Latest post found at

Southerntrawl.blogspot.com

Southerntrawl.blogspot.com

New entry just posted !

Due to technical difficulties beyond my comprehension, I have relocated my blog to

Southerntrawl.blogspot.com

Please come aboard! Let me know if this works and your thoughts. Suggestions welcome!

Double Eagles on Lucky #13. We took this as a good sign.
We made it safely back to our Mariners Cay slip yesterday afternoon.  The trip was amazing, and we appreciate everyone who kept up with us, and making us feel connected while we were away. Here are a few shots of the final days of our journey home. As we prepared to cross the Savannah River, we got a call from this big guy suggesting we might want to stand down and let him cross first. We did not argue!

We continued to monitor wind and storm forecasts to ensure that we would not have any avoidable calamities this late in the game. Winds and waves were high in Rock Creek, North of  Beaufort, just South of the Edisto River , as we took shelter for the night.  Fortunately winds calmed before the rains started, and we got just enough rain to make for great sleeping. PS, it was rougher than it appears in video.

Seagulls and pelicans followed us as dolphins led the way.

The only very unwelcome guests we encountered were the swarms of Georgia Horse Flies ! It would have been comical, had they not been such annoying and painful biters, watching me jump around trying to swat these pesky creatures while Tom ducked and dodged steering the boat and trying to avoid getting whacked in the head by fly swatter!

We were thrilled to get a good view as we glided slowly by the magnificent EOS ; one of the largest private sailing yachts in the world. This 3 masted Bermuda rigged schooner is owned by Barry Diller, husband of Diane von Furstenberg, and was finishing her refit at the Thunderbolt Marine in Savannah. Again, pictures do not do her justice!

On Thursday  we decided to drop anchor in the Kiawah River, literally just minutes from home. We needed at least a rising high tide to be able to get through the shoaling areas near the confluence of the Kiawah and Folly Rivers. It was a great advantage having the most recent Army Corp of Engineers survey overlay on our Aquamap chart navigation app.

The bright colors indicate the recent USACOE survey, and the yellow dash line is our actual track, as we negotiated these shallow areas.

Having a final night to relax and reflect on our journey was terrific.

Here’s wishing everyone continued patience, good health and humor as we all navigate our new normalcies as dictated by the continuing Covid Era.
We also need to give a BIG shout out to Anthony Black, of Marine Propulsion, for taking our call to help us resolve an alternator issue. He gave us excellent advice that saved us valuable time & money.
Thank you to Karen for our fabulously clean, blooming, and decorated home upon arrival. Last but not least Thank you Ed and Randy for catching the lines & Dawn for this home again photo !

Hope to see you, masked or unmasked, around town or the docks.  Stay safe all.

At the time of our last post, we had planned, weather provided, to cross the gulf last Thursday 04/16.  On Tuesday (04/14) we  crossed from Highbourne Cay, did a bank shot off of Nassau, (which was eerily quiet as we skirted by)  to arrive at Frazers Hog Cay, in the Berries.  As all marinas were closed under lockdown orders, we made several phone calls to the Defense Force, and also the Prime Ministers office, trying to secure permission to take safe harbor at Bimini Sands Marina, should we be late or delayed leaving. Bimini forecasts weren’t promising for the next several days. There are no good anchorages in the area that provide protection from the expected strong Northerlies and Easterlies . We planned to leave early the next morning to cross the banks. The weather forecasts were still calling for a decent gulf crossing for Thursday, but it was a small window predicting very strong winds and seas to come in late afternoon. We knew we’d have to leave very early, and cross only to Ft Lauderdale. This also was not optimal, since we really do not enjoy the crazy fast, sometimes discourteous boats and the dozens of bridges headed north from there.

The promised return call from the Defense force did not come, so we decided to head out on Wednesday anyway for our crossing to Cat Cay. We had a very long, very bumpy, ride across the banks from the Berries to Cat Cay. We dropped anchor at 7:30 PM , knowing we’d need to pull anchor by 4:00 AM to safely cross Thursday.  We finally reached Commander Whit with the Bahamas Defense force, who graciously granted us permission to delay our crossing and relocate to Bimini Sands Marina for 3 nights and the next crossing good weather window.   Entrance to the marina is beautiful, but a little tight. We were greeted by a Defense force boat as we approached, but allowed to enter when we told them we had secured permission.

