May 2. Buca Bay (pronounced Boo-tha)

 

There is a mission run by the Seventh Day Adventist church here that runs a medical clinic occasionally.  They bring doctors in from all over and put them up in a very nice resort setting (see pics below).  The doctors perform general, dental and vision care.  Aha!  Vision care!  I’ll bet they can fit prescription glasses!


I anchored offshore and paddle boarded in with 3-4 dozen pair of the strongest prescription glasses in my backpack.  Sure enough, I found a guy to give them to even though the clinic was on hiatus.  








Rabi (Pronounced Ram-bi)


It was about a three hour motor north to Katherine’s Bay.  Good anchorage, could use better reef markings.  Dinghied in with the intent of getting my jerry can of premix (two cycle fuel) filled.  Of course I had to ask about glasses and I just happened to have my backpack with me.  So I sat down next to the main road and people appeared like magic.


I met a kid named John (their real names are unpronounceable) who looked like he had trouble reading; he kept holding the coke bottle label right up to his nose.  Turns out he needed strong glasses - the ones I had donated to the mission just four hours prior.  We did manage to find glasses for him, one for reading and one for distance.  He was very happy. I am blessed, according to him.


The headman ran the fish shack at the pier.  He was eager to sell me a tuna, but when he held his hands four feet apart, I said “too much”.  He offered to cut one up for me, but I didn’t want to trouble him.  Looking back, I should have taken him up on his offer.  Sushi would have gone well right now.


KB pics (3)




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