Leaving

I am so sad today, we are leaving to go home to snow and cold. We intended to go through the New Levy Preserve this morning but ran out of time. So that goes on the list to do for next time.

This was the 4th time we had journeyed to this wonderful Island. Something here just grabs my heart and soul. I keep thinking that I will be ready to move on but oh no!!!





Each time I return I yearn to stay longer. I discover new pristine beaches, new local eateries, and more amazing people.


My goal was to have time with my wonderful daughter and to get Randy to relax. I do think that I did achieve both.





As we wait at the airport in Governors Harbor, I find myself trying to figure out when we could return. I hope it will be soon.





One thing I know for sure, is that this place holds a very special place in my heart and I yearn to return. I have some some of my Bahamian money left so I am putting it into a return to paradise fund!!

Tippys

Tonight we are eating at Tippys. We love this Oceanside restaurant. The food is great, lots of music and great island fun. Tonight Will ordered the duck, he enjoyed it much better than the Beach House Duck. Randy ordered the Lion Fish, as we had learned that an effort was being made to introduce this fish into the Eleutheran diet. He really enjoyed the dish and felt the presentation was wonderful. We all took a taste, it was a light white fish.

Kalee and I split a spinach/feta cheese pizza and the tomato/ mozzarella salad. Both were very good. I loved the freshness of the tomatoes and basil, perhaps because it reminded me of my Kentucky garden meals. Tippys was packed and turning people away in groves. I was very glad we had made reservations.

We opted to take an after dinner walk on the beach and could continue to enjoy the music on our walk as well as sitting on our great porch in the condo. As an added bonus Randy and Will enjoyed several good Cuban cigars, an unusual treat for both of them.





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Happy Hour

We are trying to use up all the fresh lobster and crab , so we decided to create our own Happy Hour before we journeyed to Tippys for dinner. The cooking pair, Kalee and Will went to work.





Will's Pineapple Fields Crab and Lobster Dip

Ingredients:

1 spiny lobster tail good sized (already been cooked)
A couple cooked Bahamian Stone Crab Claws
Mayonnaise
Lemon
Papaya Hot from the Island Farm( or sub your favorite)
Sea Salt and Pepper

Day old baguette and butter

Finely chop the lobster and shred the crab meat. Squeeze the lemon juice into the meat and toss. Add a few good size spoons mayo ( enough to bind the meat together and not so much as to make it soupy) Add a good size pour of the hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Stir until mixed and chill.

Make crostini by slicing the baguette into thin rounds and laying on a baking sheet. Dollop each one with butter and toast.

Note this was made from the slim pickings of the week.
Please feel free to add your own slim pickings.

Added bonus we were able to watch the U of L/ Kentucky basketball game.

Further North.

After our picnic, we journeyed on to an area we had not explored before. Will had fished there and knew it was beautiful.



Preachers Cave was there, and it was so fun to explore.


The only thing was we where so surprised by a group of nudists. This is not allowed on the beaches but voila!! We just kept moving on.





This was a wonderful beach....so beautiful. We will return.

Going North.

Today we decided to head north to explore. Our first stop was the Stubbs barbecue. It was early but we had been told that if you arrive after 12 no food.
I love interacting with the great people of Eleuthera, they are so friendly.





Chicken, pork chops, Mac and cheese, rice and peas, rice conch and peas, it was great. We stopped at Hidden Beach for picnic.

Lobster Dinner. A Labor of love

We got the lobsters. Kalee is steaming the risotto and
Will is steaming the lobsters.


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It was wonderful. We have left overs for Happy Hour tomorrow.

Lobster Dinner

So we hurried back to get to the docks in Governors Harbor and no lobster again. However, we needed some wine and the lady in the store told me to call her in an hour and she would let us know if there was lobster. Her comment was you buy wine from me and I will help you out. Sure enough when I called the lobster was there.





Look great lobster. So Will is again cooking a great dinner.

Going South

We headed south to visit the Cape Eleuthera Institute. Wow this place is amazing. But I am going to do a whole separate blog on it. Also I have great video of Junkanoo, but I cannot download these here.

Anyway, Sarah our guide through the institute recommended we stop in Rock Sound at Coco Plum. he has been working with them with their conch research program.

I love this... The conch population is decreasing and the Bahamians need some education. He actually has a coral and only uses the mature conch.





Our lunch was wonderful. Conch salad was fresh and wonderful and Avian, the owner talked to us about how to fix lobster and his philosophy about life on island.

