Calabash Bay

Ambler Isle
V and S
Thu 24 Mar 2011 20:13
After our ill fated visit to Stella Maris, we detoured into the deep water to search for a mahi.  Though we dragged three lines for several hours, we got no mahi.  Just as we were giving up and bringing in lines, we hooked a small barracuda.  Hundry for the taste of fish, we decided to keep it.  We occassionally eat a small barracuda, though there are cruisers who fear even the small ones.  Fear? Yes, fear of a toxin call ciguatera.  Reef fish can be exposed to this toxin by eating other reef dwellers.  But all the evidence points to only the large fish carrying enough to harm a human.  And of course, not all reefs, nor all reef fish have it, anyway.  So we limit our consumption of these delicacies to only the smaller members of the species.  We ate it and suffered no ill affects.  The big, bad swell we'd encountered here two weeks ago was gone.  In its place he'd sent his little sister, an annoying little wave nonetheless.  But the winds were just right and held us so the swell stayed at the aft.  This made a very comfortable night. Light winds were predicted all week, and so we opted to fish the Cape Santa Maria Point the next day.  We heard numerous fishing reports over the day.  No one was catching.  A large group of boats had gone north to Conception Island for a rally, and the small harbour held 30 boats, perhaps a record number.  We heard Mick and Mary from Escargot, Paul from Independence, My Sharona, and more. 
Little skiffs from the nearby resort were also out fishing.  We even spotted Paul and Melanie on Kiwi, our pals with the house on Elizabeth Island near Georgetown.  They told us of a boat who recently refueled at Stella Maris Marina and was having engine problems right now.  We retreated back to our anchorage fro last night at Calabash.  I decided to cook up some more barracuda into 'cuda cakes for dinner.  Friday looks like the day to return to Georgetown.  Wow, what was that?  Sounds like plans to me.  And you know, we have NO plan, and we stick to it.