Sailing With Matsu: What A Day!

Calabash Bay, Long Island, Bahamas

We have had a great 10 days with our latest visitors, the crew of Bofix who we met in the Bahamas in 2007/08 on our first visit. Stef, Jen, Kelly and Kate joined us for their holiday even if their luggage didn’t and a great time was had by all.

We have spent a wonderful week at Conception Island, snorkeling, beach life, fishing and so forth, but today must be close to the perfect cruising day for us and the guests.

The morning plan was a snorkel in the mangroves here, while waiting to load the dinghy a dolphin appeared right next to Matsu, Stephane jumped in and was treated to a swim past by the curious dolphin.

In the mangroves themselves we saw nurse sharks, turtles and hundreds of small fish hiding in the roots.

Back to Matsu for lunch and then a hunting trip on the east side of the island, we speared a grouper and a lobster as well as seeing some superb coral.

To round the day off we motored back to Long Island, it promised to be a boring motor in flat calm seas but about 5 miles from the tip of the island I saw what at first sight was a breaking wave, but on closer inspection was a huge fish feeding frenzy.

We motored towards it with the line out and Jen on the bow directing, “we will be there in 3 2 1 now…” says Jen and instantly whizz out goes the line and we are onto a tuna. Gaffed and in the back cockpit we head back for a 2nd attempt, whizz same again and then yet again on the 3rd pass through – 3 tuna on board in under 20 minutes.