sneaking in a renegade yoga class at Monument Beach.

Cara Mia in front of the monument -- I should know to what, but I don't.

Georgetown, the largest town in the Exumas, has a permanent population of 1000.