Bahamas - The Recap

At the end of any vacation I always reflect on the experience and ask myself one question. That question is would I return. After a week on the island of Grand Bahama I would say no. That isn't to say that I had a terrible time but it wasn't an amazing experience either or a spectacular enough place that I would sacrifice exploring someplace new to return.

Let's talk about the great things about the island. At only 50 Miles from the eastern coast of the US it is a short plane ride.  Our total flying time was a little over three hours which makes it an appealing destination for a quick getaway.  Snorkeling and scuba diving here was a great experience and gave us an opportunity to explore the abundant marine life just off the beautiful sandy beaches.  We had an exceptional time at Caribbean Divers located at the Bell Channel Inn. That experience was definitely the highlight of our visit and will be remembered for years to come. 

On the flip side there are more negatives to discuss. While it is no surprise that island life dictates a slower pace then I am accustomed to living in the North East what frustrated me most was the ambivalence of workers performing their duties to take care of customers that angered me. From the moment we arrive at the airport I wasted 45 minutes signing out my rental car because the employee was busy on her personal phone talking to someone about her plans for later in the day then taking care of the customers lined up at her counter.  It is also worth mentioning that after waiting so long to get my premium rental I was presented with a Nissan March that had seen better days. We named it the "little shitbox". 

At the resort I was greeted with employees equally uninterested in servicing the needs of their arriving guests and instead we're only interested in selling me a timeshare or other services then actually checking me in for the stay I had already paid for. 

Equally disappointing was the room which at a quick glance was decent but it became clear that the housekeeping hadn't and don't do a particularly good job keeping the rooms in tip top shape. Maintenance was definitely lacking and everything from the rooms, pool, beach, and restaurants showed a lack of detail upkeep and an ambivalence of staff to make a effort to give guest a great experience. 

It wasn't just the resort staff that was rude many of the islanders we meet were equally discourteous to us while visiting. Some were more then welcoming and took obvious pride but they were few and far between. I could go on and on with the numerous examples of rude and unwelcoming behavior we witnessed but I think you get the point. 

More shocking then the poor attitudes we encountered was the abject poverty that was visible everywhere you went. We saw numerous abandoned houses and resorts like the Princess Resort and Casino but many retail businesses were also shuttered.  The once busy International Bazaar was now all but abandoned with only two shops still open. While a few businesses seemed to be thriving they added to the despair of the society like the Bahamian brewery. While employing many we saw beer bottles everywhere we went and learned that discarded smashed bottles were the culprit behind the islands forest fires. 

All of these negative factors outweigh the beautiful beaches and colorful coral reefs that surround the island. I believe it is only a matter of time before the incredible amounts of litter we saw on land polute the water that surrounds the island.  What was one truly a Grand Bahamian Island is no longer that grand. 

Bahamas - Day 8

As our last morning in the Bahamas we opted for one final breakfast at the Sea Grape. As usual we ordered the Breakfast sampler. After a satisfying meal and full stomachs we did one final walk through of the rooms to make sure we weren't leaving behind before heading down to return the beach towels and check out.

When we returned to the room we lined up our luggage by the door and all took one final shower. We all opted to wear shorts with a plan to change into pants in Atlanta. It was just too hot to wear pants. Like a jigsaw puzzle we squeezed all four of us and our luggage into the "little shitbox" one final time for the drive to Grand Bahama International Airport.

It was the. We realized there were two departure terminals. One just for US passengers and another for domestic and non-US departures. In comparison the non-US terminal looked much like the rest of the island, Tired and worn. We pulled into Hertz Return Parking and said goodbye to the car that helped us explore the island. As much of a POS as it is it had great air conditioning and was a reliable mode of transportation around the island.

As we entered the terminal I dropped the keys at the return counter and proceeded to the Delta Check-In counter. With no bags to check we only needed to complete our customs form before passing through airport security. Grace hadn't packed well and forgot to remove all her liquids. Unfortunately TSA wasn't overly kind and made a mess of her suitcase while searching for it requiring her to completely repack it.

Next we entered US Customs where our completed forms were reviewed and questions asked. My customs official asked about one of my listed purchases, a wooden fish. Given the possibility of insects hitching a ride to the main land it had to be reviewed for any signs of infestation. Knowing the trouble bugs like the Asian Long Horn beetle can cause I understood. Thankfully, Leonardo the artist who carved my purchase, had selected mahogany and it was clear of any indications of insects. Grace also got stopped and sneaked by as well. 

