March 17-18, 2019 Exploring Lee Stocking Island

 

 

 

March 17, 2019
At 4am, Brent and Nicky decided to take the dinghy to shore and hike to the ocean to capture the stars & milky way.  Brent was so happy to have capture the moment.  Stay tuned and check out his website www.brentandersonphotography.com for his Exuma gallery.
They got back around 5:30am and went straight back to bed.
After a great pancake breakfast, we lifted the anchor and headed towards Lee Stocking Island.  The seas were a little rough and poor Lyla and Parker were a little quizzy.



Steve and Brent put out the fishing rods.  We struck lucky since they caught 2 Spanish mackerels. 




Nicky and Brent enjoyed the view from the bow.  It was the first time that Steve and I visited Lee Stocking therefore we were not familiar with the anchorage.  For some reason, the navigation showed deeper water but we could tell there was a sandbar and we ran aground.  We managed to get off very quickly and decided to anchor in a different area of the island.  It was a great decision, seeing that it was the perfect spot for all of us to snorkel.  In fact, there are so many sea biscuits.

As an appetizer, Brent cooked up the fish and we devoured it. 

Nicky & Lyla taking a rain shower

Steve and Brent then went spear fishing.  After an hour or so, we saw them coming back with a fish and big smiles on their face.  Brent was holding a big Nassau grouper. He cleaned it up and bagged it for tomorrow's lunch. Fish taco...yum!

Lyla & Parker like eating fish eyes

We cooked up hot dogs and played card games with the kids.  It will be a fun place to explore in the next couple of days.



March 18, 2019
What a gorgeous spot we are anchored along Lee Stocking Island.  The kids and I got up early to watch the sunrise.



Lyla found me a coral fan

After breakfast, we all went on the island to explore. The island was the base of the Caribbean Marine Research Center, one of NOAA's National Undersea Research agencies.  Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, the center was shut down in 2012, leaving  much of the infrastructure in a state of despair.  Apparently, someone bought the island and will eventually develop it.  What a shame.



Crab on the beach

Chef Brent

Once we returned and Brent cooked up the grouper and made us all grouper on a bun.

 After lunch, everyone was on conch and sea biscuits hunt.  Between Steve and Brent, they brought back a dozen sea biscuits and 5 live conchs big enough to eat.  Nicky even in the water and got one big one.
Afterwards, the guys decided to go lobster hunting while I painted with the kids.  They didn't stay very long since the current was too strong. 



Steve stayed behind to make water while the rest of us went to the beach to clean the conch.  Nicky took right over.  She figured out how to remove them and cut them up.  Very interesting.
It was pizza night for a late dinner. 
Nicky and I played chicken foot with the dominoes before their bedtime.  They started listening to Chris Hadfield's audible.
Once the kids went to bed, it was adult time until bedtime.  We are all so tired.