Our trip to Exuma came at the end of a very hard and long year for both of us. The term, "you deserve a vacation" has never been truer. It was time for some solar energy revitalization and, of course, bonefishing. Fortunately, Exuma lived up to our expectations.
We rented a house for our two week stay named Paradise Point -- and Paradise it was! Fredricka, the housekeeper, helped us when we arrived and was also a great help in getting us acclimated to Exuma. The house sits on Tarr Bay, one of the prettiest beaches on the island. Two miles of pristine sand, crystal clear water, and sky that radiated with color. Our morning ritual of walking the beach was nothing short of breathtaking, especially when the only footprints you see are yours. 
Occasionally, on the weekends we would run into 1 or 2 people. Other than that, we owned it that, we owned it (at least for two weeks)! When the weather is cooperating and if the sea is calm, you can snorkel out to two reefs right out front off the point and have quite a show. This island was not going to be too tough to take at all.
Six miles from the house, is George Town. This is a small bustling community filled with commerce, especially compared to some of the other islands we have visited. Lake Victoria sits right in the middle of town and is referred to as "the pond". Since we bring most of our own provisions, we don't do much in the way of shopping. But due to the number of "yachties" in town for the annual regatta, the stores were well stocked. We frequented Mom's roadside bakery truck for fresh coconut bread and the "Big Game" fishing boat for fresh grouper and conch. There isn't much commercial fishing going on these days in Exuma since the construction of Emerald Bay Casino and Greg Norman's golf course. The locals are finding the money from construction is easier than traditional fishing. Unfortunately, the whole complexion of the island is about to change. That is, of course, if anything gets finished. This is the Bahamas after all!
But I digress -- our mission was bonefish. Exuma is known for having some of the finest bonefish flats in the Bahamas. Geoff got lucky on the beach in front of Paradise Point ont one afternoon when the wind calmed down. But when the wind shifted, it was time to look elsewhere. We had heard that the best fishing is on the south side of the island. However, accessibility is a problem because of the dense mangroves. Most "sports" hook up with a guide and go out in a boat. After researching the cost of guides ($300/day), we opted to rent a car for a week for the same money and do some exploring on our own. There must be somewhere one can walk out to the flats!!??!! And then, lo and behold -- we found "our spot". Words do not do it justice, pictures cannot tell you the magic that exists here. Geoff caught more bonefish than all of our other trips put together. 
I was even graced with a catch. We were lucky enough to be there when low tide was at sunset. The fish seemed to be most active at this time. It was quite a show to watch these large schools of fish moving across the flats, tailing as they searched for food.
Aside from catching fish, the sites were amazing, we saw stingrays, starfish, glorious rain storms miles away.On our last day of fishing we walked way out on the flats at the lowest of tides (this being the full moon), I spotted a very special gift from the sea -- a King Helmet Conch --
complete with the animal still in tact. Having only hooked into a couple of fish that day and not actually catching any, finding this rare conch was a real prize -- only one problem, how do we get the animal out without spoiling the shell. We packed up our treasure and started out for home.
On the way, we decided to stop and see what Tracy's Seafood was all about. Turns out that Tracy has a very nice little store (no seafood). Tracy is a friendly local who was quite helpful with our conch problem. He suggested freezing it to kill the animal, and then thaw, and pull out the bulk. This worked fine, but getting the rest of the guts out is another matter. It is now still soaking in the backyard. Everyday, a some more gunk comes out. Maybe by Christmas it'll be presentable to live in the house! Leaving Tracy's, we next stopped at Big D's Conch Bar in Steventon. We shared one of Big D's conch salads as we watched the sunset. A nice touch after a hard day on the flats!
Having the car also had its advantages for touring. While we in searcarch of the flats, we were also able to explore the entire island. Going east to Little Exuma where we met the Shark Lady and spent a few afternoons at the beach in front of La Shanté Inn, where it is a bit more protected by the wind and still beautiful and secluded. And, going west on the road out to Rolleville and out to Barretare. We explored several beaches. However, none quite compared to our own at Paradise Point. We passed through the township of Forest one afternoon as school was letting out, and got the chance to speak to some folks about the local history. There are still remains of the cotton plantations with the old slave quarters still standing. There were also many roads that just plain went nowhere, which was just fine with us.
As well as our days being filled, Exuma also offered some nightlife. This was REAL different for us. One night we went to the annual softball match between the Yachties and the Bahamians. What a hoot! Every year the Bahamians crush the yachties and this year was no different. Every Wednesday night there is a public fish fry at the old Navy base just outside of town. Lots of food, people, and music. On Friday nights Two Turtles Inn holds a barbecue and offers live local music and dancing. On Saturday nights, the party moves over to the Peace & Plenty for after dinner dancing around the pool. And on Mondays, there is the ever popular Rake 'n' Scrape at Eddie's Edgewater, just around the pond.
For a small island with "nothing to do", our days and nights were always filled. We fished, swam, snorkeled, met people, relaxed, read, walked, talked, danced, but most of all we laughed and enjoyed the richness of the island.