Having cleared security and customs we didn't have to wait long for the plane to take us home. Sadly once boarded we found ourselves waiting for a passenger from the arriving flight who had forgotten his passport and was refused entry into the Bahamas. Having over a 5 hour layover in Atlanta I was 't worried.

Atlanta was the typical zoo when we arrived. With such a long layover our flight to Hartford was t yet posted. After speaking to a Delta agent we headed for the T terminal. It was much quieter and we decided it was a good time to eat. We picked TGIF where I had the mixed grill sirloin and ribs. After dinner we settled into a row of seats and waited for our flight gate to be announced. 

As we expected it did move from Terminal T to Terminal B where we had landed on the arriving flight. We hopped on the Plane Train again and located our gate. With 3 more hours before leaving we changed from shorts into pants and explored the terminal shops.

Again our flight was delayed but this time as a result of flight staff tardiness caused by another late flight. Once on the plane for our last leg of travel Grace and I worked on our respective blogs before forgetting any details. As we got closer to home we flew past NYC and I managed to take a few pictures of the city below

Our pilot made up some of that lost time and we arrived only a few minutes late. day's father was kind enough to to pick us up. After a quick hello at his house we headed back to my place. Dan would drop Chris and I off and he and Grace would continue on. I would then drop Chris off at his house befor finally turning in. By the time this dance act was complete it was about 2 am. Beat and tired I was asleep befor my head hit the pillow.

Bahamas - Day 7 : Lucaya National Park

After an exceptional day scuba diving on Treasure Reef, the Tremendous Trio decided to take the "little shitbox" for a journey to the Lucaya National Park. And, if time permitted, a snorkel trip to Paradise Cove / Deadman's Reef. 

After the long ride to the east end of the island, we arrived at Lucaya National Park and pulled into the dusty dry parking lot. We paid the $5 per person admission and picked up a trail map. We started on the cave side of the park and first entered Ben's Cave, which was exposed when the roof of the cave collapsed. A small spiral staircase allows visitors to descend from the surface to viewing platforms just above the water line.

The next exposed case is the Burial Mound Cave, so named for the skeletons of the indigenous Lucayans found on the floor of the cave. With a larger mouth this cave had wooden steeps leading down to more viewing platforms where visitors get the opportunities to view how expansive the caves are. Both caves are part of a larger network of caves of which only 6 miles have been charted. While they do not allow swimming in these caves visitors certified in scuba diving can explore a short distance beyond what is visible. 

After completing the loop of trails passing the two caves, we made our way to the other side of the Grand Bahama Highway and followed along the mangrove swamp trail, where we encountered a variety of flowers, fauna, and ground pockmarked by land crab borrows. With the help of my flash, I was able to capture one of these land crabs inside his proactive borrow. It wasn't long before we crossed over the sand dune and were treated to beautiful views of Gold Rock Beach. While we didn't wear bathing suits or bring our snorkel gear, we were tempted to take a dip. 

We left the sandy shored and followed the boardwalk across the Gold Rock Creek where we saw more fish and a few kayaker's enjoying the tranquil waters protected by the sandy beach and dunes. After watching people kayak and the nature tours pass by, we were all getting a bit hot and sweaty and decided to head back to the rental car. Once in, we cranked the air conditioning which kicked in really quickly for such a small car.

Hot, sweaty, and hungry we decided it was time for lunch. We swung by the resort to pick up Chris and head for our usual dining destination of Port Lucaya. Today, we opted to repeat the Chipotle Steak Fajitas we had enjoyed earlier on the vacation and the happy hour half price drinks at Agave. While we were finishing up, the rain started to come down and we were thankful to have done the hike earlier in the day.

 With our appetites satisfied, Dan and Grace wanted to pick up some discount fragrances before heading back to the resort to drop of Chris and pick up our snorkel gear. Once back at the resort, we changed into our bathing suits, picked up new towels, and headed out. Sadly, the weather didn't improve as we made our way back to the East End of the island. When we arrived we decided it was our last day and even with the rain we should do it.

