N (part 1) - Nassau

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Did you know that Nassau, Bahamas is on the way from Georgia to Norfolk, Va??  According to the Canopus brass, it was!

I guess they felt sorry for us because we never really went out to sea, so they made this a fun trip.  We left Georgia one day, the only full day at sea was fun (steel beach, anyone?) and then pulled into Nassau on the third.

We were only there for 3 days so the ship was divided up into 3 duty sections so everyone got at least 2 days ashore. I volunteered for the midwatch (midnight - 4 am) on the quarterdeck on the first day because it would be hilarious to watch all the drunks stumbling back.  And it was!  Since the Canopus was made to be ass-end to the pier, we had to improvise how to get on and off the boat while tied broadside (next to all the huge cruise liners!!)  They opened up the side of the ship in one of the machine shops and the brow to the pier ended up being really short and steep.  It was tough for a sober person to navigate, let alone someone who had over-imbibed.

We spent a lot of time sightseeing, snorkeling and on the beach and in the evenings, it seemed like everyone from the boat was at the same bar.  My friend Laura and I, (from post M!) hung out together.  We bought each other Bahama Mamas to celebrate our first visit to the Bahamas and then proceeded to take our cups and ask everyone we knew for donations, which was more or less everyone in attendance!!  We were mixing beer with Jack & Coke with mixed drinks with vodka - we were feeling NO pain at the end of the night.   That sounds pretty nasty now. 

This is one of the few times a "fadish" hairstyle was allowed in uniform.  There were ladies all over the place offering to braid corn-rows in your hair, so we could get them if we wanted, as long as we could make sure the braids still didn't hang longer than bottom of our collars. I didn't get it done, but a lot of girls did.

This was also the first and only time I've been in a casino.  We never found an actual public access to the beach, so we cut thru a casino.  Some people spent the whole time there in front of a slot machine, but why sit in a dark, smokey room when the sun & sand beckon??  Laura and I decided to split $5 and play some slots - we won $20 and quit.  More beer money!

It was a lovely couple days there and then off to Norfolk!  (look!  Another "N" word!)

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