Sunday, March 08, 2009

Wayne put on the swim ladder today. I finished reading some more trash pulp - Vampire Junction. My brain is going to turn to mush. Then after lunch we went over to Leaf Cay (Iguana Island) to burn some trash in the fire pit and I found a conch the correct size for the taking (it had a pronounced lip on it) while wading in the water. I decided to keep wading to see if I could find another one but wasn't having much luck. A Bahamian boat anchored near by and asked if I'd like to buy some conch or lobster. He said his boat name was Secret One, David and Queenie. He wanted $25 for 4 conch or $20 for 2 lobsters and was adamant in letting me know it was almost the end of lobster season. He said he could bring them back tomorrow. After conferring with Wayne we decided it was to much.

While on the beach we met a couple couples from Michigan. They're anchored over at Highborne Cay - Boat named Tiger Sea. They're heading south also but for the Virgin's. We commiserated about St. John's - wish we were heading there too - maybe next year. After chatting with them we headed over to the other side of the island to scout for conch but no luck. So from there we went over to Allen's Cay to get some pictures of the Cairn there. We met a family from Maine there - Laurel, and her two boys Allister (5 yrs) and Dakota (8 yrs) were on the beach and her husband Charles was fishing with his Hawiian Sling for Grouper. I chatted with her & the boys while Wayne waded in the water looking for conch. I'd mentioned we were looking for conch and one of the boys said he saw ours in my bucket - would I like to see his? Yes of course. They had 4 on the beach and he said that he had another one that he put back because all they needed were 4. Would I like it? Well, yes if you guys don't want it. "We only keep what we will eat and there are 4 already. Impressive. So the older one Dakota put the one he'd put back into my bucket with the one I'd caught. Laurel explained how you clean them so after we got back to the boat and got a screwdriver, hammer and knife I wanted to go back over and have her show me how. She could instruct me on the one that Dakota gave us and I could mimic her actions on the one I found. So we dinghied back over to Allens and she said it's her husband that does that, she cooks them. He was just coming out from snorkeling so I asked him if he'd show me how. Yes of course. What a sport. Afterwards I felt like he got waylaid by me - I guess he did. But he said I could help him out by giving him the weather when I got back (which I did). He led me step by step on Dakota's and I mimicked him on mine. There's one part that's clear and looks like a worm that's supposed to act as an aphrodisiac from the stomach of the conch. You're supposed to slurp it down. Charles showed me it and proceeded to swallow it down. Then said I should try it. I told Wayne I'll try it if you do. Uh uhhhh... Then Allister said go ahead & try it. I asked him, have you ever tried it? Nope. I said - I will if you will. You take a bite then I will. He wasn't to sure about that, but after I said, oh oh, if he does, I'll have to too he took a bite. Sooooooo.... Yes of course I had to - I'd told a 5 year old I would so I did. Then after Allister tried it and I did, you know Wayne had to LOL. Diana you'd be proud of me!!! I didn't think I could do it but I did! Found one, killed it, ate part raw, cleaned, prepared it, cooked it! Laurel told me that before cooking it I had to pound it to almost a paste.

Wow - I got my first conch today, killed it, cleaned it, prepared it, cooked it and then.... The defining moment - would it live up to Hilda's??? I made the salad, we had homemade bread that I'd already made the day before (the seawater bread), mixed up a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, garlic, a titch of sugar, dredged it through the egg and mixture, then into the olive oil and onto the plates. Wayne tasted it first and said - just as good as Hilda's. I was ecstatic and tried it too. Marvelous. The only problem was, I wanted more... A sure sign of success. Well actually there were two problems. The other one was that in smashing or bruising it in the cockpit, I had bits of conch meat flying all over (including me). Messy business. I'll have to remember to try and prepare it before bringing it to the boat from now one.