 

We were well rewarded with that decision. We were able to relax, and get some much needed rest,  while attending to basic boat maintenance and laundry!   There were only 3 other occupied boats in the marina and only 3-4 condo owners in residence . This allowed us the freedom to “walk the dog” even during  stay-aboard lockdown orders.
During one of my walks, I had the excellent fortune of meeting “Bimini Brown”, a local fishing charter captain who happens to live there. Brown and I engaged in spontaneous acts of reciprocal generosity, in a mutually beneficial barter exchange. All wine and beer stores are currently closed in the Bahamas. I put together an assortment of beers, 2 bottles of wine, and a few dollars. In return Bimini Brown shared with us some fresh Hog fish filets, a bag of 5 tails (lobster) and some gorgeous conch shells.  Tom cooked the filets to perfection in the cast iron skillet. The heads and  bones will be used for soup.  Lobsters are frozen awaiting the appropriate timing for a recipe calling for 5 fat tails.

Sunday (04/19) we untied the dock lines in pitch dark and had left the marina by 5:20 AM.  It was a tiny bit scary headed out under the cover of night, with only the stars, a sliver of a moon, our radar, electronic navigation, and Captain Tom’s experience and intestinal fortitude to guide us. I was confident we were in good hands.  I was reminded as I looked up at that golden crescent moon, that we were headed back to our own beautiful palmetto & crescent moon 🌙 state.

As we ventured out of the marina, I kept thinking of the comforting wisdom written by Archibald Rutledge in my favorite of his books; “ It will be Daybreak Soon.” (1938)

Our typical cruising speed is around 7.5 knots (8.6 mph). We were amazed with the incredibly calm crossing. What winds there were, were at our backs  we truly did experience “Fair winds and following seas!” Southern Trawl and her powerful 120hp twin Ford Lehmans, occasionally reached a blistering 12 knots!

…and HELLO SOUTH FLORIDA!!!

We actually experienced major culture shock during our reentry yesterday.  CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) App check in went with out a hitch. We read that Florida had experienced the largest single day of new cases of  Corona virus on Friday. Foolishly thinking, with social distancing practices in place, the waterways might be calm…This is what we encountered .

I’ve heard it said, “You can’t hide stupid, and it appears you can’t quarantine it either.!”

Though we were sad to leave the beautiful tranquil Bahamas behind, we are now like a horse headed to the barn.  We’ve seen pictures that Karen, our amazing  housesitter, has sent. She’s outdone herself with the work in the yard, garden, and house.  Thank you Karen. We’re really looking forward to seeing you and all of your beautiful efforts.

While Tom is busy piloting and navigating 95% of the time we are underway, I’ve enjoyed planning and making meals.  Another distraction that has come in handy during idle times or tense crossings,  (in addition to making sure Robert Earl is calm) is this intricate cross stitch project.

I calculated, as of a couple of days ago, I only have 51,300 stitches to go. If we decide to make a couple “around the world cruises”,  I’ll get it finished up.

We’re headed north up “the ditch”. We don’t know what continued restrictions and shortages we’ll find along the way.  We have plenty of provisions on board without going ashore if that becomes necessary.   We’ll look  forward to seeing you all soon. Stay healthy all!

To quote the marvelous Jimmy Buffett:

Drink it up, this one’s for you
It’s been a lovely cruise
I’m sorry it’s ending, oh it’s sad, but it’s true
Honey, it’s been a lovely cruise
These moments we’re left with
May you always remember
These moments are shared by few
There’s wind in our hair and there’s water in our shoes
Honey, it’s been a lovely cruise

Ohhh, these moments we’re left with
May you always remember
These moments are shared by few
And those harbor lights, lord, they’re coming into view
We’ll bid our farewells much too soon
So drink it up, this one’s for you
Honey, it’s been a lovely cruise
Yeah baby, it’s been a lovely cruise
Oh darlin’, it’s been a lovely cruise

We hope everyone had a safe and Happy Easter Celebration.  The Bahamas have been in complete lockdown since the evening of Thursday 04/09 and until tomorrow morning Tuesday 04/14.  We enjoyed dinghy cruising, sandbar exploration, Hiking the uninhabited beaches and trails, and fishing for our dinner.

