Ragged Island (Deep South) *FOCUS TRACK*

RAGGED ISLAND – Deep South Deep in the southern Bahamas, there is no more serene place than Ragged Island. Chained together are these miniature islands with provocative names like Raccoon Cay, Hog Cay and Double-Breasted Cay. One of its darkest days occurred on May 10, 1980, when the defense vessel HMBS Flamingo was bombed by Cuban MiGs over a fishing dispute. Four of the marines who patrolled these beautiful waters paid the ultimate price on that fateful morn. The peaceful calm in the beginning of this piece captures the beauty and serenity of Ragged. However, the haunting melody that tags represents an unfamiliar feeling that must have filled the air as Cuban fighter pilots approached and ultimately sank the HMBS Flamingo, leaving four sons behind in these peaceful waters never to be found. The end is abrupt and still.