TUNA!!!

4.8.11

Yesterday we got up early and made it to Spanish Wells by 0800 – we had a few errands to run and wanted to take in a few sights. We caught a ride to the other side of the island (only 3 blocks away) and then walked over to the beach. This island is a loyalist-settled island, so it is different than any other island in the Bahamas. The islanders are predominantly white and the culture is much different. The people on the island are number one in the selling of fish and lobster. Most people who live on the island have lived there their entire lives as have all the generations before them. The houses and yards here are very well-maintained – no chipped paint or run-down houses, all the yards are mowed and have gardens and flowers everywhere. It was quite a shock to see this place, having just come from some of the smaller outislands.
North of the island is a large reef that protects their shores, but is a bear to get through as a boater. If you are traveling that way, the almost required route is via a pilot – someone else who comes on your boat and leads you through. Most sailors will group together and split the cost of a pilot and follow each other out.
This reef makes for beautiful beaches though. The shoreline is protected and the sand is as soft as flour between your toes. We walked for a ways and then headed back into town for some groceries. On our way back to town, we passed a fenced in aviary of sorts. Although there was no enclosure, the birds were either flightless (chickens and peacocks) or they stayed there because of the free food. We were treated to a male peacock prancing around with his feathers up trying to impress two lady birds. We stayed and watched for awhile before heading on. The grocery store was quite large and well-stocked. Too bad we didn't really need that much! We grabbed a few items for our upcoming overnight sail and then went in search of somewhere to eat lunch.
We were soon picked up by a local in a golf cart, who offered us a ride to Normas – one of the best places on the island, he said. He told us that he had lived here his whole life (see, I told you so!) and that he was a fisherman. He goes out once or twice a year, for 5 months at a time! Whew – not an easy life if you ask me!
We had a delicious lunch at Normas and the owners were wonderful! They were witty and welcoming and joked around with us while we ate. Although the island is beautiful and extremely well-maintained, there isn't really much to see. We had traversed the whole island and even made a few stops and it was only a bit after noon. We made one last stop for fuel before heading back out to the boat.
That afternoon, we moved only 3 miles away to a protected area behind a small island. We plotted out our course for the Abacos and decided the best approach would be to leave at midnight, putting as at the cut for the Sea of Abaco at the 1300 slack tide. We got the boat in sailing condition, so that when we woke up we would just have to go. We hauled the dinghy and motor on deck for the long passage and made sandwiches and snacks for overnight so that whoever was on duty would be have ready-made munchies. We had an early dinner and were both in bed asleep by 1900.
At 2300, we woke up, hoisted the sails and were on our way. The wind was favorable and we were making great time! We opted to go South around the islands the large reef North of Spanish Wells, since we were leaving in the dead of the night. I took the first shift and Brad went downstairs to get some more sleep while I stayed at the helm.
The trip was mostly uneventful. It was an easy sail, with the wind directly off our beam. Leaving at midnight makes for a short overnight sail – two shifts of 3 hours each and the sun was already coming up. My sleep was interrupted by Brad banging on the cockpit floor above my head. I stumbled out of bed, still half asleep, thinking something had gone wrong and he needed my help. When I get topside, I realize he has caught a fish! I quickly take the helm while he starts the battle with this fish. It takes him about 20 minutes (we have insufficient tackle for ocean fish, we now realize), but he finally gets it to the boat – it is a beautiful 15lb-ish yellow fin tuna! Yay! Our first fish!!! And it is going to be so good!
Now....what do we do?! We let him sit on our transom for about 30 minutes until he was dead, but he left an awful bloody mess. So we haul him into the cockpit, and while we are bouncing around on the waves, Brad fillets him. There was so much meat on him – we could hardly wait to get to port and have some!
The rest of the morning was uneventful. The wind died about 0800 and we had to motor sail the remainder of the way. But, for this reason, the cut was flat and easy to maneuver and we made it through without incident. We pressed onward, North to Marsh Harbour. At this point, we were both exhausted and ready to drop anchor and go to bed. We were about 15 miles out when we heard our friend on Winddancer hailing us on the VHF. We made a quick judgement call and our stomachs outruled our sleepiness. We agreed to come over, with our freshly filleted fish, for dinner on the Hylas.
We made it to the Harbour at 1700, dropped the hook and then flew over to the Hylas, hoping for dinner, a few drinks and an early bedtime. It was not to be. Dinner and drinks with friends is never quick. Dinner was INCREDIBLE, our glasses were never empty and before we knew it, it was 2200 and we were just leaving. We stumbled home and fell into bed, aware that tomorrow would be an early day so that we could get Brad on the plane to Cayman.