Tryphema is Slowing Down

The best reason to cruise to Thompson's Bay (also known as Salt Pond) on Long Island, Bahamas is to spend an evening at Club Thompson's Bay. The proprietress is Tryphema Knowles, a redoubtable figure and a great cook. To get to the club we have to dingy ashore, secure the dink to a scrub tree, hike through some scrub on a goat trail past a well to a dirt road, follow the dirt road to the highway and hike another quarter mile to her club. In 2008 Tryphema told me she was born in a home about 100 yards from that well. She still owns the land we hike across.

On this visit one of the cruisers had organized a get together for the boats in the bay. The weather had brought about 30 yachts into Thompson's Bay. There was room for 30 more at least, but it did resemble the crowding at George Town. Almost everybody made it in, and Club Thompson Bay was hopping.

Tryphema was in the kitchen chopping and pounding conch. I was struck how much she had aged in the three years since Jan and I were there. Even though she is likely in her 50's she looked considerably older. She free admitted that the gout was getting her down. One of the boaters said that she had knee surgery in Cuba recently. I noticed that she spent some time sitting which is unusual for her. Dinner was about an hour late. No one minded since the rum punches were flowing freely along with the usual cruising braggadocio. When dinner came it was worth waiting for-- a total Bahamian experience—cracked conch, grouper fingers, ribs, mac and cheese, peas and rice, fried plantains, plain rice, chicken wings, etc.

After dinner Tryphema came out for a round of applause and some happy testimony. Later there was talk about the club making a come back and needing new investors. I do not know what is happening there, but I do not think the future is bright at Thompson's Bay Club. Regretably, my pictures of Tryphema and her husband did not turn out.

I sincerely wish the best for Tryphema. She represents what is best in the Bahamas cruising experience. However, the future of central Long Island yachting seems to be coalescing about Long Island Breeze. Mike offers a floating dock, a daily net on the VHF, all day wi-fi, showers and laundry, spectacular view as well as good food and cheap beer. Even these amenities may not be enough to float the boat. Long Island is a desert and will always be limited by lack of water. For example, laundry and showers are by appointment at Long Island Breeze and are often canceled when the water supplies are low. Until the government of Bahamas is able to supply Long Island with r/o water (reverse osmosis), I doubt that any development will thrive in the Thompson's Bay/Salt Pond area.

Thompson's Bay has a lot to offer—a deep water route to the Ragged Islands and Cuba (well 7 feet at least by way of the Comer channel), great holding in 7 feet of depth with a clean sand bottom, about 270 degree protection (it is open to the southwest) and a pristine environment. It offers a reasonable alternative to George Town as a winter hibernation spot. But as I mentioned above water is the key. As long as George Town offers free pure r/o water she will always keep the cruisers.