We went to the check in counter and discovered two things that changed our mind. First it was 4:30 and we had to be out of the water by 5 since they closed at 5:30 and second because it was low tide we would have to go out past the reef to snorkel since it was too shallow on the inside. With those two negatives we decided it just wasn't worth it and jumped back in the car for the long ride back to the resort.

Along the way we decided we would stop by the International Bazaar. While the tour books raved about it being the center of the islands tourist trade our multiple trips by it appeared more run down and mostly abandoned. Since there wasn't much more to do we pulled in and took a picture underneath the huge sign before venturing in. At the entrance their was a small Asian trinket shop followed just behind it by a smoke shop. After perusing the Chinese made novelties we spoke to the locals outside the smoke shop. They indicated that there wasn't much left after them. We carried along to explored and found abandoned shops and decaying signage. As we returned passes we spoke to them again and they shared their beliefs as to what caused the downfall of the International Bazaar.

Political corruption and the resulting re-routing of the main highway around the now closed Princess Hotel, Tower and Casino drove most of the tourists away and many of the shop owners to Port Lucaya Marketplace. They further discussed their belief that the island as a whole wasn't likely to recover for a very long time and that many of the original staples like the International Bazaar would never recover.


We also talked about the fires that we had seen burning and he told us that we shouldn't believe what we have read about their intentionally being set to control the grasses. The truth he shared is that the islanders as a whole are heavy drinkers and that they little by throwing those bottles to the side of the road and that these discarded bottles are the true culprit to the smoldering forest fires. 
We thanked him for his time and conversation and wished both their businesses and the island a hopeful recovery before heading back to the resort to relax before dinner. After a couple of hours relaxing and enjoying the resort pool and hottub we got ourselves showered and ready for dinner one last time at Port Lucaya. As planned we dined at Cappuccino's Italian restaurant. For our last dinner on the island Dan and I had the chicken francese while Grace and Chris had veal Marsala. While very good we are spoiled with the many suburb Italian restaurants at home. Nevertheless we enjoyed our meal and left satisfied.

Back at the resort we settled in for the most disliked task of traveling, re-packing. While it took some effort we consolidated and packed up all our clothes and vacation purchases leaving just a change of clothes for the next day's daunting trip home. 

We all turned in early knowing we would have a long day traveling the two legs home to Hartford to the cold nearly freezing weather.

Bahamas - Day 6 : Scuba Diving

At 8 am we made our way over to Caribbean Divers at Bell Channel Inn for our 9 am resort dive appointment. When we arrived we met Presley Knowles, the owner and captain, who had us all sign waivers. After signing away our lives he had us watch a short intro to scuba diving video that taught us the most important skills and hand signals.

Next we met with Presley's nephew Jerry Knowles, our instructor and guide for the day. Our first task was getting fitted for a wetsuit and weights. Once we had put on our wetsuits, he taught us the proper way to put on a weight belt by leaning forward and resting the belt on our back and then fastening the buckle.

Once suited up he introduced us to our tank and bouyancy vest. He gave a quick explanation of the primary regulator, secondary regulator, and bouyancy controls. As novice scuba divers we were not to adjust the bouyancy of our vest. 

Ready for the pool portion of our introduction he had us sit on the pool edge and put on our fins and spit in our goggles to prevent them from fogging up. Then he turned us around and helped each of us put on our tanks. Immediately I felt the significant weight that the tank and vest added. He told us that when we enter the water the tank will feel weightless and not to be concerned by th added weight on land. 

Fully geared up we entered the water to begin the in water portion of our instruction. Our first was to check the fit of our masks by putting our faces down in the water and breathing through the regulator while holding the side of the pool and kicking. My mask leaked as I expected since I have tried many and always struggle to find the perfect fit. He grabbed me a different mask which seemed to fit much better.

With a better fitting mask had had us all swim three laps in the pool while breathing through the regulator. Of course we all sank to the bottom of the pool with all the weight. It was more like crawling along the bottom of the pool the swim. 

Having successful circled the pool our next test was what to do if the primary regulator came out of our mouth. He quickly instructed us that it's very important to breath out before breathing in when reinserting the regulator. The purpose was to expel the water that had gotten into the mouth piece through the purge valve. Without purging the water you would swallow a mouthful of sea water. He had us demonstrate this process three times before we moved on to the next portion of our instruction/test.

