Where are Wink and Wilma? They are living aboard a Great Harbour 47 Trawler.

Wilma and Wink Thornton in the Abaco's, Bahamas - December 2008

It was a great day in the Abaco's. Wink and Wilma went out in their skiff, but first they had to stop and fill the tank. Luckily it has great fuel economy. Wilma hold the boat close to a piling while Wink pumps the fuel.

At the end of the day, we have happy hour (not every day but often). The boaters from Docks 3 & 4 gather at the end of Dock 4 for good conversation and some snacks. Fred Reed from Amarse usually climbs on tops of M/V John Henry for a group snapshot.

On Christmas Day, we held a Noon - happy hour to get meet, greet, and wish everyone well.

The big group broke into many small groups for the evening meal. M/V John Henry hosted the Christmas meal for Sue & Paul Graham, Fred Reed & Judy Law, and Sherry & Fred Sztul. Wink is in the navy blue and Wilma is taking the photo from the stairs.

Wink and Wilma did have some small decorations on the outside of the boat and a small tree on the inside with lights surrounding it. The presents stack was bigger than expected.

Judy brought over a rum cake for dessert and it was beautiful and delicious.

All the boaters were generous to each other sharing small treasures and edible delights.

Wink and Wilma started enjoying geology this past summer. we brought that interest of exploring rocks with us to the Bahamas. Wink has found many interesting rocks with crystals and calcite in them.

A beautiful example of calcite in a local rock - found near the water.

Speaking of water, we went out with Paul Graham looking for a little dinner and that's what we found - they call them "Bugs" over here, but Wilma prefers their nickname "Lobsters".

Wink sitting with Judy Law on our skiff as we enjoy the Tahiti Beach area. Wink and Fred hung out and Wilma and Judy snorkeled together. While Wink and Fred were hanging out, one of Fred's flippers flipped off the boat and was lost. We spent quiet awhile snorkeling around looking for it. At one point, we performed a tripod snorkel tow. Wink held on to a line tied to the back of the skiff. Wilma and Judy held onto each of his feet. It was fun.

We did not find the fin. Fred had to buy a new pair of fins.

But we did find a nice queen helmet. There were several helmets in the area. We also found a tulip shell and some sand dollars.

Just for fun, we brought an aquarium with us to put small creatures in for a few days at a time. After a few days we release the creatures and hut for different ones to enjoy. Fred Reed and Wink collaborated on an electrical problem for M/V Amarse. Once they were at a good point, Fred continued working on the problem since it was his boat. Fred also found these disposal coasters that summed up the events. "Wink, I'll do the rest" is just what Fred was thinking.

Fred and Sherry Sztul's family came for a visit during the holidays. While they were out cruising around in their sailboat, Josh caught a mackerel. The family brought it over to Wink so that he could teach Josh and his brother Henry how to fillet it. Rachel (Henry's wife), Fred and Sherry watch Wink as the boys received their fish cleaning lesson.

After the lesson, many of the Dock 4 neighbors of Sherry and Fred were invited for a New Years Eve cruise on their sailboat. Fred even let Wink get a picture pretending to steer.

Josh and Henry were trolling a line when their father suggested that they stop and help him with the sails. Wilma gladly donned the fishing pole while they were busy.

It didn't take too long before Wilma had a fish on the line. It was a good fight and the fishing rod was a little quirky with very light line.

Wink couldn't believe it. He had to go and see for himself (red coat). Wilma caught the fish just off of the Hope Town light house.

Wink was a great help in getting the fish lure out of the fishes mouth. The fish was about 4 lbs, commonly known as a mutton snapper or candy snapper. Wink cleaned it and we gave it to our host for their dinner.

We returned to the docks about 7:30 pm and everyone went to their own New Years Eve plans.

Most of us just went inside and went to bed, but Wink and Wilma stayed up for the New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009 TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!

As we left our story two weeks ago, we had a great Thanksgiving on the fly-bridge of our trawler, John Henry.

From Left around to Right: Janet & Ken (daughter and son-in-law of Sue & Paul),

Judy & Fred R from Amarse, Wink, Sherry & Fred S from Chipka Fire III, Sue & Paul from Odessey.

Wilma is taking the picture.

Tim and Becky on M/V Pokey needed their zincs replaced - Wink and Paul volunteered to help.

They donned their wetsuits and masks. Move John Henry's tender over near Pokey and made the dive.

Once the zincs were on, Paul noticed that a propeller was loose so he brought Wink a large tool to tighten it up.

Now Wink has a lot of large tools, but now he's interested in acquiring more - these were neat.

Another boater dropped a valuable boat part overboard and Wink also found it.

Wilma has been walking 4+ miles a day with the RMHYC (Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club) and encouraging Wink to join them. Effective December 1, Wink has joined the Walk & Talk Group. Wink and a few other beginner walkers have came up with a new approach to keeping the walking interesting.

