Stephanie waiting for me to return after retrieving the camera from our last stop, the liquor store. OOOP's!

Enjoying cracked conch and conch fritters at 4 Points Bar.

Our bartender and Chef at 4 Points

And another beautiful sunset

Dingle's local gas, grocery, hardware, Internet, etc, etc, etc.

Ocean Hole, Rock Sound. No one knows how deep it is!

Lion fish by the dock. Beautiful, but poisonous!

Time for you to catch up with us

Monday Morning Joe said goodbye and started his trip back to the US. His insurance was an issue after June first along with a 50th reunion he wanted to attend, and I know he is wanting to get back to New York to help Julia finish up her working life and move on the boat full time. I can't tell you how many times he said "I wish Julia was here with me and Salty". Soon Joe, Soon. We will miss them, but know we will meet up again on another adventure with Julia aboard to keep him out of trouble. We have been cruising with Joe for several months and it seems like it was just yesterday that we started buddy boating. We are so blessed to have such great cruising friends.
Last Sunday we left the Land and Sea Park after the winds finally calmed down (6 days of 15-30 k)and cruised to Norman's Cay where we spent a couple of days exploring, hunting conch, playing in the water with the girls, and hitting MacDuff's Beach Bar. HEY, we were getting thirsty after almost ten days without a bar for miles. Besides, we needed a cheeseburger in a real paradise. Tuesday morning we left Normans on a beautiful calm day and fished our way to Eleuthera, where we are anchored off the settlement of Rock Sound, our first stop on our way to the Abacos where Brianne, our granddaughter who is graduating from high school, is flying in to join us. Looking forward to that. Should be great fun. On our way to Eleuthera I caught a 42 inch bull dolphin and lost two others. Our freezer is packed with fish and I am loving the thrill of "FISH ON, FISH ON!" Stephanie slows the boat, I fight the fish, she takes pictures, and then helps me bring the big muthas aboard. What a team and what great fun!
We will be here at Rock Sound exploring for a couple of days, and while we are here we have Internet at anchor (can you believe it) for ten dollars a day. Rock Sound is a large settlement with stores, (that are actually open) restaurants, and beach bars. (Hey, all this exploring can make a guy thirsty!)
Everybody is ready for some play time at the beach so I gotta go. "Are you done yet Dad?"

September Song (see you in Rock Sound) out
Bob


Joe and Salty headed out on Monday morning 5/17 from Normans Cay on their first leg of their trip back to the US. It will be sad not to see Sea Pearl on our stern as we continue our adventures in the Islands, but we know we will see them here (with beautiful Julia full time with them) again soon. Safe travels until next time Sea Pearl.

Can you see my 42 inch dolphin in the water that I caught on the way to Eleuthera? You should have seen the two that got away.

This one didn't get away!

A plane that crashed at Normans Cay years ago during the drug running days here on the Island.

Caves around Normans Pond where we went conch hunting

If you click on this picture you will see hundreds of conch shells in the mouth of this cave. We're looking for live ones today.

Joe and Salty hunting conch in Normans Pond

I need Todd here to help me clean the conch and Brenda to make us some conch salad and conch chowder. Wish you guys were here with us!

'Mine is bigger than yours Joe" "Ya, but mine is cute" That's our Joe, always looking for the cute one.

Now that's a beauty! Not the conch, Stephanie.

Stephanie AKA the conch hunter, with her prize conch.

Fun at MacDuff's on Norman's Cay on Joe's last day with us. We haven't been to a bar in weeks and needed to spank our livers.

Stephanie and Joe yucking it up at the bar at MacDuff's.

Because Joe and Salty will be leaving alone, we found him a new crew member. Salty said "that's great, when I want a snack I can chew on his bones" It has been so great cruising with Joe and Salty these last few months and we will miss them alot. Love you Joe! and you too, Salty. Safe travels back to the US.

Does this lab with a coconut in her mouth remind you of anyone Jeff and Karen? Her name is Salty and she lives at MacDuff's. Your kids will get to meet her next year when you come to the Islands.

Stephanie says "I just can't keep the kid out of the water" Are you talking about Cassie and Godiva or me? "all you kids, and me too"

I love the underwater world here in the Exumas!

If this one wasn't protected by park rules he would be dinner.

Beautiful soft and hard coral

Jim and Robin on "Adventures" have been in the mooring field with us in the park. They joined us on the aft deck of Sea Pearl for cocktail hour before the beach party. They are slowly headed South and are buddy boating with Lucky Stars who moved farther South this morning and crossed with us last year. Jim and Robin have been like two kids in a candy store as this is their first trip to the Exumas.

Smile, Jim!

Kids who live on boats. Don't you think you would have loved growing up on a boat?

This little guy loves to play in the sand and swims like a fish.

Saturday night beach party at the Land and Sea Park HQ meeting new cruising friends.

The beach parking lot for the family cars.

Exploring some of the small out Cays in the Land and Sea Park

The rugged beauty of the Exumas

Joe and Salty out exploring with us

Internet here is a pain

Internet here is a pain in the b%&#, but I guess you are all worth it. The winds are still 20 to 25 so we will stay here and do some diving and beaching. No, not bitching, beaching. How could a person bitch about being in paradise, not knowing what time it is, having to ask what day it is, deciding what beach to go to, and , well, you know the rest from all the pictures.
We will be leaving here in the next day or two when the winds are going to calm and head for another anchorage so stay tuned.

September Song (blowing in the wind) out
Bob


Now that was a fish!

September Song on her mooring ball

Cassie pulling Mon around on the float

Kite boarding next to our boat