Belated pics, Prince Charles and Michael Jordan

The Green Parrot (restaurant and bar), formerly Crocodiles in the guides, is very cruiser friendly, allowing free dinghy docking and wifi. On Thursdays, they host a "cruiser's lunch," which is really an opportunity for a British couple now living on the island to gather cruiser info and share helpful info along with promoting their for fee dock space and selling used guide books. Carolyn and Nick of BASRA (Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association) & RANGER fame host a SSB session every morning giving weather reports for the surrounding area, which is very helpful. Chris Parker also does an earlier session, which most cruisers live and learn by, but is too early for us, starting around 6 in the morning.

Anyhoo, after posting the blog entry yesterday, we wanted to go to Potter's Cay, which is basically a floating city block under the bridge to Paradise Island where the commercial fishermen bring their catch. There are 4 lines of multi-colored shacks and open air stands where you can purchase conch prepared a 100 different ways, fresh seafood (still alive in some cases), veggies and herbs. While the strip can be reached by foot, we are leery of tying up the dinghy in out of the way places, so we decided to try to reach it by water. However, we were only able to reach the back of the buildings, which are crammed together with no space between them.

One of the vendors saw us and waved us into a small floating dock behind his stand. He got a big kick out of helping me ashore, telling Morgan he only pulled the dock closer because of the girl. He said Morgan had long enough legs to reach. Of course his shack was the first place we stopped. Michael, who likes to call himself Michael Jordan after his idol, is a conch fisherman who free dives for his catch. The conchs on display were still alive and he recommended trying the "scorched conch." We watched in amazement as he pounded a hole in the conch, removed it and proceeded to slice away to the usable parts. As mentioned in a previous blog entry, the conch is very tough and must be tenderized. Instead of pounding it, Michael Jordan cut a series of criss-crosses in it before dicing. He claims he can do the entire process blindfolded! He added tomatoes, onions, hot red peppers and lime and stirred it up in a bowl. Essentially, it was ceviche without the marinating time. I had some of it, but Morgan really enjoyed it, emptying the bowl in short order. We were very glad of the cold beers Michael also served because the scorched conch scorched our mouths. Those little Bahamian red peppers are smoking hot!!!

After leaving Michael Jordan's we stopped by a veggie stand, then tried to find fresh, unprepared seafood. We rounded a bend and found Charles, whom we nicknamed "Prince Charles," scaling Mutton Fish. We asked where we could find lobster and he showed us one he had just gotten from another vendor. Largest lobster we've ever seen! He told us where to go and to tell the vendor he had sent us... As we walking away, Charles said, "no, I'll take you, mon." We followed his quick stride to another vendor where he told him, "These are my people. You take care of them!" We ended up getting a live lobster at least 20" long for $25! Some college kids handing around were amazed.

Taking our loot back to the boat, we realized that either we or another boat had drifted and would soon be playing bumper boats. After Morgan re-established our holding with a stern anchor, it was time to have fun with Nyla and Koki and the lobster. Koki didn't want to have anything to do with it and Nyla was just confused. After much discussion, we decided the best way to cook it would be to boil it in the largest pan we had. Morgan later confessed that he could cook it whole in boiling water, but couldn't bring himself to separate the head and tail while it was still alive. We cooked it in Old Bay for about 16 minutes. The tail itself filled us up and Morgan cleaned the rest of it to use later. Nyla, who along with Koki really dig lobster, had scraps with her rice for breakfast.

Today we plan to hit the City Market for provisions, then maybe Atlantis on Paradise Island tomorrow. We plan to leave Monday or Tuesday for the Exumas. Until next time, enjoy the pics!

Pics:
1-4 Lobster on board
5-After taking picture of "Prince" Charles, his captain wanted his picture taken. He said he is 50 and is wife is 30 and they have 9 kids or so. Said he had to stay underway so she wouldn't kill him.
6 - "Prince" Charles
7 - Michael "Jordan" and Morgan
8 - Vegie stand
9 - Dinghy parked behind Michael's shack
10 - 11 Michael Jordan preparing scorched conch
12 - Entering Naussau Harbour; cruise ships in view
13 - Morgan drinking Guiness (brewed in Nassau); Atlantis in background
14 - Koki using aloe (gift from Bill) as scratcher
15 - 16 Sunset in Chub Cay over Mama Rhoda Rock
17 - Morgan and sculpture at Bimini Sands Marina and Resort on South Bimini
18 - Local store, Booze and Screws, where we bought alcohol and stainless steel hardware
19 - Nyla stare down with bird on dock line in front of The Thirsty Turtle
20 - Bonnie and Nyla playing tug of war on the beach on South Bimini
21 - The Thirsty Turtle with Bacchagato in background on left
22 - Bonnie tending bar at The Thirsty Turtle after the bartender went home. Owner and manager and patrons were still drinking and playing pool
23 - Morgan and Elvis, "Mr. Bimini"
24 - Marlene blowing a kiss
25 -- Denise, our friendly bartender at the Turtle
26 - Morgan and Owen, our new friend from the Exumas
27 - Brent, Joni and Marlene at the Turtle
28 - Starfish in the shallows on North Bimini
29 - Partridge bus used by Bimini Sands
30 - The guides said many markers were blown down. We found one!
31 - We docked in front of this little cottage in the canal on South Bimini
32 - Sailboat with plywood patches being lived on
33 - Bar sign on North Bimini
34 - Morgan on beach on North Bimini
35 - Morgan in front of the Royal Bank of Canada
36 - 37 - Bonnie and Morgan entering Alicetown
38 - Ellie's parrot, Sailor, at Weech's Marina on North Bimini