A couple of days ago Puffin's crew slipped into wet suits and a dinghy full of flippers snorkels and assorted gear to follow Gerri and Alan's dinghy out from the anchorage for some lobstering, Bahamian style.

This style of lobstering is a head-first, spear-carrying, fast, free dive in 10 to 20 feet of water with your head virtually flattened on the bottom as you peer into a dark little crevice looking for the tell-tale antennae that signals a lobster - all while holding your breath. If you find one and don't spear it right away, you might need to resurface for a gulp of air and quickly plunge down again to tickle the recalcitant crustacean out more into the open where you can spear it.

And after you've nailed one or two, it's time to clear out of the area before the sharks come in. Another time, Alan recalls spearing a lobster only to have to give it up to a hungry, green moray eel who slithered by.

These lobsters, while clawless, are fast, elusive and tricky. And pound for pound they offer more and some say better, meat that their northern cousins.

There's a real knack to it that Alan's mastered handily as indicated by the four he caught that day. My luck was limited to spotting and identifying our first American oystercatcher.

The best part of the day came later when Gerri brought over some fresh lobster dip to anoint the crackers at snacktime.