Mega Mega Mega Picture Post

OK.. so I've fallen down on my photo duties. Sue me! First off, way below this picture post you'll find a new blog post. Second, don't forget you can click on the picture to see a larger version. I also have video I'm working on, so hopefully I'll have that up in the next few days.

We visited a shark research facility on Bimini while there and they had many examples of local wildlife. Here's Kristen holding a Bimini Boa. I think she thought it was a drink when they first asked her if she wanted a Bimini Boa.

One of the researchers holding a nurse shark for us to view. They had a pen behind the facility where they kept about a dozen nurse sharks and lemon sharks to study. This is the kind of shark that seems to be following Kristen around wherever she goes.

A closeup of the Nurse Shark. It looks more like a catfish than a shark, but it has the skin and dorsal fins of a shark.

This Lemon Shark looks a bit more like a shark.

A close up view of its lovely face.

This is the North Rock Light just north of Bimini. You head north from Bimini, round this, and then head to the Northwest Channel in order to make your way to Nassau.

Catching a barracuda on the way to Nassau.

Kristen learning to tie the "Bimini Twist" fishing knot. When you run out of hands...

Anyone know what kind of fish this is? Kristen made me throw itback and I think it would have been good eatin'! We caught it on the banks.

This is the Mackie Shoal light, almost halfway between Bimini and the Northwest Light. The Northwest Light marks the entrance to the Tongue of the Ocean on the way to Nassau.

I can never get sick of the sunsets here.

Alright, this one goes down in the "Don't be cruel to your kids category". We brought an XBox360 with us thinking we could hook it up to our laptop, but apparently we can't. As a result, Casey has been craving a TV ever since we left. I went to a local electronics store and got an empty TV box and showed up on April Fools Day with it. Yeah, once he found out it was empty I pretty much lost out on any chance for father of the year. He's still extremely mad at me about it.

The Potters Cay Market at Nassau. The market is lined on the outer parts with stands selling prepared foods, such as Conch Salad, Cracked Conch, fish and lots of other tasty food. The inner part under the bridge, shown here, is filled with vegetable and fruit stands. You can pretty much get anything. Past this area is where the fishing boats come to sell their catches to restaurants and locals. We stopped over there and bought a large bag of snappers for $10.

Sights such as this weren't uncommon as you walked down the main street in Nassau. These guys were blaring music and advertising an upcoming festival.

Does this bus look full? It isn't! We were on another bus later in the day that was packed full of even more people. There are two seats on side on one on the other, but there is an additional seat that folds down in the middle. When you want to get off, you yell "Bus Stop", and everyone in the middle has to stand up, fold up their seats, and let you through. You also don't pay for the trip until you get off the bus.

We visited the Pirate's Museum in Nassau and learned a lot of the history of the place. Quite a few of the pirates we know of today hung out in Nassau, and you can learn quite a bit about them at the museum.

This guy was hilarious! We think he was straight out of the pirate days with the way he talked. He was also very good at pulling hair - which neither of the kids really enjoyed, but Kristen and I did :)

Hanging out at the Pirate's museum.

Arghhhhhhhhhh!

Kristen and her Mom at Fort Charlotte

Kristen enjoying the natives, but I think she may have had too much rum. This was at Fort Charlotte, an old fort that was designed to protect Nassau harbor during various wars. They never fired a shot from here, but there were lots of prisoners brought here and tortured during the day.

Casey licking the exhibits. Ummm... ignore the sign on the side. What a rebel!

Catching a Jack on the way from Nassau to Allens Cay

Kristen looking for coral heads as we cross the Yellow Banks, a shallow area (10'-12') between Nassau and the Exumas. The area is dotted with coral heads, some rising above the surface, so you need to keep a good lookout while traversing the area. Fortunately, they are pretty easy to spot.

Here's what one of the coral heads looks like.

Sighting Allens Cay.

Yeah... the oars don't work so well. Kristen and Casey broke where they connect to the dinghy, so here they are rowing, single oared, back to Pelican.

ALL of these guys come a' runnin' when you land on the beach. They have horrible eyesight so you have to watch that they don't mistake your toes for lettuce!

The chubby 'guanas.

The kids hangin' with the 'guanas.

Ummm... yes, those ARE Easter baskets! We have soooo much chocolate on board now.

No Dunkin' Donuts nearby, so we had to improvise.

The "famous" sunken airplane at Normans Cay. Unfortunately, it's rusted and disintegrated over time, but both wings are still intact as is a portion of the body. It's a very shallow snorkel, but still fun.

Kristen took this shot of footsteps on the beach. Try to do this at your local beach!

Getting shade under a palm.

Easter dinner. Thank goodness we got the large BBQ! Two lamb roasts (we're still working on the second) and Yams.

Casey talking to his Grandma on the Satellite Phone. The Sat Phone has come in very useful here in the Exumas as cell service seems to be very spotty.

Pelican in the mooring field.

This is how tame the wildlife is. We had a bird fly right into the cabin and hang out with us for a while.

The Warderick Wells moorning field.

Walking to Boo Boo Hill

Boo Boo Hill is a hill on Warderick Wells that cruisers, for many, many years, have left a sign with their boat name and the year (or years) of their visit. Unfortunately, it was wiped out in a hurricane a few years ago, so many hundreds of plaques were lost. There is quite a pile from just the past couple of years though!

Kristen, the daredevil, leaning over the side of the steep rocky hill to screw our sign in.

Pelican, forever immortalized