There's No Place Like Home (Except the Bahamian Lobster Lodge)

February 3 - 9, 2008

Sunday, February 03, 2008 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Hello and welcome to Super Bowl Sunday. Today started off like most others. Amy went into yoga and I went wind surfing/fishing. By 10:30 we were back on the boat having scrambled eggs with the weasels. Oh yeah, for the record I caught nothing.

After breakfast I headed into town and about half way across the harbour the prop on our outboard broke. Shitty death!!!!

I managed to limp in to Lake Victoria at idle speed and tied up at the dinghy dock. By the time I was tied up and inspecting the engine, the dinghy from Edelweiss came in sporting my exact same engine. I knew I had met them before, but I couldn't remember their name, so I sort of nonchalantly kind of struck up a conversation and in due course we got on the topic of my broken prop and Lowell (the man) said he had a spare I could use until I could get a new one in.

Kick ass! We made plans to meet up at his boat which was anchored near us off the monument and with a 20 minute head start I headed across the harbour at idle speed I arrived right as they did. Lowell gave me his spare and it was an exact copy of mine. Kick ass twice!!

We hung out talking for a few minutes and then I returned to the mother ship and swapped props. The installation took twelve minutes and went off without a hitch, but something else is amiss as the dinghy is not up to full speed. More research will be required here.

Anyhow, I took my dinghy into 12:30 pm volleyball with the boys and the games were really good despite me having to play left handed due to a recurring shoulder injury on my right side. Let's just say it's a good thing I am a better defensive player than offensive, because switching to my left hand has done nothing for my spiking.

I was back on the boat and hosing off by 4 pm. Amy made us little mini pizzas on split halfs of English muffins while I got changed. At 5 pm, Bruce from Different Drummer picked us up and we joined several friends in a flotilla of dinghies heading across the harbour to the Palm Bay Beach Club to watch the Super Bowl.

We had Toby and Donna, Pam and Ollie and me, Amy and Bruce at our table and we pretty much accounted for the only cruisers in the place. Another 20 or 30 Bahamians showed up as well and everybody was able to get a good seat for the game. The staff at Palm Bay brought out free munchies and we ordered several buckets of Corona's (the game day special - 6 bottles for 20 bucks) and settled in for the long haul.

Everyone at our table was pulling for the underdog Giants and we were all excited to see them win. Well, as excited as you can get about football that is. Anyhow, we ordered several appetizers through out the evening and everyone had a good time. Oddly enough the loudest cheers of the evening from both our table and the surrounding Bahamians was for the commercials. Go figure.

Our party broke up after the game and we paid our $250 bill and then headed back to our respective boats. To bed by 11 pm.

Monday, February 04, 2008 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

This morning Amy went in to yoga and I stayed on the boat and ran the weasels. When Amy got back we had breakfast and then broke out the charts to start planning our next trip out.

It looks like we might head over to Long Island later this week and then from there head up to Rum Cay and maybe Conception Island. Right now it looks like the wind might be right for sailing on Thursday or Friday, but we'll see when it gets a little closer.

In the mean time we have a couple of boat chores to take care of as well as a lot of laundry to do. We'll also need to hit the grocery store to stock up on the essentials. I have a sneaking suspicion that our time in Georgetown may be drawing to a close and I wouldn't be surprised if this trip out turns in to a two or three month long trip through the islands and then eventually back to the states.

Anyhow, in the afternoon I played volleyball with the guys. And then returned home to swim off the sand. We went up to poker where I finished mid-pack and Amy finished 3rd. Home and to bed by 9 pm.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Another morning yoga session for Amy while I took the weasels to the beach. We regrouped on the boat for breakfast grilled cheesies and then Amy went in to some photography seminar that some French dude was doing. He apparently was or is a professional free lance picture taker guy and Amy said she learned a lot.

I joined her at 12:30 for volleyball and the games were pretty good. We were back on the boat and cleaned up by 4 pm when Donna called from Cariba and invited us over for drinks. We hung out with her and Toby until 8 pm when we returned home, tucked the weasels in and went to bed.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - Hamburger Beach Anchorage, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

Another day in paradise. This morning I took my dinghy to the beach to scrape the bottom clean. Several pounds of deep sea life had been trying to take up residence, but I showed them my power.

Back on the big boat, Amy joined the land of the living in time for breakfast and then I went to town to do the first half of the provisioning list. I made up to the entry "Toilet Paper" before I decided that my dinghy was too full. I returned home and we stored our supplies.

Around noon I cooked two death dogs (hot dogs to you stateside folks) and then went in to play ball. I think I only have two days of smacking volleyballs around before we take off. Friday looks to be the day, but what is still unclear is what our destination will be. I guess we're still checking the weather.

