On Monday, we headed South to the end of Great Harbour Cay to Ceaser and Water Cay. Rick and Sandra on s/v Stephanie Dawn were in the other dinghy. If we had been able to run on plane with the dinghy it would have been less than 20 minutes. The new dinghy can cruise at 12 to 15 knots. The dinghy we used last year would maybe make 6. The problem yesterday was low tide occurs at around mid-morning which is when we were heading South. We had to cross a mile wide shallow "flats" section. Mike pulled and Joyce pushed across the flats. Made it to the Cays for a little beach combing. Did see what we think were 3 or 4 two foot sharks feeding on the flats.

On Tuesday, we tried to tuck up into Shark creek to search for mangrove snapper. Too shallow so headed North of the harbor. Found the rocks shown in the pictures, see photo gallery, that are large overhangs that have fallen into the water giving good shelter for fish and lobster. Hundreds of fish under 10" but nothing really right for dinner. Did find a couple of crevices in the rocks that held good size lobster. Ended up putting 4 in the Home Depot bucket. Left 2 that would have been easy picking. Grilled two for dinner and they were wonderful. Probably going back out tomorrow with a Canadian couple that have never pole speared. Also there is now one less lionfish to grow up, eat to much, and reproduce. (Joyce tells me I need to say I killed a small lionfish.)

A pole spear is a rod around 6 foot long with a point and flapper that keeps the fish from sliding off. A loop of surgical rubber tubing is attached to the other end. The loop goes over your thumb and up push the spear thru your hand so that the loop is tensioned. You grip the spear, point, and release. Must be within a few feet. Lobster are more difficult to find but don't swim away. Fish are easier to find but they swim away very quickly. Bahamas does not allow using spear guns or anything with a trigger.

Christmas is this Friday. We will probably hang around until next Monday when we may have a good weather window to get past Nassau into the Exumas.

Merry Christmas to all.