Some big wahoos and riding the hook

I truly wish that pictures could capture the colors were have seen over the past few days. Many times I have tried to describe the florescent light blue waters across the shallow reefs, and the deep azure blues that come right up to the edges of the reefs. As I said in my last blog Tyler and I each have a friend riding along. Each of them stood in awe as they saw the purplish blue deep waters rise up and meet the shallows of each island we approached.  It is something that I could try a life time to describe. Kurt and Tim both Tried to take pictures, But photos never do it justice.

After departing San Salvadore, We trolled for quite a while only picking up a few big barracuda. We made our way past Samana island and all the way to Plana cays. The Plana cays are two tiny uninhabited islands that are nothing more than the tips of two sea mounts. The waters 100 yards off of the white sand beaches drop to 1000 feet and 300 yards out the depths drop to 3000 feet.  Riding the hook ( or anchoring out) Is one of my favorite things to do. No civilization as far as the eye can see, and oh man the stars!!!!! I had the guys get in and snorkel the reefs after we arrived. Before they got in, I told them two things, Fisrt, the water would be the clearest they had ever swim in. the second thing is that their time in the water would be limited. the reason being that, the sharks would show up quickly. Both predictions were dead on. Just as they were getting out of the 200 foot visibility water, the first shark of the evening showed up. As the sun set, we cleaned a few snappers we had caught and had a blast tying the fish heads to a rope and playing tug of war with the sharks from the boat. The next morning we fished our way to Mayaguana. we got into some nice big wahoo. The action was pretty steady, but the seas built to the point that we could not safely fish, so we chugged through the 8-9 foot seas and into the calm protected clear waters of Abrahams bay at Mayaguana ( the last island in the Bahamas before the Turks and Caicos.). We spent some time picking away at lobsters on the beautiful coral heads before anchoring down. Abrahams Bay is one of my favorite places to anchor out.

Sunset on the hook at West Plana Cay

T with a few more wahoos

Yesterday, after picking a few more wahoo, we made our way into Blue Haven marina. We cleared customs and got the boat cleaned up. There are a few boats here that we have friends on and some of the local friends we have made over the years showed up. It was great to see Belinda and Delphine again. They have really done great things with Blue Haven Marina. The hotel and bars are open. As well, the swim up pool bar is open. After a few drinks and chatting with old friends we all decided to have a dock party. Each boat brought a dish. There were outstanding ribs, salads and baked beans. Tyler made some fresh wahoo sushi rolls and I did BBQ wahoo chunks. It was one hell of a spread. The impromptu dock parties are one of my favorite things about traveling on the boat. Kurt and Tim just kept looking at me and saying" do you do this every night?" No we don't, but when we do its a great time.
For Kurt and Tim this has been a trip of a lifetime. For Tyler and I it has been one as well because we had the rare opportunity to share a week of what we do with good buddies. Both of them keep thanking me, but I am just as grateful to have has this opportunity. Both Tim and Kurt worked their asses off helping keep the boat clean and I thank them for that.
Today I think I will take the boys around Provo and eat at Da Conch Shak and Bugaloos.

Yellow eye snappers we caught from 700 feet of water

A dinner of sushi rolls. ( Tyler has got it down to a science)

Lobster salad?

Double wahoo bite

We caught more giant Barracuda than we cared to

Easing up to anchor off West Plana Cay

Once again the pics do not do the water co;ors justice.

Yellow eye snapper and Black snapper

Tylers sushi

Tim left Kurt right

Tyler rolling out his incredible sushi

The sharks got to some of our wahoos

The crystal clear waters of Abrahams bay

A few of our bigger wahoo

T and I goofing around with a slipper lobster

T with a nice hoo

I could not wait for the sushi and took to eating it right off the carcass