They not only walk and talk, but they are scavengers. They look for interesting items that have been dropped on the streets or washed up on the shore. There seems to be a race on who can find what first.

Wilma's very happy and Wink is walking daily.

Speaking of walking daily, so many walkers and so many blisters.

The blister owners will remain anonymous and not all blisters are included in the photo.

Luckily we have lots of band-aids, antibiotics and
friends to sympathize with.

Wink brought back an aquarium from storage in Texas to our boat.

Since we have arrived in Marsh Harbour, we set the salt water aquarium up. Wink and Wilma set out to the waters of Abaco and caught some star fish, and a coral banded shirmp. We named the shrimp - Peppermint. The shrimp molted a couple of days ago. It's so cool.

We plan to release the little guys back after a few days of enjoyment & find other interesting things.

A couple of times a week, we have happy hour to enjoy fellowship and a good time with snacks and beverages.

You can really tell why it's called "Happy Hour" by the picture - Everybody looks happy to me.

I can't name everybody, but Wilma is far right and Wink is the first red coat on left rear waving.

Wink brings his recliner out for happy hour and socializing.

Wink has many man-servants delivering snacks at happy hour.

Wink and Wilma Thornton

Abaco Beach Resort

Boat Harbour

Bahamas

December 3, 2008

15 years ago, they met.

Coconuts grow here year round and they fall here quiet often this time of year.

Wink has the most experience on the dock with opening coconuts since he's been doing it all his life.

John from M/V Our Time is having a lesson on coconut opening from Wink and a crowd gathers.

Everyone is excited to watch and learn.

Lots of coconuts are now being gathered.

Wink and Wilma share a coconut milk drink from one of the opened coconuts.

A bad day in the Bahamas is better than a cold winter day somewhere else.

Speaking of weather, we will be having winds 20-25 mph for the next 4-5 days.

It's sweatshirt weather in the evenings, but warm during the day.

Last weekend, several of us Dinghyed over to Hope Town for lunch.

We took three boats. Our boat had Wink, Sherry and Wilma.

Our boat is the biggest boat and we had the most horse power so it wasn't much of a surprise that we were the fastest.

The sun was gleaming and the water was calm and nice. The boat drivers focused on just who was going to arrive first. Even though our boat was fasters, we waited for boat #3 because they knew where we were going.

Boat 2: Fred Reed & Judy Law of Amarse.

Boat 3: Dave & Barbara Bluto from Chablis

and Rita Wieczorek from Magnum Opus

Fred (right) and Wink (left) decided to fish from the dock and catch enough for dinner.

Fishing turned into another dock participation project.

Everyone standing around watching and amazed at how many fish were being chummed to the area.

AN AMAZING WHOPPER - AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT HAMBURGERS........

Wink and Fred Reed went out fishing. Fred came along to manage the boat because Wink wanted to spear fish and we believe in the buddy system. No one goes in the water without a buddy watching.

Once they arrived at the diving area, Wink discoved that he forgot to bring his mask. Since he gave Wilma such greif for forgetting her fins last week, he really didn't want to come back to the boat and say he had forgotten his mask & snorkel.

He came back to the boat and said that he'd like to try out the other mask. Wilma confirmed that he wanted his spare back up mask & snorkel. No, No, he said he wanted the regular mask that he normally uses. Oh, Wilma finally got the idea that he had forgotten his mask, but just didn't want to say it out loud in front of Fred. Wilma was a good doobie and quietly retrieved the forgotten mask. Away they went.

Once they arrived at the dive site again, there was no mask & snorkel. It had fallen over board somewhere before arriving at the dive site. They guys arrived back at the boat, now requesting the spare back up mask & snorkel. These mask are vision correcting and are quiet expensive somewhere around $250 a set. Wink also rigged up the tender with a rope for drag snorkeling. Fred drove and Wink drag snorkeled along looking for the mask & snorkel. The sea of Abaco is only about 10 feet deep and it's also very clear, but the chances of finding a small mask seemed overwhelming to me.

But the guys had been using a gps track and low and behold, suddenly Wink let go of the drag line and dived down - when he came up he had his other mask & snorkel.

The guys were so happy that they continued on to the dive site.

Wink - prepared for snokeling and fish spearing.

In the Bahamas, you can only catch lobster with a Hawaiian Sling or Pole Spear.

You must be free diving or snorkeling - no tanks.

Wink is ready for the challenge and Fred is managing the boat and being look out.

After a few minutes, Wink returns to the boat with his first snapper. Fred takes the fish and washes up the boat, Wink returns, Fred takes the fish and washes up the boat, Wink returns, etc. etc. etc.

Wink was able to catch three lobsters as well.

Wink and Fred had a rough start and thought they would never get to the diving and fishing, but their luck changed.

We had 6 snappers, 3 lobsters and 2 very happy men.

Left: Wink showing off his catch to the neighbors with Wilma in the back ground. Wilma stayed home on the boat to wax all the floors and barely finished before they returned.