Hurricane Dorian

If Hurricane Dorian had arrived in the Bahamas forty-three years ago it is very likely that I would not be alive today. In 1976 we spent a year sailing the Abaco Islands aboard our thirty foot ketch Sarah Hannah. During that time we spent two months anchored at Little Harbour while looking after the house and studio of the sculptor Randolph Johnson. Pride of place on my bookshelf is a signed copy of Randolph's book Artist on his Island.

Those who have lived on small boats know the pleasure of occasionally being able to spread out on shore and to catch up on washing. The painting below is of our backlog of laundry hung out to dry in Randolph's and Margot's backyard. 

For the hurricane season we anchored at Man-O-War Cay and the diary extract below dates from those days. I will always remember the Abaco Islands as the most tranquil place on earth and my heart goes out to the islanders in their present plight.