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Tanqueray anchored at Pipe Creek |
After our final visitors of a 5-week stretch departed from
Staniel Cay, Mike and I retreated back to the Pipe Creek area. Here we explored the vicinity and relaxed for
a whole week before continuing northeast to Eleuthra Island.
We spent the better part of a week, relaxing at Pipe Creek,
but also checking out the Pipe Creek area, sailing through the cays of Compass,
Foul, Bell, Sampson, Overyonder, Thomas and Pipe.
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Sailing into Compass Cay |
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Sailing out the cut |
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conch salad |
We attempted bonefishing in the shallows with
defeat from catching them, but not without sighting them. We spent hours upon hours of reading and
lounging in the cockpit, dipping in for a swim now and then when the heat was
too much to bear. We went conch grazing
with great success, collecting extra to take on the voyage to Eleuthra with
us.
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Compass Cay channel |
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Apricot swirl bread |
We snorkeled the cuts and the
outside reef, also snorkeling the rare pillar coral. I speared my first Nassau grouper, Strawberry
grouper and Porgy, with a three-prong spear, I might add. They weren’t the biggest fish in the World,
but they were my catch!
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strawberry grouper |
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nassau grouper |
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fish tacos |
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Mike & Sara's Porgy lunch |
We hung out with
a new made friend, Humbert, from Hattie Cay, whom we met after Mike speared his
hand with the Hawaiian sling. He kindly helped us with medical supplies for his hand and offered us some
beers. Luckily we were able to close the
wound with butterfly bandages instead of stiches from the nurse in town.
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Hattie's Cay |
And to tell you the truth, the real reason for spending the
week at Pipe Creek besides it’s aesthetic natural beauty, was to partake in the
Lionfish Tournament/Cook-off happening the up-coming weekend.
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Tanqueray and Sara at Pipe Creek |
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chocolate chip cookies - boat baked. |
We’ve had lots of practice this year
spearing Lionfish, but apparently not enough.
The Bahamian teams brought them in by the hundreds!
We did not register for the event because our
trust-worthy dingy “Tonic” was not up for the haul. However, we went into Staniel Cay to see the
results, partake in the party, and taste the cook-off dishes of the Lionfish
catch. My favorite dish was a Lionfish
chowder topped with caramelized onions and served with veggie rice. Mmmm
Mmmm.
The next morning, we got up at 6:30am and set sail by 7am
for our crossing over to Eleuthra Island.
It took us 1.5 days, stopping over night the first day just off Powell
Point to arrive at Governors Harbor the next afternoon, 70 miles in total distance.
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Mike & Nelly (thanks for the sunglasses Kevin!) |
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Dusk at Pipe Creek |
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Nelly manning the bimini |
Can't figure out how they could catch so many Lionfish and there could still be so many out there! Great pictures of one of my favorite places. Glad you had a relaxing week (except for the hand injury).
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ahhhhh - so nice! That week of relaxation sounds nice! Miss you guys --cindy
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