For a couple of days, we  enjoyed watching the boundless energy of the 4 kids jumping, bellyflopping, and somersaulting off of the boat which was anchored out in front of us.  The kids ranged in ages from about 8 down to the 2 tiny boys who can’t be more than 3 or 4. They all swim like fish.  Tom and I both fondly remember the days of nonstop running, yelling, laughing, and trying to keep growing boys fed. It seems like yesterday. We look forward to exploring these waters, and having fun adventures with our current and future grandchildren someday!

They key is enjoying each phase as it comes along.  Of course Tom is still a very big kid at heart !

I can only imagine the parents as they looked over at us in the mornings as we leisurely enjoyed our 2nd cup of coffee, while reading our electronic newspaper, or in the afternoons, sitting in our wicker lounge chairs enjoying a cocktail, listening to a John Prine concert, waiting for the sunset to evolve into the spectacular display. Those cute energetic parents are probably wondering if they’ll ever get that kind of peace and quite again! It happens faster than they think !
Of course there are always boat chores to do, and when all the stores and laundromats are closed. You get creative.

After all that beach combing, snorkeling, and shell hunting, it’s time for finding a little shade for a nap.  Tom and I have our own idea of what’s comfortable.

Since all good things must end, we are finally giving into the pressure and heading home.  With all public beaches and docks closed, and the Bahamian people very anxious that we could be bringing disease to their tranquil lives, there is uncertainty as to whether we’ll continue to be able to get necessary supplies.  When the US first began encouraging us to return to the States,  Tom was not too keen on leaving.  Below is his interpretation of hurrying home !

Well we are now seriously on our way. We had the great fortune of running into a fellow Charlestonian, who had some clout with a local store, so we were able to make a final purchase of some fresh produce, and a few last minute items which should last us until we get home. We had to mask up, and only 1 person was allowed to go ashore.  Tom stayed with the dinghy.

If the weather window holds, we will have 3 long travel days beginning early tomorrow morning. Some of it will be over the banks (shallow water) and some will be open ocean.  The forecast from Tom’s favorite 4 weather sources, are currently calling for decent conditions for wind speed, and direction, and wave height for each leg of our journey. Hopefully all will also go well with our reentry into the US. We’ve heard a few rumors that a few cruisers have been getting the run around, being asked to quarantine, or forced to disembark, rent a car and check in at the Miami airport location. We are preregistered through our CBP (customs and border patrol) app and “should” be able to check in online.  IF IF IF all goes as planned we hope to arrive back in South Florida by Thursday evening to begin our slow ICW return.
I’ll leave you with a few more pictures of the amazing beauty of this incredible place. We’re leaving unfinished business, so we’ll look forward to coming back soon. See y’all  stateside!

Hello all. We’re still here in paradise, practicing social distancing in incredibly beautiful secluded anchorages, and revisiting some of our favorites from our 2015 trip.

The prime minister and government voted to extend the lockdown through April 8th.  We can feel the fear and anxiety that these normally friendly and generous people are experiencing. They have been told to stay confined to their yards, all docks are closed,  and they are not to interact with any transient folks. All flights in or out of the country, and commercial inter-island transportation has been forbidden.  All island roads have been closed to any nonessential traffic.   Their daily lives and livelihoods, so dependent on tourism, just like so many of those in the US, have been completely shut down. We are allowed to continue traveling on our boat, if we adhere to the guide lines and only go ashore to purchase necessary supplies.

We have made the decision to stop our southerly trek. So much of the enjoyment of being here, is interacting with the locals and exploring the communities. We will continue to enjoy the rural areas, but will be turning north soon to begin a leisurely return to the States, while stopping to visit many more islands along the way. We are keeping informed of conditions at home, which don’t look like they are improving enough yet for us to risk leaving where we are.

The Bahamian people understand the seriousness of the threat, as there are so extremely few hospital facilities available, and the rural nature of these islands make them even more vulnerable. An outbreak would be devastating to the local communities. This is a picture of the clinic on Staniel Cay where Tom went to get his antibiotic. The clinic is a basically a room attached to a modest home where the nurse who staffs the clinic lives . Not all of these rural islands have the “luxury “ of such a facility.

So far the lockdown has limited the spread of the disease to a total of 15 cases, located on New Providence ( where Nassau is located) and Grand Bahama Island (where Freeport is located.) yet all the 700 islands (30 inhabited) remain on lockdown with the  Police and National Defense force making their rounds to make sure no one is cheating or congregating.

We are very fortunate that the larger islands and marinas will allow us to come ashore to buy groceries and will sell us water and fuel.

