Hunters and Collectors

Bristol Rose raising the main as we sail out of Royal Island, Eleuthera. We're a US flagged boat but we're flying the Australian flag in honor of Australia Day, January 26.

Hunters and Collectors are one of our favourite Aussie bands and I thought the name was a fitting title for this post. We're enjoying fishing and fossicking in the Bahamas.

This series of photographs is especially for Owen and Elliot and Robert’s family who are always interested to know, “what’s biting?” and for our sailing mates on the high seas. Wishing you, Tight lines!

A dolphin fish (mahi mahi) on the hook

Once aboard, the dolphin fish loses much of it's vibrant bright color.

Gloves are a good idea for handling this Mutton Snapper with its spikey fins.

You can tell by the look on Robert’s face that catching fish for dinner gives him a great deal of satisfaction. He’s been catching fish since he was knee high to a grasshopper. Some of Robert’s best memories are of camping at Woody Head on the New South Wales coast and tagging along as just a tot with his Dad and Grandpa to fish off the beach and rocky headlands.

Sailing through the cuts between islands from relatively shallow water, over the drop offs and over water that's at times 14,000 feet deep gives us a great opportunity to catch fish. Watching the rich diversity of small, colorful tropical fish in the shallows is also a lot of fun.

Can you imagine a more idyllic spot for a cabin?

Tropical fish swim and hide around the rocky shoreline below the cabin verandah. The bright blue and yellow fish were about 4 inches long and very shy.

The water is so clear we can see the fish very easily. The water in the Abacos has been a little cold for snorkeling so we enjoy motoring the dinghy around the rocky shoreline to try to see what’s underwater. The shots from the bobing dinghy are not the sharpest but you’ll get the general idea of the wide variety of colorful fish, big and small from these "above water" shots.

We are told that the lion fish are an introduced pest and should be killed to prevent their destruction of the grouper population. Even so, these two make a strikingly beautiful pair.

The one picture I wish I had was of a spotted stingray about 5’ across, swimming directly in front of us when we took the dinghy to shore at dusk in Governor’s Harbour. 

The shot that got away! My quick sketch - I'll stick to photography.