With my leaky mask concern our next skill is one I practiced a few extra times. The key is to press firmly on the top ridge of the mask while facing forward and exhaling through your nose. The air from your nose carried enough force to expel most of the water from your mask.

An extension of the previous skill came next and was my least favorite. In fact it almost made me want to stop. We had to completely remove our mask and put it back on and expel the water from it. Never being good underwater without a mask I had to keep my eyes closed during this skill. And while the previous exercise of expelling air from our mask was ok it took 4-5 times for me to clear my mask and made me very uncomfortable. I made it through only slightly panicking once and swallowing a small amount of water having breathed it through my nose.

When we all surfaced I could tell from Dan's face he was as uncertain was I was about this new experience. We put on our poker faces and our instructor told us it was time to board the boat! We did so hesitantly. Since I was the first to board and clearly the most comfortable on a boat our instructor handed me the tanks and had me line them up along the aft rail of the boat. As we got everything we needed situated we learned that a last minute rusty diver was going to join us and was just taking a quick refresher course in the pool.

It wasn't long before she and a guest had boarded the boat along with the three of us. Our captain and our instructor secured all the tanks before casting off for the roughly 10 minute ride to Treasure Reef. With the anchor down and the dive flag proudly displayed we all made our final preparations for our first scuba dive in the open water.

With our arrival the captain reminded us to keep an eye on our air supply once in the water and validated that we knew the hand signals. He also informed us to hold the guide rope on entry and wait for our guide to instruct us before descending to the reef below. He had us all review our gauges that read a tad over 2000 psi. He told us when we reached 1000 to flash five fingers twice at him. When we reached 500psi we should be on the rope heading back to the boat.

After putting on my fins, weights, and mask the captain helped me secure my tank and vest. One final safety check of everyone yielded no reasons to delay and the rusty diver was the first to enter the water. We did the traditional hold your mask and lean back falling into the water entry. I was the second to go and hesitated slightly before letting go and falling back. I give my entry an 8 for a novice. I swam to the guide rope and waited for everyone else to enter the water.

With everyone bobbing at the surface he had us go face down and reminded us all to equalize our ears as we decended stressing the importance of taking our time. Again I was the second to decend. Once I reached the bottom and saw how beautiful the reef was all my fears and worries were gone. The mask fit great and breathing and swimming was far more easy then it had been in the pool. It didn't take long for everyone to reach the bottom along with me.

Our guide gave each of us the "ok" hand signal and everyone replied alike. With everyone feeling good he took us towards the reef. Just before the reef he picked up a few large stones clearly looking for something. After a few attempts he came towards us with what we would learn later was a spiny star fish. It was a very cool creature and he carefully placed the underwater creature in the hands on the rusty diver who after admiring it passed it to us. 

I was like a kid in a candy shop taking pictures of the many colorful fish. We saw yellow snapper, a pair of French angel fish, Margaret fish, and others like the vivid blue tang, stripped Sargent Major and stoplight parrot fish. There were also smaller fish like the cocoa damselfish swimming in abundant schools around th reef. We continued to swim along the edge of the reef. He was being chased by a school of fish and it was then we discovered he had food with him. He handed each of us food and we took pictures with my camera of the fish swarming us for the food. One of the yellow snapper coded that I looked tasty and tried and failed to eat my finger.

After we all got a chance to feed the fish Jerry looked at his gauge and checked with each of us to make sure we had plenty of air. My gauge showed 1500psi and I gave the "ok" signal. With everyone good on air he began looking under loose rocks and brought a baby spiny star fish over for us to check out. He didn't have his spines yet and was much smaller. We continued to explore and swim around we explored the many coral that swayed back and forth with the waves. He pointed one out in particular that he indicated we should avoid as it will cause intense itchiness.


We continued on carefully looking for any more of those itchy coral. Thankfully I saw none. jerry once again was looking under rocks and found a female spiny star fish. You could tell the difference because the males were all black and the females had white parts on their top. It felt like we had only been under the water for about 30 minutes but I figured I'd check my gauges. It was then realized I was at 500psi and should be on the rope beginning my ascent to the surface. I gave him a five finger once and he replied with 10 I shook my head no and flashed the five again and the need to surface signal. He gave me the boat signal and I replied with the ok. He pointed in the direction of the boat and rounded up the others as I started swimming that direction. I handed the camera off to Dan as I swam just incase he had more time and saw something to take a picture of. 