After the resupply ship came in to Black Point, we replenished a few supplies.   Our old friend “Fishy” who we met on our last visit here, was able to hook us up with a fisherman to supply a couple more beautiful “essential”  items.

We moved on down Great Guana Cay to enjoy the luxury of this remote and isolated beach.

All public beaches are closed. Robert Earl is a great boat dog, but he and mom and dad, really appreciate going ashore to stretch our legs and cool off in the shallows.
Robert Earl especially loved the long stretch of beach and swimming in the vast open cove as much as the 5’+  leopard ray pictured below, who came gracefully cruising through each day.

 

We are now anchored at Little Farmers Cay. We took our dinghy into the “Little Harbor” cove to buy some fresh conch salad from Aiden Burrows, our favorite entertaining conch chef.  He was glad to see us, but was very nervous about the virus. He asked us to wait on an adjoining parcel of the boardwalk, while he prepared our lunch.  He brought the salad over and set it on a bench, about 10 feet away, asking us to wait until he had stepped away before retrieving it. When it was time to pay, he asked us to put the money under a rock and leave it for him.  It is sad for Aiden, and for us, that our interaction is so limited. We know we are not the threat, yet suspicion and now the law, has made it illegal for us to enjoy the easy camaraderie these islands are known for.
The Little Harbor is actually a small protected sea park. It is completely open to the sound and the fish and turtles are free to come and go as they like.  Aiden hand feeds his favorite turtles and tries to keep the remora from stealing the conch scraps right out of the turtle’s mouth.

This is certainly a global issue. I hope in the end it will bring us all closer, and more respectful of each other. Who knows how long this will go on, and what our “new normal” economically and socially will be. Please stay safe and healthy all!

I’d like to start by acknowledging that we fully understand the horrific strain that is going on throughout the world today. We have friends and family who have either lost their jobs, face uncertainty in the future of their jobs, housing, and health. There are so many dedicated folks who are willingly putting themselves in harms way,  trying to fight this dangerous enemy named Covid-19.
I do not mean to make light of any of the suffering that is going on. Many of you have expressed your enjoyment of sharing in our journey, and seeing the beautiful pictures. In that vain, I/we will continue to write our blog and hope, if nothing else, it may give you a few moments distraction from the anxiety ridden situation you may be facing. Here’s a little island wisdom and encouragement I discovered today.

After getting to Norman’s Cay, we started hearing rumors of shutdowns and island visitations restrictions.  We made a return trip to Highbourne Cay to top off our diesel and water tanks, so we’d be better prepared for any rationing that might be headed our way.  We also briefly considered returning to the US when we read the official US policy on international travel.
After much discussion and consideration, we came to the conclusion that by being self sufficient in our boat, we were actually doing exactly what the US and the Bahamian government were requesting   We couldn’t practice social distancing any better than we were right here.

After visiting Norman’s Cay and walking miles around the new development area, Tom and I headed south into the Exumas Land & Sea Park to spend 3 lovely days without any connectivity. We we’re exploring near Shroud Cay and Hawksbill Cay where there are no cell towers to provide service. There are stretches of neon wintergreen waters, and completely uninhabited,  pink powder soft beaches that stretch on and on along the shore.

 
At idle speed we took our dinghy down a mangrove creek and were delighted to see many green turtles swimming in the crystal clear pools.

We also found a trail, legitimately marked and maintained by the park district (as opposed to one of the offbeat thorny treacherous ones) that led through the woods and up the rough coral hilltop.

We were generously rewarded with a spectacular ocean-view when we crested the hill.

Robert Earl loved swimming in the giant mile wide ”swimming pool” that was just deep enough for him to doggie paddle around, but not deep enough to worry his momma about possible sharp toothed finned visitors.
We had planned to spend one more day in the park at another location further south, so we pulled anchor. We were looking forward to doing some snorkeling on a few nice reefs, and explore a some interesting caves and beautiful beaches.

Just as we reached our way point and began turning into our destination area, we heard 2 captains discussing, over the VHF Radio, the new lockdown orders issued by the Prime Minister of the Bahamas. One of the sailors said he had been stopped by a park patrol officer who told him there was to be NO INTER- ISLAND travel. We cut our WIFI hotspot on and soon regained connectivity.  We confirmed there was a new curfew from 9:00PM to 5:00 AM, and that all of the country’s boarders are now closed.  We couldn’t confirm the lockdown on inter-island travel, but to be safe, we immediately changed course, left the 176 square mile protected park area,  and headed 2 hours further south to drop anchor at Staniel Cay.  Staniel Cay has a marina, 2 grocery stores, a clinic/pharmacy with basic provisions.
Tom had been suffering from a toothache, was feeling better, but we felt we needed to get an antibiotic just in case it flared up again.

