April 12-15 Traveling the Exumas

Craig's daddy Ken joined us April 12 in Georgetown. After baptism by wet dinghy ride back to the boat, we feasted on lobster tail. We headed out Tuesday morning to start our adventures up the Exuma chain. As it turned out, John and Laura on S/V Lotus, a couple we had met in Puerto Rico, were also in Georgetown and pulled theri anchor around the same time. We headed out of Georgetown together as the winds piped up.

The fun thing about traveling with another boat you know is the opportunity to take pictures of each other under sail, with the hope of swapping pictures at the next internet or anchoring opportunity. Although we had planned to stop at Rat Cay and Rudder Cay, we were both making such good time (7.5 knots) that a mutual decision was reached to swap pictures in person at Cave Cay. S/V Lotus has been crusing for a year and are on their way to the Chesapeake and Nova Scotia. They did not have any pictures at all of themselves under sail, and we have not had any since the Dominican Republic.

Here we are:















Here they are:

While we have had pretty good luck trolling artificial lures, we were tickled to find rigged ballyhoo in Georgetown. These were our favorites in the Florida Keys so we tucked a few away for Ken's adventure. As mahi tend to do, the first one flipped himself off the hook right before our hungry eyes. The second one broke the line after thoughtfully first wrapping the line several times around the dinghy propeller, which we are now towing due to a broken stanchion base on our stern pulpit and the lack of portable stainless steel welders in Georgetown. We found one guy who "thought" he could do the job if we removed the entire pulpit and brought it to his car shop. We have previously dealt with Bahamians who "thought" they could fix a boat. Thanks anyway We'd rather tow it.

As they say, the third time's the charm. Ken is on the rod and the fight is on!

Craig is on the gaff. The fight is still on!

This beast is flipping and carry-on such that he can't be gaffed. No matter when Craig is determined. He grabs the line and flings the fish into the cockpit. Blood is spraying everywhere and we fear that the fish will fly right out the other side of the cockpit. We remember reading that alcohol stuns them. We used to have a spray bottle in the cockpit, but the rot-gut jet-fuel rum that was in that bottle melted the plastic and we never replaced it. I race below and grab the first bottle in sight. It happens to be Cruzan but the fish is worth it. I make it a stinghy pour into the gills but the trick works and the mahi is subdued.

We are at anchor in Staniel Cay this evening. We came up here this afternoon. The boys have already snorkeled Thunderball Cave. It was a little windy and cold for my taste so I'll hit it tomorrow. Cold fronts are still moving through which have kept many boats at anchor. Our heavy girl screams through the water so we have enjoyed some spirited traveling. We are at anchor in 11 feet. Winds sustained 20 knots, gusting to 26....