I had the opportunity to spend the last couple weeks on the OVER UNDER, our 54′ Betram, moving about the Abacos with Capt. Thomas, friends, family, and some customers from Avalon, NJ. We continue to be hampered by less than optimal weather in the Bahamas and S. Florida, which has been somewhat limiting our normal course of activities. The average temperatures in Marsh Harbour for the last couple weeks have been mid 60’s and the water temperatures in the Sea of Abaco are hovering right around 70 degrees. On the Atlantic side the water is a cool 72 degrees. Definitely wet suit weather for most, but some folks have toughed it out and enjoyed some good snorkeling and lobstering.
Over the course of about 12 days, our path took us to Marsh Harbour, Elbow Cay, Guana Cay, and Treasure Cay.
We spent a good bit of time in Guana at the new Bakers Bay Club and Marina. It had been about 18 months since I had gotten a good tour of their progress. All I can say is wow. Definitely the nicest marina facility in the Bahamas and probably the US for that matter. The marina village is well on it’s way to completion with several town homes built and now available for rent. The private, members only, golf course is mostly playable at this point and should be fully open by this summer. This is definitely a must see for anyone over in the Abacos this Spring and Summer. Of course from Bakers Bay, Nippers is only a short golf cart of boat ride and we had the opportunity to catch the “Barefoot Man” concert one afternoon, followed by an evening at Grabbers.
In Marsh Harbour we ducked into Boat Harbour and the Abaco Beach Resort for a few days to hide from some pretty strong westerly winds. It was probably the best spot in the Abacos to hide from 40 knot westerly winds and we were able to enjoy their great pool and pool bar. Over across at Sea Spray Marina on Elbow Cay, everyone had a chance to explore Hopetown, visit with some friends that live there now, and hit some great restaurants for dinner. From Sea Spray, fishing the point off Elbow Cay is right around the corner and was our most productive area of the trip.
We had a nice Wahoo and some blackfins on our first 3 hour trip there, then the second time out we had more blackfins and pulled off a nice fish (probably another good wahoo) that came and whacked a teaser before hitting the sort rigger and screaming off half a spool on us, before pulling the hook. We also did some deep dropping and found the Yellow Eyes on pretty much every drop. Fishing the last couple days really slowed down, with an entire morning going without a bite on one occasion. The last day we fished, the wind had picked up and was blowing about 25 and we had a couple blackfin bites right out of the gate, and all seemed right for a good morning of fishing. About an hour later we a good bite on the right long and came tight to a nice Wahoo. John Jr. made quick work of the fish and Thomas sank the gaff in the 55 inch hoo. This proved to be our lone good bite of the morning and we headed in around noon to catch a flight out of Treasure Cay later that afternoon. We didn’t see any dolphin, which is a bit strange for this time of year. I guess you can chalk that up to the 72 degree water temperatures, below normal air temperatures, and the abundance of NW wind we’ve had this winter. I was pleased to see it blowing hard out of the South the last day…this is really what we need to get things going, a solid week of strong SE to S winds to bring some warmer water and the masses of dolphin that will show up with it.
While the fishing and the weather certainly haven’t been the best of late, we found plenty of other ways to enjoy ourselves. I’m certainly not complaining, nor is anyone else. There really is something for just about everyone here in the Abacos, whether it’s cool restaurants and beach bars, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, or just chilling at the pool or beach. It was great to be back in the Bahamas and enjoying all that the Islands have to offer.
Tight Lines,
Trey