Shortly after dropping anchor at Staniel  yesterday afternoon, we received a text from the friends we had met back in Bimini; Ron & Marla on board Equinox. They had seen our boat arrive, and invited us over for a dinghy to ship visit.  We shared cruising experiences since we both had left Bimini, caught up on island news, and the new lockdown restrictions, all the while practicing  our safe social distance protocol.

Staniel is also a pretty crowded place due to the popularity of the swimming pig beach, and the beautiful grotto made famous in the 1960’s James Bond movie “Thunderball”.  All public beaches are closed, and being policed by the local law enforcement in this area.
We took our dinghy ashore this morning, and successfully purchased the needed antibiotic and a few additional groceries.  We’ve pulled anchor, and are now headed to Black Pond Settlement in Great Guana Cay.  We read that they have a fresh bakery, grocery store, fresh seafood market, and laundromat.
There should also be a few more quiet and secluded beaches where we can all stretch our legs.

We’ve heard from a few friends and families back home,  and hope you all can maintain your health and sanity during these extremely trying times.   I guess we’re now officially “stuck/stranded” here in the Bahamas for the time being, but are incredibly grateful to have the good fortune to lockdown in such a beautiful place.

Hello all. We’re trying to maintain our island chill, but are watching developments close as attitudes and anxiety can change quickly here in the Exumas.
Tom and I arrived Saturday the 14th to the iguana (Nekid squirrels according to Robert Earl) infested islands of Allen and Leaf. These small islands are picturesque, until the crowded, radio blaring, fast boats zoom over daily from Nassau, bringing tourists to see the iguanas in their “natural” habitat. The iguanas are a protected species, and it is illegal to feed or harass them, though we witnessed a bit of both of those going on.  The place reminds me a bit of Cinqua Terre, in Italy or Mont St Michel in France, or any extremely popular destination. If you want to really experience the peace, serenity and natural beauty of the place, you need to spend the night there.  It is only in the late afternoon, evening, and early morning that the special magic of the place is revealed; before the throngs of tourists descend brandishing their cameras.

We spent a lovely day on an adjacent smaller island away from the majority of tourists, in hopes of letting Robert Earl stretch his legs. We thought he could be trusted off leash, but the temptation to protect us from, and chase away the nekid squirrels was just too much for him. He rarely, if ever barks, but every time he’d see an iguana come out of the brush, expecting a free handout from from the human arrivals, Robert Earl would bark and strain to get after them.
All of a sudden, he actually broke free, and charged headlong into the extremely dense underbrush.  We had a few very scary moments while we called and called him.  He had completely disappeared into the brush, would not bark, and did not return immediately, as was his normal MO.
I learned the painful lesson during our previous Bahamas cruise to the out-islands, 2014-2015, after deciding to take a “short cut” up a hill on Black Point Settlement of Great Guana Cay. (Fully expecting comment here and personal testimony from Adam, Bob & Maryjane White ) The impenetrable, sharp, scratchy, sticky underbrush is completely disorienting once you’re caught up in it. Turning around and ducking under and stepping over trying to escape, makes you loose all sense of direction. The vegetation is too thick to comfortably step over, and too tall to see over the top. It’s extremely damning if you happen to also make contact with the poisonwood trees or long needle cactus, while trying to make your way out. After about 20 minutes, but seemingly an eternity, Tom spotted Robert Earl crouched down about 20 feet into the brush. He was frozen, afraid, and uncertain of how and where to try to move. With gentle coaxing, Tom finally got him to slowly creep his way to us in the clearing. Subsequently, he does not venture from the beach edge, and we keep his life jacket on and leash handy if we think he’ll be tempted.

We lifted anchor the next day, and pulled this mangled shredded remains of a camo jacket up with our anchor. We sincerely hope this jacket was not being worn at the time it went in the water, but had merely blown out of someone’s boat.

