Log: 3375
Emerald Bay Marina, Great Exuma Island, Bahamas
Sunday, February 17, 2008
When last I wrote here, we were being buffeted by high winds and seas at Volleyball Beach near Georgetown. Wednesday, we retreated to Emerald Bay Marina to celebrate Valentine’s Day, clean up the boat, and await our friends Bob and Ashley Spotswood from Birmingham.
We spent Thursday and Friday cleaning and provisioning, had an elegant Valentine dinner Thursday night at the Four Seasons Resort, and met the Spotswood’s upon their arrival Friday evening. Darling Ashley arrived nursing a cold and exhausted from the stress of an opening displaying her artwork at a gallery in Birmingham Thursday evening. See http://www.activeculture.info/eventsDetails.asp?ItemID=11627 and http://www.ashleywiltshire.blogspot.com/. Bonefish Bob, on the other hand, arrived pumped up for a day of bonefishing he had arranged for all of us Saturday.
Saturday morning, we arose early and met our guides Reno Rolle and Garth Thompson at 8:00 am at the Peace and Plenty Hotel. The ladies took off with Reno while Bonefish Bob and I headed out with Garth for a day on the flats. The weather was spectacular, the water sparkling, and the scenery beautiful. Garth proved his worth by finding plenty of fish for us and Bonefish Bob earned his nickname by hauling in four Bonefish. I hooked three, lost one early, got one close to the boat, and landed one, my first Bonefish. The ladies were not as fortunate finding fish, but each landed one to make the day complete. Actually, Bonefish Bob and I could have caught at least six each, but it is easy to make a slight error in casting or setting the hook. Bob and the ladies were all using flyrods, giving them an additional handicap, while I, for my first bonefishing trip, stuck to a rod and reel.
We celebrated with a drink at the Peace and Plenty and had dinner by the pool here at Emerald Bay. All in all, a good day.