Winding Bay

The first stop today was at the Island Store. We just felt we needed the warm cinnamon buns that can only be purchased Tuesday and Friday. Then we decided to visit the area we stayed in with the whole family over 2 years ago, Winding Bay.

Randy really likes the gentleman that runs the gas station at the corner of the turn to Winding Bay, so


we waited to get gas so we could patronize his station. He acted like he recognized us.

Then on to Winding Bay. It is beautiful. We saw sea turtles out in the bay so Kalee and decided to snorkel. Really not much to see but it was fun


We did learn that Sandy had really effected the conch population. They go down under for protection when a storm is coming, but then Sandy dumped more on top of them so they hard to if find right now.





After a good hour snorkel, we are ready to move on.

Pineapple Fields Wall

I love the way people incorporate natural materials into their life. in Eleuthera there are many many conchs available. So not only is it used in almost every meal, the shells are incorporated in buildings, walls, and even used as mulch. We have decided that the phrase conched out comes from this island.
In order to get the meat out they whack the shell hard on the back side creating a hole.





More on conchs later...... I am off in search of finding one today!

Lazy Afternoon

We had a nice relaxing afternoon. The plan was to head to town to meet the fish boat coming in and buy some lobster. The owner of the deli, where we got sandwiches for lunch gave us a quick lesson on which lobster to buy and how to cook.

However we we got to the dock, there were no lobsters. So we can Stone Crab claws. Will thought he could handle them.





After returning from the dock we opted for a quick stroll on the beach.


The crab was great and Kalee made a wonderful salad from greens we have purchased at the Island Farm.

Girls Day Out.

This morning Kalee and I went shopping. There are very few places to go and I am am not good about driving on the opposite side. Left is hard for me. But, we did good. Found a great place in Gregory Town.



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Ten Bay Beach

It was a very windy day yesterday so we want to search for a Caribbean beach that where we could snorkel. We found a great one. But one problem, big jellyfish. So no snorkeling, just walking and a great sunset.








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Boxing Day

We decided to head out to seek out a beach that we had not adventured to before. After searching and scratching our way through narrow bad trails that we tried to use and roads, we gave up . I do not think Randy would have enjoyed this beach at this point anyway.

We did stop at Four Points Marina for a Kalik Beer and Conch Sandwiches. Both Island specialities. Conch is the main staple here as well as Kalik.


Conch is in everything. On a previous visit we found a guy who claimed he was the Conch Master. He made great conch salad right in front of you. Much to our dismay we have not been able to find him. But Will would not give up. His fishing guy told him Donavon was still in Tarpum Bay. So when we were driving through Will spotted his new gig. It was not open on Boxing Day, but we will return.


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French Leave Beach

Our last adventure for the day was to journey to French Leave Beach. We dropped Will off in Governors Harbor to fish and we took the short trip up the narrow paths to one of the most beautiful beaches. This is a pink sand beach and is amazing.

It was the original Club Med Beach and location of the Club Med Beach Club until Hurricane Floyd damaged the resort in1999. Supposedly it is being redone into the French Leave Resort but we have seen no evidence of this development moving forward.

It is fun to see the ruins of the old resort but the best thing to enjoy is the drop dead gorgeous beach.



PInk Sand.... Views forever....no crowds!






Oh by the way, we tried a place for dinner we have enjoyed dropping into while walking the beach. "The Beach House". We have tried two other times to eat there and had not good results. So this was the third strike. We will never try to have a meal there again. Drinks yes it is lovely, but that is all.



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Rainbow Inn

Yesterday afternoon we journeyed north to the Rainbow Bay Area of the Island. It is a great area with wide Caribbean beaches and wild Atlantic beaches on the other side. The island is very narrow here spit is the best of both worlds.
However our mission was to go to the Rainbow Inn and connect with a Bone fisherman Guide for Will. I also knew that this place was now being run by a young couple. They grow all their own organic vegetables, use local caught lobster and fish and have really worked hard to provide a wonderful haven for fisherman and tourists .
It worked Will is out today with a great guide. The person he used before Albert McKinney has passed away. Plus we had a great lunch. They were preparing for a Christmas Eve Festival. So they did not have a menu or really opened but they had fresh fish and lobster and wonderful greens from the garden. They just said what do you like and then they presented us with a culinary treat.
I loved it. We then strolled through the gardens. Good luck to such a great couple working hard and doing it right!!!


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