On June 6 & 10 we spent delightful evenings visiting Charlene’s rum shack, located in Upper Woburn.   Who were “we”?  Barb & Chuck, Ann & Steve (Receta) and Heather & Don (Asseance).  Charlene is the sister of Stevie, local fisherman made famous by Ann’s accounts of Dwight & Stevie in her books “An Embarrassment of Mangos” and “The Spice Necklace”.   Also in attendance were Stevie and some of his brothers, Charlene’s daughter Blossom, some of Charlene and Stevie’s neighbors, including kids, and some regular customers.

Each visit, we dinghied in to Whisper Cove just before dark and then walked up and down (mostly up) the hills to Charlene’s shop.  On June 6 we were treated first to fried chicken and then deliciously-seasoned fish prepared in foil.  On June 10, Charlene ran an informal “workshop” for the benefit of the ladies in our group but for the enjoyment of us all.   The menu:  a fritter appetizer made with the roe of a type of white sea urchin known in the guidebooks as West Indian Sea Egg, followed by chicken prepared in a “burnt” brown sugar sauce in a heavy kettle over an open fire, and coconut “bakes” also prepared in another heavy kettle.  In order to ensure an even heat for the bakes, the kettle was covered with a large circular flat upon which was built another fire.

Both nights were lazy and leisurely and filled with plenty of visiting and beer drinking as we waited for the various preparations.   Non-cruisers sometimes appear to think that we spend most of our time sitting on beaches sipping punches.  Make no mistake; it is nights like these that make cruising so special.