While on the beach, Ollie from Dejarlo gave me an 18 hp old Tohatsu 2 stroke engine that supposedly runs and was given to him by a guy who upgraded to a modern engine. With all the problems we've been having with our outboard and dinghy I am going to see if I can coax the old Tohatsu back to life.

For dinner I made french fries and chicken fingers for the crew and then we watched the classic deep water thriller "The Abyss".

Anyhow, tomorrow morning we are heading over to town with the big boat to do laundry and finish provisioning. We'll move back to the east side of the harbour in time for volley ball and then hopefully what will be our final poker night of the season. I'm planning on going out a winner, so check on ESPN to see my smiling face with all of those bricks of cash.

See you tomorrow.

Thursday, February 07, 2008 - Volley Ball Beach, George Town, Exumas
By Tom

This morning we upped anchor and headed over to town to do laundry. I hate laundry. I hate it so much.

Our dirty clothes bag weighed in at an impressive 48 pounds and it was quite and effort to lug it down to the Corner Laundromat. Once there, it took 21 dollars, four washers, two commercial driers and 90 minutes to get things squared away.

While our clothes were circling happily, I played pack mule and drug 55 gallons of fresh water and 15 gallons of fuel back to the mother ship. Just so you know, gasoline is now 5.25 a gallon at the Esso station here in G'Town.

I finished up filling the fluids and then rejoined Amy at the laundry place. When I got there, I found her playing with a 3 week old Potcake Puppy who was being offered up free to a good home. It took several minutes of convincing before Amy agreed that we have no room on board for a dog. You didn't hear it from me, but she was tearing up as we left with our clothes.

Back at the dinghy dock, I loaded the clothes into the dinghy and took them back to the mother ship while Amy hit the library book swap. We met up there and after a quick stop at top to bottom for a few nuts and bolts, we dropped our wares off in the dinghy and went into the grocery store to finish the second half of the shopping list.

One hundred dollars and 40 pounds later, I was ferrying supplies back to the boat while Amy went down to the new liquor store to investigate a beach rumor we heard that involved cases of Pinot Grigio, a 20% discount and free delivery by car to the dinghy dock.

We met up again at the dinghy and she confirmed the rumor as being true, so we hiked back down to the liquor store and scored a box of the Pinot and a case of cheap ass Bahamian rum. One last time we loaded into the dinghy and returned to the big boat and unloaded.

We upped anchor and headed back across to Volley Ball beach where I "borrowed" (stole) the use of Rockin Ron's mooring. Rockin Ron left the harbour this morning with 30 other boats for the Long Island Rally. The rally was basically just a three day trip over to Salt Pond on Long Island. For some reason, most people down here cannot move as an individual boat and need the security of 50 other people before they are comfortable covering the vast and treacherous 18 miles to Long Island. Oh well, who am I to complain.

Anyhow, safely tied up to the Rockin Ron mooring, we left the boat and headed up for poker night at St. Francis. We had thirty players show and I came home in third.

Cards ended promptly at 8:45 (a new record, way to go team!) and after everyone went home, we hung out with George and Jillian having a couple of drinks and generally just shooting the breeze. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but George and his wife are good people and if you get down this way, definitely look them up.

We were home by 10:30 and to bed moments later in preparation for an early departure.

Friday, February 08, 2008 - Calabash Bay, Long Island, Long Island
By Tom

And lo and behold, they lifted anchor and it was good. Isn't that from Genesis Book 1, Chapter 3, Verse 6? Actually, I'm pretty sure thats from the Dead Sea Scrolls and is from the Gospel according to Thomas. Check it out, it's true.

And so with that send off, we dropped off of Rockin Ron's mooring, raised the mainsail and headed north out through the Conch Cay inlet and into blue water. The wind allowed us to only point as far south as Joe's Sound on the northern end of Long Island, but at least we were sailing.

We joined the procession of another 8 boats that were leaving the harbour and with the exception of Tonga Time, we were the only boat sailing. Of course with the terrifying winds out of the south, south east at a destructive force of well over 7 miles an hour, the "going south to the Caribbean" group choose to set this weather window out and meet on the beach at the Chat and Chill to discuss their impending passage south rather than actually leave the harbour, but there you have it.

Anyway, once we cleared the harbour entrance, we turned hard up on the 7 knots of aforementioned wind and screamed towards Long Island at a stunning 4.1 knot average. Warp factor 6 dammit!

About the only excitement on the way over was when one of our 8 (yes 8) fish whackers started screaming off line. Fish on!!! Boo-ya!

The ensuing battle spanned a total of 90 seconds, but in calamity of errors reminiscent of the Keystone Cops, Team Dream Catcher was able to reel the small, 3 foot Mahi all the way to the boat, but after two repeated gaff attempts, they were not able to physically get the fish on board.

Said Mahi was last seen giving the crew of Team Dream Catcher the "Fin" as he tossed the hook and swam to freedom. Bastard!

