Over the months we have heard many boaters on the radio and exchanged cards with many others.  Boat names often offer interesting insights into the owners’ outlook on life and cruising in particular.

One thing we’ve learned is the shorter and easier to spell, the better.  That’s because you have to hail the bridge tenders and marinas with your boat name.  We’ve heard others have to spell their name several times.

So I’m glad we’re Toucan, a simple name and I like birds.   In hailing the marinas we always say “Toucan, like the bird.”   Not to be confused with Two Can.

Here are some of the boats we’ve come across.

• Renegade
• Kooky dance 
• Tango
• Soleil
• Harmonium
• Serena
• Mekhaya
• Onward 
• Noel’s delight (parrot on board)
• Cookie Monster
• Caper (Phyllis is from Wilmington)
• Suncast
• Windward
• No agenda
• Wireless ( he invented the transponder for airplanes)
• Buoys tuition
• Kindred spirit
• Providence
• Bee Haven
• Dragonfly (cat made from a kit)
• Salty Turtle
• Mighty Fine
• Feral cat (a fellow pdq)
• No Rehearsal (big Catana from New Zealand)
• Morningstar ( big diving sailboat)

Some friends we’ve made along the way who we hope to meet up with again:

Outsider- Paul and Brenda sailed with us from Bimini to Chub Cay

Deja Vu – Dan and his Cuban wife, who he smuggled in illegally 20 years ago. Then paid off the gatekeeper at Sandals to get in.  A shifty character!

Wisp ‘o Wind – joy and Ivan in Georgetown.  He fixed our dinghy motor, she organized outings and volleyball.

Tumbleweed – Matt and his girlfriend on the trimaran in Georgetown.  We saw them again in Highbourne Cay.  They had gotten engaged and were selling their boat to buy a 42′ cat in Tahiti.

Boat name?  Hannah and Roger, the young couple with no particular schedule in mind, who dinghied ashore via a 16′ sailboat with their dog.

Bucket List – Joe from Arkansas talked us into staying at the marina in Staniel with a northwest wind.

In Concert – Dave and Lisa from Washington NC.  He plays the flute and guitar, and entertained us at Compass Cay.

Sweet Freedom – Bill and Maureen from Vermont.  We saw them at Black Point, Georgetown and Marsh Harbor, great fun people.

Wings – Kathleen we met at Black Point.  She wasn’t in her boat but was renting a cottage for a month.  A friend of Bill and Maureen’s from Vermont.

Meander – Stu and Julie from New Jersey. He saved Ziggy when she fell off the dock at Staniel Cay, coaxing her onto his swim platform.  Then we saw them at Marsh Harbor a month later.

Slainte – Melanie and John from Georgia, our neighbors in Marsh Harbor. She’s the social director for our dock, organizing water aerobics, dominoes, bocce tournaments and daily 5:00 happy hours.

Pegasus – Charlie and Marty, lawyers from DC.  At Marsh Harbor he is the undisputed king of conch blowing at sunset. 

Cruisers are all a pretty happy, laid back bunch of folks.  What’s not to love about boating around in these islands?

I will miss the life.