We arrived less than an hour later at Highbourne Cay.  This stunning island caters to the upscale yachts and cruisers who dock in their marina, or those seeking shelter in their exquisite island cottages. Transients are typically welcomed to come ashore and pay a day fee to walk the picturesque island trails. If you’re interested in learning about the history and slow development of this island we recommend the book  “Life on a Rock: A Bahamas Out-Island Experience by K.A. Albury.
The  arrival of the Covid-19 to the Bahamas, by just 1 person in Nassau having tested positive, has created anxiety in some areas, especially these out-islands, who depend heavily on the weekly Nassau supply ships to deliver food, and almost all necessary daily supplies.  If the supply ships aren’t able to make their regular rounds, the deprivation will be felt quickly.  Also these islands to do not have hospitals or access to health care. The book “Out Island Doctor”, by Evans Cottman is a terrific nonfiction account of the rural nature of the Abacos in the 1960’s , and truth be told; things haven’t really changed much as to the regularity and availability of doctors.

We went ashore on Highbourne to be greeted at the dock, and instructed to report to the resort store front porch, where we would be temperature screened. We passed our reading, and were allowed to go to the restaurant for lunch, but were informed that no day passes would be sold, as the island interior was now off limits to anyone other than the in-house guests. After lunch I bought excellent provisions from the island store, just in time, before the announcement of the islands management to stop all grocery sales to anyone. They said they have 40 island staff to feed, and had no assurance of when their next resupply ship would arrive.  We tried to keep our attention on the graceful swimming of a nurse shark as she glided along the shallows and entered the roped off, protected area of the swimming beach, paying no heed to the restrictions that sharks are forbidden to enter that particular area. Not finding any soft juicy pink toes to nibble on, she smoothly turned and made her way back out to the open area.

More disturbing than the now typical shark sightings, was the bombardment of media overload we received from 70+ inch TV tuned to CNN, blaring out the hyped news of the health, environmental, and economic catastrophic possibilities that are forecast for our entire planet, while the ticker tape flashed upward and then downward surges of the DOW. While cruising we try to stay abreast of what’s going on in the outside world, by electronically scanning the Post and Courier for a few minutes each morning. We have been somewhat isolated from the hysteria surrounding the virus.

To calm our nerves, I invented the perfect COVID-19 remedy. I call it The Highbourne. I invented it to try to restore our sense of calm and appreciation of current circumstances, and not give way to second guessing and radical plan changes to try to meet the expectations of the overwrought media providers.

🍹 The Highbourne  🍹

Place 2 large, or several small cubes of ice in a tall glass and add:

• 2 ounces of good coconut rum
• 1/2 ounce of Compari
• 1 ounce pineapple juice
• 1 ounce of mango juice
• fill glass to top with lime seltzer
• top with healthy squeeze of lemon
• Enjoy and repeat as necessary

Go sit on the back deck, take a long slow breath, and a big sip, while you look around at the scenery.

Tom has also invented a new “Doggy Bag”.

As most of you know, when we bought our precious Robert Earl, we expected him to top out in weight around 18-20lbs like his mother and father. Well he decided we needed more to love, and has matured into a fabulous 50 lbs. The design of our boat that provides us with a wonderful “back porch” is called a raised aft deck. Unfortunately for Robert Earl, that means he has to somehow maneuver, or be maneuvered,  up or down the 4 foot straight drop from the deck level down to the swim platform, when coming and going by dinghy.
To avoid getting scratched by panicky flailing puppy claws, Tom devised this system. First we put Robert Earl’s  life jacket, complete with secure back grab strap, on him. Then while still on the deck, and Tom down on the swim ladder, with dinghy tied up close,  I place Robert Earls back legs and hind quarters in this oversized canvas bag.
I slide the now contained pup, to the edge of the platform with the front side facing me. Tom grabs the canvas “doggie bag” while I hold the life jacket back strap and we lower Robert Earl over the edge and down into the dinghy. He really is calmed by the restraint, and rushes to put his head in the life jacket when he sees up loading up.

We’ve moved on to Norman Cay. This is the island made famous by the 1980’s cocaine smuggler, Carlos Lehder.  While here, we plan to snorkel the wreck of one of Carlos’s planes that, over filled with drugs, crashed in the shallows , just offshore.  This is also where Tom and I managed to spear 2 beautiful lobsters on our last visit. I’ll leave you with this tempting site we came up on yesterday while strolling the beach. Obviously a recent guest must have caught this incredible edible crustacean, harvested the tail, and left his magnificent 8+” head as a trophy for us to lust after. We hope to find his relatives!