With everyone rounded up and right behind me we made our way to the guide rope and I began my ascent remembering to go slow and breath. As I surfaced Presley guided me to the ladder and onto the boat where he helped me out of the tank. I took a seat on the edge of the boat and watched as head after head began bobbing in the water next to the boat and each climbing back on board. Grace had a huge smile on her face while Dan looked like he had fun but was still on the fence.


When Dan sat down we chatted about the experience and I remarked that in the pool I wasn't happy at all and was definitely leaning towards the no for certification but after diving in the open water and seeing the reefs and fish I was unquestionably convinced that it was something I wanted to do. Dan took a little convincing to continue on with certification but having enjoyed the experience we decided it would be a fun thing to do together.

After a short boat ride back to the Bell Channel Inn we tipped Jerry for the great experience since without him we wouldn't have had such an amazing experience. We certainly worked up an appetite and decided lunch was well earned. We returned to the resort to pick up Chris who didn't want to participate.

After picking Chris up we head to Port Lucaya. Grace wanted to stop and pick up another piece of wood craft from Leonardo. She picked a piece that wasn't yet complete but Leonardo pro,used to have it done that day and likely after lunch. We opted to try another new place and picked the After Deck "Authentic Bahamian Cuisine". Before sitting the local personality dressed in Bahamian Carnival style gear spoke to us and we took a picture. He also served as our host as. Sat us at one of their outdoor tables. While it did had several conch relate meals I selected the lamb gyro. It was delicious and definitely hit the spot. Chris and Grace got the same and Dan tried the jerk chicken which he let me try. It was also delicious.

After lunch we returned to Leonardo's booth where he was still working on Grace's mask. He asked for us to give him another hour for it to properly dry. We decided to head back to the resort and return in a few hours. When we got back to the resort we all ended up taking a nap. I woke up at 4:00 and woke Grace up and we raced back to Port Lucaya and the new piece was done. We put it in the car and explored the shoppes we had yet gone into. After about an hour we returned to th resort to a still sleepy Chris and Dan.

While at Port Lucaya we noticed the Italian restaurant we had planned to go to dinner was closed on Wednessay nights. Given that I called Pier 1 to see if they had any openings. Luckily they did and so it was decided we would return to see the shark feeding at 7:00. We arrived just in time and were seated right along the harbour channel where they feed the sharks.

Dan, Grace and I all got the Mahi Mahi and Chris got the Braised Lamb Shank. We also had numerous piña coladas and rum runners. At 7:00 and 8:00 they feed the Sharks and like the last time we only saw a few sand sharks, many of the Sargent majors and a bunch of jack fish.

After a big dinner we crashed when we returned to the resort. Another great day.

Bahamas - Day 5 : Rainy Day

Having expected it to rain all week given the forcast today was the first day we woke up to rain. Determined not to let it ruin out day we got moving and went to the sea grape for another round of the breakfast sampler. 

Unfortunately the rain had picked up and we decided that the planned trip to the Lucaya National Park to explore the caves was out. Instead we headed over to Port Lucaya to do some shopping. Chris opted to stay at the resort since there isn't anything he needed or wanted to buy.  During a previous trip I had seen a bracelet that I had really like and I decided I would pick it up for myself. It was a male version of Pandora Beeds made of stainless steel and produced by Aagaard. 

As we pulled into the parking lot we decided that we would stop at the small booth near the entrance of a local artisan who had very nice carvings of various island themed things and people. Dan picked this beautiful large red fish which we learned was a Margaret fish. Grace picked a small totem of a parrot.  The artist Leonardo agreed to sign them both and began carving 242 and his name on the back of both. He could see that I was still admiring the sole remaining large fish and said if I wanted it he'd give me a great deal. I couldn't resist at the price he offered and decided to take it home. 

After putting the new purchases in the car we headed into the market place. While I went to the bathroom Dan and Grace went into the jewelry store and picked up the customized bracelet I had wanted. 

We continued to check out more stores and came across one with and everything must go sign in the window.  As we browsed the shelves most of which was crappy touristy made junk from China they had a few hand made peices. I couldn't resist the hade made and painted terra-cotta Dia de Los Muerto skull. 

