April ,2010 Bahamas Expedition -the adventure

Got a last minute invitation to fish Bimini and south to Ocean Cay,,,,,,,,could'nt pass up the oppurtunity for a monster April Hammer and left on my cousins 32 foot Luhr's sportfisherman.Ended up surounded by hammers swimming behind the boat trying to get at a 80 lb Aj we had tied at the back of the boat.
WOW what an awesome sight and what an incredible shark trip!!!!Plenty of flag yellowtails ,big fish and bigger sharks.
Ended up with Me=10 ft 5 inch tiger,lost a big hammer on the anchor line,lost another 10 footer behind the boat spit the hooks with the wire in hand,caught an 8 foot lemon,a 6-7 foot Caribean reef.All strong fish released to fight another day.
My cousin Will J caught a 10 foot 8 inch hammer.
I feel Worn and tired but happy for the chance that was once again a gift to fish such an incredible place-to me the ultimate place to fish.

Great Hammer behind the boat -the wireman struggling to hold on

THE VOYAGE EAST

The Bahamas has some of the most pristine waters in the world .We are just so very lucky to have them such a short distance away from south Florida (42 miles at the closest point)Aqua blue,crystaline clear to turquoise waters that team with a vast array of fish that boggles the mind .The abundance and and variety of fish in Bahamian waters are not even fully understood yet.Over 700 Islands with reefs,sandy cays ,ledges and under water caverns that have not given up there secrets yet continue to lure me back year after year.Dreams of retirement in this aquatic wonderland swirl through my head on most days.To me paradise must look like the Bahamas.

We board my cousin Pete's boat in the morning

the vessel that would be home for the next three days also known as "the good life"a 32 foot Luhrs with twin Yanmar diesels

leaving the dock a look at the other boats

Sailing out of Blackpoint marina cut

looking back at blackpoint marina and mount trashmore in the background-notice the dolphin in the lower right corner

Approaching Stiltsvilles from the west on our way out of the intercoastal waterway

one of the houses of Stiltsville

Pete on the helm and Will J standing on lookout

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM-THE BAHAMAS

In the background the hull of the "Sapona" a 1920's bootlegger ship made of concrete that ran aground during a Hurricane more then 80 years ago,very slowly decays into the sea

South end of south Bimini

the Bimini Sand hotel (south Bimini)

Bimini Sands -a close up

North end of South Bimini

North Bimini harbour

Weech's dock



Once on the Island we talk to the local fisherman and quickly buy a bag full of conch and a dozen lobster 'a tradition started long ago.For lunch I prepared some Japanese/Peruvian style conch ceviche.

The boat "the Good life" docked at the Compleat Angler

the view from the dock

Bimini is a place like an old town from your childhood that time cannot touch ,it seldom if ever changes and when it does it does so at it's own Bahamian Palm tree blowing in the breeze pace.These streets ,these smells ,these taste take me back to my youth when it was all so new but now just as captivating.I walk the streets and recognize faces that have been waiting all along for my return -time has stood still and the natives are doing what they were the last time as the time before and so on.

NORTH BIMINI

Alice Town and the Queen's highway-frozen in time


Tourist walk along the main street and natives go about there daily routine

The remains of the historic Compleat Angler that burned down about five years ago.My personal friend Julian Brown the heir to the property and all that the Brown's a pioneer family built in Bimini was killed inside the building as he fought to save the property with a garden hose.This hotel was the most significant Hotel to fisherman around the world ,the pictures that adorned it's walls were mostly one of a kind and cherished by all that saw them.This was the place where pioneers in blue water fishing such as Ernest Hemingway, Michael Lerner,Jimmy Lewis and many others gathered to drink after a hard day fishing in the Gulf Stream.The parties and brawls were classic at the Complete Angler.The walls of the bar were lined with historic pictures from most of the great pioneer fisherman that dared cross the stream to fish for giant Bluefin Tuna and Blue Marlin starting in the 1920's.When this place burned it was A great loss to all fisherman around the world.I hope some millionaire big game fisherman with a passion for the history of fishing will some day help rebuild the Compleat Angler.

The doors to the famous Big Game Club hotel and marina closed while workers are remodeling the property for new owner MR Guy Harvey.Hopefully the Big Game club will be restored to it's former glory as when the Bacardi family owned and operated the hotel.