My Girl (7.20.12)

I love this girl!

The Fisherman (7.20.12)

Harrison caught what looked like a blackfin tuna (for correctness sake, according to Lloyd, this is a "false albacore" but, only a true fisherman would know the difference!) on our way down the Sir Frances Drake Channel close to Fallen Jerusalem.  

   

He may not look like much, but, this guy was big enough for 4 tuna steaks at dinner (plus a little sushi snack beforehand).  Adding a catch of a strawberry grouper and some mangrove snappers to this was plenty for fish tacos.  A feast thanks to our fisherman! 

Wake Up Call (7.20.12)

Waking up in the North Sound is beautiful.

But, can one truly afford to stay here?  Leigh Anne and I took the dinghy in for quick provisioning at the Emporium, and spent $55 just on ice, chips, cheese, and pastries.  Now, that's a wake up call! 

Wayward Winds, Snake Sightings, and Other Peculiarities (7.19.12)

Some peculiar happenings occurred on our trip with the Sandersons. The first was that tropical ridge (you know, that weather condition we'd never heard of before??) that brought with it some really wacky winds.  On our way up to Bitter End we tacked over and over again, but the wind would shift right in front of us, bewildering the captain and crew.  Talk about inhospitable conditions for sailing!

The second was a series of snake sightings that occurred back to back--the first of which was when we we were waiting outside the bath houses on the stone wall by the pool. We'd never seen a snake in the islands before, but, there was one in the tree right next to us. Lloyd, completely amused, could only blame Todd for these rarities.



From that point on, we did notice a growing affection for Todd from the sea life around here.  I'd say that's a little peculiar.

The Captain's Card (7.19.12)

When you are a captain with the Moorings, you are issued a Captain's Card.  One their website, they explain that this distinction gives you discounts at certain local places in addition to other perks.  One of those perks touted was free swimming at Bitter End and free showers in their bathhouses. Unfortunately, our Captain's Card didn't get us very far.  Up to 4 of our guests were allowed to use the pool, but I'm afraid we had to pay for our showers.  Should I complain for false advertising? Naah.  We did enjoy ourselves.  Worth every penny.  

Picking Up A Ball at B.E.Y.C (7.19.12)

From The Baths, the winds carried us northward toward the Bitter End.  I'm not sure how I managed to have matching guys help me, but, these dudes in orange acted like pros when picking up our ball. Way to show out at the Bitter End Yacht Club, Harrison and Todd!

Lily (7.19.12)

We had to ask twice before we understood that the guy selling T-shirts at the Poorman's Bar was indeed named Lily.  Not exactly what I would expect for such a handsome guy.  Nonetheless, Lily turned out to be the nicest vendor on the beach.  He talked with us about Vincent and what a small world it was that we Americans knew his friend!  He ultimately gave us quite a deal on a few items, including the yin and yang necklaces that Grayson and Maddie shared.

Devil's Bay (7.19.12)

There's something for everyone at Devil's Bay... snorkeling for the fish enthusiast, rock climbing and cliff jumping for the adventuresome, and even rest for the weary.  To tell you the truth, Grayson and Maddie did it all!

The Lost Girls (7.19.12)

We were all ready to make our descent back down to the Baths until we realized that we were missing Grayson and Maddie.  Mildly concerned, we split up to find the lost girls.  I found a pair, but, they weren't exactly who we were looking for.  Luckily, Shelby found our two in the bathroom.  

Top of the Baths (7.19.12)

In all our years of coming here, I've never made it to the Top of the Baths.  Harrison and Lloyd stayed behind, but, the Sandersons, Grayson and I were up for hiking the trail.

Once we got to the top, there was opportunity for shopping, eating, and swimming.  Would you be surprised if I told you we enjoyed all three?  We even snagged 10 minutes of free internet on Todd's ipad while we waited for our lunch (coconut shrimp and mahi mahi sandwiches).  

The Baths (7.19.12)

Come with us through the maze of rocks toward's Devil's Bay.  

There are pools of water there that are unbelievable.  

 And natural paths that are indescribable.  

And, occasionally, you'll meet friends who stop to greet you along your way.

Gilligan's Crew (7.19.12)

(The weather was rainy and the seas were not calm.  So, it was fitting for us to sing this song as we headed toward The Baths.  I'm hoping one day to find the video of it from Todd's flip camera.)

Just sit right back 
And you'll hear a tale
A tale of a fateful trip, 
That started from this tropic port, 
Aboard this tiny ship.
The mate was a mighty sailin' man, 
The Skipper brave and sure, 
Five passengers set sail that day, 
For a three hour tour, 
A three hour tour.

The weather started getting rough, 
The tiny ship was tossed.
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The Minnow would be lost.
The Minnow would be lost.

The ship set ground on the shore
Of this uncharted desert isle
With Gilligan,
The Skipper too.
The millionaire
And his wife,
The movie star,
The professor and Mary Ann,
Here on Gilligan's Isle.

Survival bracelets (7.19.12)

The average 7 inch survival bracelet has 50 feet of paracord (yes, the cord that is used in parachutes).  You never know when that amount of string might become handy.  That's exactly why we made survival bracelets on this trip (and, it was our rainy day project).  If needed, we could unravel the bracelet and use the cord for tourniquets, shoelaces, fishing line, you name it.  We could probably even mend a sail.

Plus, they are very stylish.  

How Do You Catch a Sting Ray? (7.18.12)

How do you catch a sting ray?  The answer... cut bait on an 8 lb. spinning rod.  Just about bedtime, Harrison reeled in his first catch close enough to the boat for us to confirm what it was by flashlight. Lloyd had warned that we weren't going to be able to boat this guy, however, the ray broke the line before we had to figure out how to cut him loose.

Fireball (7.18.12)

The fireballs that Aragaron builds are impressive, even when they are not on fire.   But since Jeremy, the owner of the Cyber Cafe, was going to light one just for us, we had a quick dinner and hurried back.   Our adventure was posted at the following link:

http://trellisbay.posterous.com/sanderson-family-enjoying-fireball

Sunset at Trellis (7.18.12)

Fish Bait (7.18.12)

While we were out, Harrison caught some bait for fish that we'd use in the days to come... 4 hard tail jacks.

Catch That Breeze (7.18.12)

Trellis Bay is kind of like Midtown Memphis.  You have the artists, the hippies, and of course a coffee shop.  Different from Midtown is that Trellis has a cool tree house and hammocks for resting.  Before dinner, we went in to shop at Aragorn's and for a look around.