Dan then spotted a discount name brand fragrance store. Luckily they had Blue de Channel and at a price that was 30% cheaper then home. Dan almost got Channel Allure Sport but wasn't sure what it cost at home and my data service has been flakey. He decided we would check it out at the resort and if priced well he'd get it another day. 

We also decided to stop by the Bell Channel Inn to make a reservation for Thursday. While the owner wasn't there we made reservations with his wife

On the way home we were all starving and we all remembered the tour guide at the Bahamian Brewery talking about a place called the Pepper Pot. As luck would have it, it was close by. When we arrived we were greeted warmly by the lady behind the counter and she suggested we get the half chicken and fries there most popular meal. We took them to go and headed back to the resort.  

Exhausted from our busy days we all took a nap after dinner and slept for an hour. As the rain persisted we opted for an afternoon of TV. We watched about 8 episodes of Property Brothers before showering and deciding what we would do for dinner. 

Since the recommendation of the Pepper Pot was so good we would get out another she suggested, Sires.  We knew were it was since we had passed it on the way to the harbour.  When we arrived we discovered it was more bar then restaurant. The clientele was obviously from the local oil industry. It wasn't our kind of place but we ordered anyways. Grace and I had the club sandwiches, Dan got a salad and Chris got the BBQ chicken.  The food was average at best no definitely not satisfying. 

We all turned in early knowing that tomorrow at 9:00am we would scuba diving for the first time. 

Bahamas - Day 4 : Bahamian Brewery

After a much needed and well deserved good nights sleep we awoke to another glorious day on the island of Grand Bahama. Famished, we made our way down the brick path once more to the resort restaurant for breakfast. Chatting while enjoying the breakfast sampler, we decided we would try to avoid the sun for one more day and planned to check out the Bahamian Brewery.

After finishing breakfast we returned to the room to shower, since the night before we were so burnt that the idea of a hot shower didn't appeal to any one of us. Feeling clean and refreshed, we packed up for the day and took to the road once more in our Nissan March. The more I drive the "little shitbox" as we have become accustomed to calling it, the more I'm convinced it's just a riding lawnmower with 4 doors and at any minute we might loose a wheel.

When we arrived at the Bahamian Brewery, we paid for our tour and were greeted by our tour guide, Chrissy. The Bahamian Brewery is unique in that it is a 100% Bahamian-owned company, owned and operated by Jimmy Sands, who grew up on Long Island, Bahama. Chrissy immediately lead us to the sweltering loft above the factory floor, where we witnessed the newly made bottles of Sands, the Bahamian Brewery's trademark beer, being filled, capped, and labeled. Passing the assembly line, Chrissy lead us to the brew house, where the ingredients are mixed and fermented to make beer. 

 Bahamian Brewery's beers are made with the four traditional beer ingredients: hops, malted barley, yeast and water. They begin with the malted barley, milling it and adding it to warm water in the mash tin where it will be allowed to sit for three or four hours to allow the release of sugars from the barley. Following the steeping process, the mash moves to another tankard to for boiling and adding hops to the mix, with varying flavors added for the different types of beer. After the third tankard, the mixture moves back to the middle tankard, where a whirlpool is utilized to spin the mixture, separating the grains from the liquid and cooling the mixture so the fermentation process can begin.

After showing us the brewing process, Chrissy walked us through the loft that looked out onto the assembly line; where bottles of Sands from their bottle recycling program and from the factory are sterilized, filled, pasteurized, and sealed. Above the assembly is the laboratory, where inspectors take various bottles from beer batches and test the product for consistency and bacteria. Running 5 days/week, the Bahamian Brewery produces 18-40k bottles of beer each day, making for an average of 7.5 million bottles per year. After seeing the extent of the brewery, Chrissy took us to Jimmy's Top Bar, the brewery's tasting room.

Once inside the air conditioned tasting room, we were provided with samples of each variety of beer made at the brewery. We began with their light beer, the Sands Light, which contained only 90 calories and had an ABV of 4.2%. This was an exceptionally light beer, and our group had trouble tasting any beer flavor at all. Following the Sands Light was a sampling of the original Sands brew, with an ABV of 5.3%. Though the original was said to have more bite, courtesy of the extra hoppy flavor, the four of us could hardly taste the difference between the Sands Light and the original Sands. After the Sands, we sampled their malt liquor, Bushcrack, which had a lighter, sweeter taste. Chrissy made sure to inform us though the beer looked and tasted light, it was not, as the beer had an ABV of 5.8% and only comes in 16 oz cans.

