Merry Abaco Christmas!

Jennifer (The Pearl)

Merry Abaco Christmas!  Buccaneer and I are celebrating in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas!  We started our day at the grocery along with the entire town buying last minute holiday fixings, plan to go snorkeling with friends and then Bingo at Captain Jacks!  Not exactly a traditional Christmas, however we are having a great time and enjoying the season here in the Abacos.

Buccaneer and I want to wish everyone back in Albuquerque, in Buffalo and all of our new friends in the Bahamas a VERY Merry, Red and GREEN Christmas- we miss all of you and think of you often!

Warm Hugs!

The Pearl

Cliff (Buccaneer)

Ahoy all our landlockedlovedones!  Christmas in the Abacos is special, but know that we miss you very much and we wish you a very lovely, warm and joyous Christmas.  FYI, I think we saw Jeff and Connie eating at Duran's from our vantage point on Hope Town Lighthouse.  Or maybe it was Marcee and Lori eating at Farm and Table...

Merry Christmas & Many XXXOOOs

Buccaneer

The Pearl & Buccaneer on top of the Hope Town lighthouse

Can you see Kluane?  Merry Christmas!

In Hope Town, Waiting for Santa

Jennifer (The Pearl)

Happy Christmas and Merry Holidays to everyone!  Captain and I have been sailing the hub of Abacos.  We have spent some time in Treasure, Great Guana, Man o War and Hope Town on Elbow Cay since our last post.  We will spend the holiday (and the cold fronts) in Hope Town.  There is a beautiful light house here, it's the last operational kerosene-fueled lighthouse in the world and one of only three manual Lighthouses left in the world.  We hope to get a tour one of these nights (looking forward to the stair climb!).

We are wishing everyone, family and friends, a wonderful Chritmas season.  We miss each of you.

Love,
The Pearl

Here are some photos from our adventures:

Hang the line off the boat with a small fish attached and look what you will catch!  Buccaneer caught a Lemon Shark (sorry, Mom).  This was the first fish after we said "If we catch it, we need to process it".  Yes, at 10pm at night Buccaneer processed Mr. Lemon as Pearl researched what to do with him!

Lemon Shark.  Skin like sand paper, small beady eyes and lots of teeth!

Sunset at Treasure Cay

Great Guana Cay, Atlantic side

Buccaneer in Nippers humidor surrounded by Cuban Cigars

Buccaneer lounging with his cigar

Buccaneer and Matt from s/v Kindered Spirit helping Everette and Kristy on s/v Seacilia
get their router off the concrete mooring pad at low tide

Buccaneer the fisherman in Foster (dinghy) in Corn Bay in Man o War

Lowest point on Man o War

Lindsey, Matt and Buccaneer taking a break from fishing

Leaves in the Sea of Abaco

Jaw dropping views on Man o War

Our girl Kluane in the harbor at Man o War

Museum at Man o War

Buccaneer taking a break during our walk to the North end of Man o War

Pearl and the Barracudas

Reminds me of Los Ranchos!

Grouper Fingers!

Lots to do in the Abacos!

A calmer Atlantic Ocean

Pearl and Buccaneer met the lovel Jane who is visting the South end of the island, she was very
kind to show us around the Lee's property.  The Lee's have been on Man o War for over 40 years!  The house here is call the 360 house- what a view!

The Owl House

Just in case you want to step into the Sea of Abaco!

Pirates & Treasures

Jennifer (The Pearl)

The Buccaneer and I left Marsh Harbour on December 5 and headed to Treasure Cay!  Before we left, we celebrated a BIG birthday and did laundry and grocery shopping (yah!).  The sail to Treasure is less than 10 miles, and we had brisk winds to move us along.  Buccaneer actually had to furl the sail to slow us down, we made water on our way over and our water maker was not keeping up with our speedy Kluane.  We have enjoyed many sunny days here in Treasure and a bit of rain.  The beach is beautiful (breath taking, beautiful), and I think we have walked every square inch.  Just a thought, deep sand walking and running are great cross training exercise maties!  Last night at dinner we visualized ourselves at our favorite NM restaurant, with queso and chips and a big plate of chile and enchiladas.  Hmmm.  Needless to say, we miss you all and wish we could bring some of the beauty of the Abaco, Bahamas back home with us.

Enjoy the photographs!

Here is the Buccaneer with a gift from Jeff and Connie:

Birthday celebration at Snappers.  The Pearl, Buccaneer & Tom.

Missing Daisy, our pirate dog friend.

The Pearl posing.

The Buccaneer's Birthday Booty- he hauled in the cards.  Thanks to all that helped me smuggle the birthday wishes on the boat!

Have sweet peppers ever looked so lovely?

The lizards beg for food here.

Ocean art!

This is the Bahamas man, their logo, mon.

Miles of white, soft, powdery sand.  Clear blue water.  Georgia clouds. Treasure Cay perfect day.

My attempt on a Georgia O'Keeffe ocean style.

Squalls, stuck at the Coco Bar. Stuck, really.

Fishing Accomplishments:

Snapper!

Suckerfish.  They latch on to bigger fish and get their food scraps.

Remora. Ditto.

Time Flies in Marsh Harbour!

Jennifer (The Pearl)

We left Green Turtle and headed to Marsh Harbour, Abacos.  Our journey around Whale Cay was perfect with a moderate swell of 4-5'.   After we achored we took dinghy to land to greet our first Bahamas guest- Patti Miller!  We had a wonderful time with Patti- snorkeling, exploring, cooking & eating, and talking!

Check out the photos of our adventures!

Liliana, our friends John and Sally's ketch sailing to our staging point for our Whale Cay journey.

Kluane has her sights on the Whale!

Morning dinghy meeting.

Sharks, the snorkeling variety (Patti & Cliff).

John and Sally from Freeport, Maine at Mermaid Reef

At Mermaid Reef- Patti, the Pearl and the Buccaneer

Patti dives for conch and is very successful!  We are so proud of Patti!

Conch up close- can you see his eyes? 

 Pearls first snorkeling adventure! Whoo Hoo!  

What we saw!

The BIGGEST lobbie ever!  He is prehistoric.

Lion Fish & Parrot Fish

The next sequence of photos are Cliff and Linore (caretaker of the place Patti stayed at)
removing the conch out of the shell!

Yah!

Yum!  Conch.  Conch is eaten raw and used as fish bait here in the Bahamas.  

Patti & conch

Patti and Linore- Linore was gracious to help us make fresh conch salad.
Ingredients: Fresh conch,  colorful sweet peppers, tomatos, sweet onion, lime and orange juice, & salt and pepper!

Mermaid Reef area from the beach

Pearl finds the PERFECT sea shell!  

Pearl & the Buccaneer shelling and walking!  Our favorite things!

Fresh Hog Fish for dinner from local fishmen- it was yummy!

Patti & the Pearl

Up the beach with one paddle!
Funny what you find on the beach!

Patti on the ferri to Hopetown, Abacos

Marsh Harbour in the distance

Hopetown lighthouse