Hunting Sea Monsters & Joyeux Noël

The warriors gear up for battle: armor, masks, spears, belts… plastic bucket? Yup. The boys are  hunting for sea food. Stéphane has done his research and knows what kind of fish are worthy of hunting and what kind will make us sick. But really it’s all about the big, red, tentacle-y LOBSTER. Fish is great and all, but lobster is king. However, they are tricksy little buggers – they hide in caves at the bottom of coral reefs and they KNOW you are up to no good. So, over the side of the dinghy you go, cock your spear, take a deep breath, and dive down to the world below the water. And…hope there isn’t a shark…

 

 

 

 

 

We stay at Norman’s Cay for almost six days. Dave and Stéphane go out hunting daily. I am able to get some runs in, some snorkeling; I give Free Range a nice hull wash-down and we hang with Dave and Niki in the evenings, playing Catch Phrase and Texas Hold ‘Em.

We spend Christmas on one of Norman’s Cay’s lovely white beaches- potluck with the other cruisers who are also anchored around the cay. French Canadians abounded with their funny French accents, little children running about; food piled on paddle boards- our make-shift tables for the evening. Some of the French-Canadian boys bring their catch of lobster to the beach and start cleaning; At dusk a bonfire starts; someone even thought to bring Christmas music.

Dinghies are scattered across the beach, circles of cruisers talking about where they are going and where they have been; how long they’ve been cruising and how much longer they’ll keep it up. The food was amazing- lobster mac ’n’ cheese, ham, stuffing, ceviche, pasta salad, lobster (of course), and our friend RayLynn on s/v Magic Daulphin even brought a SALAD which was the hit of the night. This is because most of us have been out of any major ports long enough that we’ve eaten up our stores of fresh fruit and vegetables. So a green salad? Pretty amazing out there in Norman’s Cay.

It was time to leave when the mosquitoes joined the feast. Stéphane and I took off in our dinghy shouting “Joyeux Noël”!!