Following the Bushcrack was their amber ale, which was commissioned by Atlantis resort on Nassau Island, as an exclusive beer to the resort. The amber ale is named Virgil's, after the person who commissioned it for the resort, and Chrissy informed us that the ale's smooth texture and higher ABV of 6% makes it a surprisingly strong beer. The last beer we tried was their dark stout, called Strongback. Similar to a Guinness in color, the Strongback was less bitter, a little lighter, and hinted at molasses. As an added bonus, Chrissy had us try the non-alcoholic beer made at Bahamian Brewery, called Triple B. Triple B is a malt drink, dark like a stout, and incredibly sweet. Our group tasted hints of raisin, sweet potato, molasses and Coke, ultimately deciding that the drink was not to our tastes. We were allowed to hang out for another hour and have full glasses of the beers we had tasted, with most of us sticking with the Virgil's and the Bushcrack.

Upon leaving the brewery, we decided to check out Deadman's Reef in the west end of the island for a future snorkeling trip. As we drove past the harbour, we entered the small west end towns of Bartlett Hill, Hannah Hill, Russell Town, Jones Town and Holmes Rock. The streets were crowded with youth dressed in a variety of school uniforms showing the islands religious tendencies. These town's also showed the abject poverty that many people on the island endure. 

After about 20 minutes we saw a sign for Deadman's reef and a small dirt road heading towards the water. The sandy/dirt road was flanked by mangroves and finally ended at a small parking lot next to a small building. We walked along the boardwalk to the check in window where we learned that since we had our own equipment it was $3.25 to have admission and access to all the facilities. With that information in hand we would surely return.

While early for dinner we were all hungry and decided to stop by Pier 1. Everyone we have spoken with described this place as the nicest restaurant on the island. It is also widely know for its daily evening shark feeding which unfortunately we were much too early to see. The menu was heavily stacked with seafood and I decided to pick Mahi Mahi with seasoned rice and fresh vegetables paired with a tropical piña colada. Grace followed suit, duplicating my order while Dan and Chris each picked the Chicken Parmesan as their entree. Waiting for the entrees, we had an opportunity to enjoy the view which included many Margaret fish, a lone sand shark, and countless other small tropical fish swimming below.

The entrees were served quickly since we were the only ones in the restaurant. The mahi mahi was so tender and delicious I could have easily had more. We were all fairly quiet during dinner which is typical for us when the food is so delicious. After we all greedily scarfed down dinner it was time to review the dessert menu. The dessert menu showed just as much promise with my favorite key lime pie listed and it definitely didn't disappoint. When the bill came I was surprised when the group decided not to let me pay my share and call it my Birthday dinner even though my birthday isn't until Saturday.

When we finally made it back to the resort we decided to don our bathing suits and enjoy the pool, hot tub and shuffleboard. Chris and Grace showed great improvement and e finished with a tied score of 2:2 when we decided to take a dip in the pool. The pool was refreshing and we all enjoyed a good long soak with great conversation before we shifted to the hot tub. While still recovering from the sunburn we all managed to enjoy the warmth of the hot tub.

After a long day we head back to the room for some tv before turning in for the night. 

Bahamas - Day 3 : Garden of the Groves

When we finally woke from our aloe-induced sleep, all of us were moving very gingerly. Upon seeing each member of our group groggily tiptoe into the living room and carefully sat themselves down, being sure not to touch their back to the couch cushions, we decided a day out of the sun would be imperative. We had a bit of a lazy morning, watching tv while Grace and I worked on blog posts and Chris and Dan caught up on some reading. 

Around 10:30, we decided it would be good for us to head down to breakfast at The Sea Grape. Coating ourselves in sunscreen and gingerly pulling on t-shirts, we stepped out into the hot Bahamian morning. Thankfully, the back half of our condo is in the shade during the morning, so we were able to stay out of the sun at least for a couple minutes. The little sun we did experience between our condo and The Seagrape was sweltering, and further convinced us that today needed to be out of the sun. Upon arriving at The Sea Grape, we were dismayed to find that the restaurant stopped serving breakfast at 10, and we could only eat at the outdoor restaurant, Coconuts. With our skin feeling the effects of yesterday's excursions, we wanted no part in dining outside. Instead, we all decided to head back to our room, shower, and head to Port Lucaya for an early lunch. 

