First Kill!

Lobsters everywhere are no longer safe.  A few days ago I went snorkeling with Gerry from FREE SPIRIT and Alan from CIVIL TWILIGHT to hunt the elusive lobster.  We were going to check out a couple of the boys' favorite hunting grounds, which I would only be able to reveal under penalty of death, for, you see, the location of hunting grounds are a closely guarded secret, much like the access code to nuclear weapons would be.

I have been trying to make my first kill for some time now and it got to the point where Gerry and Alan were joking that they might have to catch one for me and hold it up by its antennae in order for me to take the shot.  So there was a lot riding on this expedition -  my pride and their patience.

The first opportunity came as we were diving on a reef.  Alan spotted a nice lobster sitting in a hole, wide open to an easy shot from above.  Later, Alan said "It doesn't get much easier than that".  I carefully positioned myself and tensioned the surgical tubing that launches the pole spear.  I took careful aim, released the spear and watched in horror as the point glanced off the lobster's head and he backed up deeper into the hole and out of sight.  I noticed the look of disbelief registered on Al's face - even underwater with a mask on and breathing through a snorkel.  I had failed to apply enough tension on the pole spear, a mistake I would not make again.  Lobsters:1; Me:0.

That one never got away, though, because the boys quickly teamed up with Gerry rousting the lobster out of his hiding spot and Alan applying the coup de grace.  It was a scene played out since the days when early man was just making his way out of the trees, and it was hilarious.

We never saw another lobster there and Gerry was determined to get one, so he went over to another site that he knew of which is also Top Secret.  I was feeling cold and dejected, so I almost didn't go but changed my mind - I wasn't going to give up that easily.  Gerry kindly offered me the opportunity to search the easy spot.  It was a shipwreck that formed a ledge around the hull on the outside that was the easy spot.  Inside the hull was a tangle of metal and that was where Gerry got a couple.  As for me, I cruised the ledge in a shark-like manner, all slow and with deadly purpose, when I spotted one curled up having a snooze under the ledge.  As I took a deep breath, I tensioned the pole spear to the breaking point and moved in for the kill.  I don't know if the lobster sensed eternity looming, but I saw his antenna twitch.  Whether it was a lobster dream or a primal response to impending doom, we will never know because I released the spear and it boiled the water on its fateful way to its appointment with the lobster's head.  Me:1; Lobsters:1.

Like Poseidon, I broke the surface spear in hand with the lobster in its final death throes impaled on it.  I was taking it back to the dinghy where Al was waiting (he had already caught two).  In a scene reminiscent of a lion cub bringing home his first antelope, I handed my prey up to Al who ceremoniously removed it from the spear and dumped it in the bucket.  He may not admit it, but I am pretty sure he had a tear in his eye.

Novice no more; I am now an apprentice.  And we will be having lobster pizza when Elsie and Kathy come to visit.

Get in my belly!

Branko

Abaco Update

Thankfully, I have no bad news to report this time - it's all good.

As Maggie mentioned, the anchor is working out superbly: we can sleep at night knowing that the anchor will be in the same spot that we left it when we went to bed.

I got my tooth installed yesterday, so that is out of the way also.  Dr. Vargas did a fine job and I would recommend him to anybody in need of some dental work in the Bahamas.

Marsh Harbour

Several days ago, I went conching with Gerry from FREE SPIRIT.  He showed me one of his favorite conch fields so we gathered up about 6 shells each.  Then he showed me how to clean them.  For those of you who know my squeamishness about killing/cleaning animals, you will be surprised that I manned up and got the job done without barfing.  In fact, I didn't even get mildly nauseous.  To clean a conch you basically have to get it out of its shell, cut off it's eyes, gut it, skin it, bruise it, and then chop it up for fritters.  I did all that, made some fritter batter, deep fried them and we had a delicious meal.  I am still working on getting my first lobster and fish with the spear.

The great white hunter

Actually, that is not quite true - I did spear a fish already.  I was snorkeling around a small corral head when I saw  a fish that I thought I could eat.  I took careful aim with my Hawaiian sling and got it right in the gut.  My jubilation quickly turned to remorse when I got it to the surface and realised that it was actually too small to eat.  I got fooled by the magnification of my mask.  What looked like a whale under water looked like a minnow out of it.  I vowed to be more careful next time.

Conch at home

Sadly, talk of going back to Florida is creeping into our conversations more often, so it won't be long.  We will have another month here after visits from some friends.  On the brighter side, talk of crossing to the Med is also creeping into our conversations more, too.


Branko

Jigging for fish

Still no fish

Life with a New Anchor

Tahiti Beach

Our secondary problem  (no confidence in our anchor) became our primary problem once the leaky seal was fixed.    Why did we not
work on both problems at the same time?  We think we are getting 'relax brain'  and can only cope with one issue at a time.

Not to worry, the universe has its way of working.

We had scrapped some crazy ideas,   like flying to Florida, buying an anchor and flying back with it.....like I said we scrapped some crazy ideas.  But because we hauled out at Edwin's Marina,  we met the owners who buy and ship product all the time  - we found out who they use and the rest is history.

Short story -  bought a 55lb Delta from West Marine in Florida, shipped it to a container yard in Lake Worth,  had it loaded in a container and shipped via the vessel Tropic Night to Marsh Harbour for,  wait for it $16.76.  They were having a special on cubed freight and the anchor fell under the special  pricing.
I cleared the anchor through Customs and paid,  wait for it - no duty and it was bought,shipped and in our hands within a few days.

life is good in the Bahamas!

Maggie

p.s. the pictures in this blog of are our new anchor adventures

Sea of Abacos

Geri and Alan - catching dinner

Starfish under water 

A conch that Branko found on the beach

Starfish - using my underwater camera

they  actually lined up for this picture

Tahiti Beach - the other side

Coral and Rocks