The Inside Track

Saturday Morning:

Beach Picnic

We rolled out of bed, exhausted because we'd stayed up late either dancing or talking ... or both!  We boarded the buses at 8:30 a.m. and rode down to the docks near the bridge to Paradise Island to board a ferry to Rose Island.

In memory of Keith Carey, who tragically lost his life in a robbery earlier this year, we enjoyed a 99 cents breakfast once we reached the dock.  Keith developed the concept of the 99 cents breakfast stands in Nassau, and built them into a thriving business.  The stands serve a generous amount of hot grits topped with either corned beef, sausage or tuna (the tuna may sound strange, but those of you who enjoy boiled fish with grits will like this because it tastes similar).   

After a slightly choppy ride across the harbor to Rose Island on the ferry, we disembarked on a rocky landing and walked along a path which led to a gorgeous stretch of beach.  The overcast skies slowly cleared and the water was aquamarine and crystal clear!  The kids particularly enjoyed paddling around, but the adults also took a cooling dip or two. 

Some of our new cousins, descendants of Susan Allen, arrived on their boat and spent some time hanging out with the family.  (You should've seen them racing the ferry as we went back to Nassau!)

Lunch was the traditional hamburger/hotdog with fries, fresh fruit, punch, cake and the most delicious Coconut Tart made by Faye Carey, descendant of Susan Allen.  I think she also made a Pineapple Tart.  I meant to get her recipe before we left.  You never know when we might need it for a reprint of the Allen Family Cookbook!

We really enjoyed the sun, sand and surf at Rose Island, and by the time we got back to the hotel we were sticky with salt water and sweat, not to mention exhausted!  But the day wasn't over yet because we were on our way to the Junkanoo Festival!

Saturday Evening:

Junkanoo Festival

 After we rested and got cleaned up, we boarded the buses at 8 p.m. for a ride down the street to Arawak Cay.

The first thing we did when we got to the Junkanoo in June Festival was find conch salad!  I had been craving some good conch salad and I sure found it!  Instead of just the lime, it was also served with a squeeze of fresh orange, which gave it a distinctive flavor that I really enjoyed.  I ate the whole bowl! 

Then we wandered around the fair grounds and checked out some of the craft booths, entertainers and other food vendors.  But the highlight of the evening was the Junkanoo band!  They didn't start until 10 p.m., but people were already lining the road to lay claim to a prime viewing spot when we arrived.  Performing that night were the Saxons (there's a huge rivalry between them and the Valley Boys), and let me tell you they were fantastic!  When they started their fanfare, the crowd went wild!  Everything from the dancers and bright colorful costumes to the heavy Caribbean beat of the music (drums, horns, tubas, other percussion instruments) made you want to move those hips and feet.  I loved it!

Once the Junkanoo band passed us and traveled down the street, we headed back to the spot where we were to meet our driver for the ride back to the hotel.  But before she returned with the bus, the skies opened up and we got drenched!  I don't mean just wet, I'm talking soaked to the point where your clothes are transparent!  I don't think I've ever been that wet outside of the shower! 

It was all good, though.  The Junkanoo band marched back up the street (they call it rushing) and kept marching and playing even though it was raining cats and dogs.  We were huddled under a tree for shelter, but after a while I just started dancing again with umbrella in hand!  The rain didn't last long, though, and eventually our bus arrived we had a damp, chilly ride back to the hotel.  It made for a memorable evening, that's for sure!   

Reunion Recap

Day 3: Saturday, July 1

Beach Picnic & Junkanoo Festival

Photo credits:

Ben & Dannica Fitts, Mary Turner, Tangela Lusain-Johnson & Carmen Turner

(Click on photos in gallery to enlarge)   