While we were getting ready to go, Grace did a little research on what was available for us to do on the island that wouldn't involve too much sunlight. Unfortunately, the Bahamian Brewery is not open on weekends, so we were no able to take a tour that day. Upon looking at the caves at Lucayan National Park and Garden of the Groves, we decided that the Garden of the Groves looked like it was the most shaded. Grabbing our tennis shoes, cameras, and water bottles, we were all set for our excursion. After braving the heat of the sun, we cranked the AC in our rental car and headed toward Port Lucaya. We decided on lunch at Zorba's, a little Greek restaurant right in the marketplace. We each had a gyro burger with feta cheese and gyro meat, as well as french fries and a drink. 

After our lunch, we all hopped in the car to head to Garden of the Grove. Cruising down Midshipman Road, we got to see wide stretches of land coated in palm trees, Caribbean pines, bracken ferns, and various shrubs. Along the highway, we saw some of the dry brush fires that we saw from the plane. These fires are purposefully set in small doses to burn away the choking grasses that often stifle the growth of the Caribbean pine trees. 

 

Upon reaching the Garden of the Grove, we payed our entrance fee and proceeded into the main entry and the hanging garden. Immediately upon entering we made friends with a Bahamian duck, who followed us through the hanging garden and into the aviary where we saw a variety of red faced ducks and little tropical birds. The garden had a café available for patrons, complete with a dining deck where visitors can overlook small waterfalls while they dine.

Our group proceeded through the garden trails, climbing a set of stairs to the chapel overlooking the garden. After a brief photo stop, we decided to get out of the sun and follow the trail down the backside of the chapel hill, where we had a shaded view of various tropical flowers, trees, and wildlife. 

Toward the end of our excursion, we happened upon a row of local craftsmen selling paintings, sculptures, shirts, and more. We ended up in the shop of a Bahamian gentleman named Leslie, who sold paintings of beaches, boats, and tropical landscapes. I purchased a 4x10 painting of a row of white boats with colorful trim sitting on a white sandy beach beneath a bright blue sky. Leslie was also kind enough to include two bookmarks and a smaller print of an ocean scene with our purchase. Succumbing to the heat and humidity, we took a final stroll through the hibiscus gardens before climbing back into the car and blasting the air conditioning. 

 

 

We weren't quite ready to head back to the resort, so after leaving Garden of the Groves, we opted to take a drive down Grand Bahama Highway to the east end of the island. We did not end up seeing much other than a few homes and Caribbean pine forests, and decided to turn around at Bishop's Place. The view from Bishop's Place was beautiful, with the bright blue waters meeting the rocky shoreline that we were driving parallel to. While returning, we happened upon more of the small fires utilized to control the pine forests, and were able to get an up close look at the flames.

We decided to make one last stop at Port Lucaya before heading back to the resort. Feeling a bit peckish, but not wanting to have a large meal, we decided to order appetizers and drinks at last night's restaurant, Agave. We settled on the chipotle bbq pulled pork quesadillas, the nachos supremo, and coconut mojitos. Dan and Chris also had some spinach and queso dip before we headed out to get some ice cream. Stopping at Frank's once again, I got a non-dairy strawberry cone, Chris got cookie dough, and Grace got a vanilla cone.

Returning to Island Seas, we decided that the sun was down far enough for us to take a nice dip in the resort pool. After cooling ourselves off, we decided it would be fun to play a few of the lawn games that the resort provided. We started with shuffle board, with Dan and I playing versus Chris and Grace. We had a lot of fun in our friendly competition, and Dan and I won 5 games to Chris and Grace's 3 games. After shuffle board, we decided to play a few rounds of horseshoes, with Dan and I beating Chris and Grace 5 games to 0. Upon finishing our lawn games, we were feeling a little peckish again, so a few of us opted to go to the Sea Grape, where I had conch fritters, and Grace and Dan had french fries. Having settled our stomachs, we headed back to the room to relax before heading to bed.