After 6 hours of sailing/drifting towards Joe's Sound, we finally dropped the hook off of the big yellow house right on the point on the southern end of Calabash Bay. We anchored just in time for a passing storm cell to drop a little rain, but after that the winds dropped off to nothing and we spent the afternoon floating languidly on the hook no more than 50 meters off one of the longest sandy beaches in all of the Bahamas.

Ok, so I know you know I had to ask Amy for that word "languidly", but doesn't it make me sound cool? Sweeeeeeet.

Dinner was Conch salad made by Amy with the Dream Catcher recipe that we have been perfecting for the last four years. I have posted our recipe below for your perusal.

hot sauce

The conch should be washed thoroughly in salt water before dicing. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and allow everything to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in refrigerator. Serve cold.

After chowing down on some serious Conch salad, I was able to borrow (pirate) an internet signal and get online to talk with my brother. Apparently the weather has sucked ass in his neck of the woods and a couple of days ago a tree was knocked down and crashed through the roof of his house. No one was hurt and the damage is repairable, so I guess everything is ok.

Pictures of the offending tree are shown side right. Thanks for action photos Bro, sorry about your house Dude. Trees suck.

The weasels woke up from their offshore experience by 6 pm and the four of us had a tag team cage match in the starboard side cabin in which I pinned the little girl weasel for the win, but right at the last second her brother (Fat Ass) came off the top of the book shelf with a copy of Herman Melville's Billy Budd and rendered me unconscious. Score one for the quadrupeds.

To bed under a clear sky, no wind and the tiniest fraction of moon by 8 pm.

Saturday, February 09, 2008 - Calabash Bay, Long Island, Long Island
By Tom

The day started early for me and the weasels as I was up and foraging for a Diet Pepsi at 4:15 am. Of course I had to turn the light on to see in the fridge and that was enough for the weasels to awake and demand their freedom from the cage.

The three of us fired up the lap top and surfed the internet until about 7 am when I got hungry and they decided to wake up the Amy unit. Breakfast was steak taco's with some sort of vegetable medley for the herbivores on board.

After a breakfast cleanup and the running of the ferrets, I went wind surfing and Amy read a book. By 11 am we decided we needed to tackle a couple of boat jobs so I worked on fabricating a new tie down mechanism for the starter housing on the dinghy outboard and Amy tackled our dirty floors with bleach and water.

You didn't hear it from me, but I got the better end of that deal.

By 2 pm we were both done our boat chores so we massed in the cockpit with the four legged crew members and enjoyed the almost windless, sunny day from the shade of our bimini. Around 3 pm or so, we broke out a bottle of wine and had early sun downers with the weasels.

A few minutes later we were hailed by Mick and Mary from the trawler Escargo and we looked up and saw them coming into our anchorage. They have apparently been up near cat island fishing for mahi and tuna for the last couple of days.

They stopped by to say hello and gave us a bag of fresh caught mahi for dinner. When they left, I donned my bozo deluxe spear dishing outfit and jumped off the back of the boat to check out a couple of coral heads near the big boat. On my second dive I found a rock ledge with a lobster who I quickly made my own.

Two dives later I found a 4 pound Grey Snapper to add to my collection and he too joined the cast of characters aboard Team Dream Catcher. I had just about finished my swim around our immediate area when I noticed a Bahamian Lobster lodge setup almost directly under our boat.

The Bahamian Lobster lodge is mostly just a 4 by 8 foot piece of corrugated tin with a 2 by 4 wall on three of the sides. The lodge is placed top up near likely lobster territory and then secured to its location with a rock on top. I pulled myself down to the dwelling and peaked inside and was greeted with three pair of eye stalks staring back at me. Hmmm.

I surfaced, regrouped (breathed) and dove back down. Once on the bottom, I flipped over the housing unit and greeted my 3 new best friends. Suffice it to say that none of them were able to resist visiting our boat and as of now the freezer section on board is full.

After cleaning our catch, I took a brief fresh water shower on the back steps and then we watched the sun begin to set. I made lobster pasta with a side chunk of the last two remaining pieces of our Pompano for dinner.

Half way though the meal, we received a frantic call on the VHF stating that there was a water spout heading thorough our anchorage. Amy and I went out in the cockpit and sure enough there was a large water funnel cloud moving right towards us. Run Ned, it's heading right for us! Shitty Death!

We quickly secured the weasels and then all loose articles in the cockpit. I sent Amy below to batten down all of the hatches and to power up the radar. Once the radar kicked in we were able to see the funnel cloud quite clearly. After a few tense moments of clicking our heels together and saying "There's no place like home, there's no place like home", it became clear that it was moving away from us and that we were not in danger. Sweeet!

We watched for another ten minutes and then the funnel cloud dissipated. As the sun set, a rain squall moved through the area and we retired below for the evening. Amy did the dinner dishes and then we said goodnight to the weasels and turned in by 8 pm.