Waiting to board the ferry to Rose Island on Saturday morning for the Allen Family Beach Picnic.	2006 Allen Family Scholarship recipient Candis Payne with mom Donna enjoying the boat ride.
Carla Yvette Allen, Wendy Carey & Libby Allen (from left) are ready to hit the beach!	What a cute couple! Carl Willis Jr and girlfriend Rebecca. Carl is a great-grandson of Rev. Alexander Allen.
This is the harbor we sailed from in Nassau on the way to Rose Island. Several of the stands along the waterfront sell the freshest seafood!	Willie D's daughter Kelly on the top deck of the ferry before we left the dock in Nassau.
Sharon & Hilliard Lang (great-grandson of Rev. George W. Allen) enjoy the ferry ride across the bay.	Waldo Allen, son of Clark Allen, enjoys his 99 cents breakfast on board the ferry to Rose Island.
This little cutie is Nathan, the grandson of Charles & Angela Wallace. Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks?	A view of the bridge to Paradise Island. You can see Atlantis in the distance, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow!
My sister caught this great shot of a lighthouse on the way to Rose Island.	Vashti Simmons (daughter of Cislyn) & Geanne Hilton (daughter of Kayla) enjoying the top deck. Peeking in on the left is Willie's son Adrian Delancy.
Pulling up to the dock at Rose Island. Just beyond those trees lies a gorgeous beach!	Alexander Allen III, also known as "Bro," capturing it all on film! He's the grandson of Rev. Alexander Allen.
Mark Glover with wife Shelley and daughter Mia enjoying the crystal clear waters of the Bahamas.	There were so many fun activities for the kids to do, even the big kids like Anita Moncur! They had a ball paddling around the water together.
Craig Delancy, Charlotte Smith and Cislyn Delancy stake their claim on a nice shady picnic table where they can take in the view!	Sonia Gibson enjoys the water with little Carla, who couldn't seem to make up her mind whether she liked the water or not!
Descendants of James Allen: Joe Williams, John Glover, Amy Dawkins, Pauline Glover & Rose Dawkins with Frank Oliver (far left).	Dannica Fitts, fooling around in one of the Junkanoo cut-outs at Rose Island. You look mah-va-lous, dah-ling!
DeAnna and DaMonica Rivas are getting the most out of that float and staying cool in the water to beat the heat!	Concerned dads Rudy Rivas and Marcus Bradley keeping an eye on the kids from the beach.
Charlotte Smith, daughter of Faye Carey Smith, is looking very zen as she enjoys a peaceful float in an inner tube.	Several family members enjoy a game of volleyball on the beach after lunch.
Willie D trying to coax Eureka, Sharon Lang and Lynne Bailey into the water. They'd forgotten their suits, so they said no way, Willie D!	Cousins Jay & Charlotte relaxing after lunch.
Okay, I would pay good money to see them break into some Rockette kicks right about now!	Boarding the boat to head back to the hotel. We were dead tired and sticky, but ready to party at the Junkanoo Festival!
Sonia Gibson, getting us all straight with our tickets for that night's bus right to the Junkanoo Festival.	Our Tarpum Bay cousins escorted our ferry back to the dock in Nassau after our beach picnic.
The top deck of the ferry was a very popular place!	Waldo Allen, making sure he captures every moment of the reunion on film. Don't forget to get your DVDs; they're only $10 each!
On the bus to the Junkanoo Festival! Those buses have seats that unfold into the aisles so they make the most of a very small space!	The show on stage was pretty cool and the crowd was large, but it was clear that they were all waiting for one thing: Junkanoo!
Everyone really enjoyed the festival. The crowd took a sneak peek at the costumes before the Junkanoo parade began.	Conch salad is a popular dish at Junkanoo in June! This young man made a delicious batch right before our eyes. It was well worth the wait!
Catching a little dinner before the Junkanoo parade started.	Posing with the Junkanoo costumes which were on display before the Saxons started playing: Adeesha, Al, Pearl, Frank and Dannica.
The Junkanoo costumes were beautiful! These were members of the Saxons, one of the prominent Junkanoo groups in Nassau with over 1000 members.	You go, girl! This Junkanoo dancer preceded the band and was accompanied by about 30 other dancers.
More elaborate Junkanoo costumes with feathers galore!	These girls were getting their Junkanoo groove on!
The band followed the dancers and costumes in the Junkanoo parade. The sound was awesome!	Even the tubas had it going on!
The horns and tubas were great, but it was all about the drums! That Caribbean beat was strong and irresistible. You just HAD to move those hips!