Life’s a Beach... (final blog- posted from home in Owen Sound)

Life’s a Beach... or      
                        Recipe for an Excellent Winter Getaway

Ingredients
*The Sea of Abaco

*Generous amounts of rocks, reefs and sand
      ( found on and near Little Abaco Island, Great Abaco Island and surrounding cays)

The bluff at Powell Cay is typical of the limestone base of the Bahamian islands.   The soft rock has been carved by waves, dissolved and weathered by rains and winds.

What a treat for a rock lover like me!

These islands are near Treasure Cay, Abaco Island.

 Man Of War Cay

Abaco Island, also near Treasure Cay

Elbow Cay near Tahiti Beach

Fowl Cay Reef

Treasure Cay Beach

...voted one of the best 10 Caribbean beaches
 in a Caribbean Travel and Life reader’s poll.

Beaches were never crowded.

 We often had them to ourselves.

*a sprinkling of sea glass and shells...

an addictive hobby

Sea glass is weathered glass found on certain sections of beach.
The frosted pieces have interesting shapes come in a variety of colours, some rarer than others.
Sea glass is used to create jewelry or mosaics, and is fun to collect.  

small sea urchin, sea biscuits, coral, sea sponge and shells 

Some treasures are stinky, so we took a picture but left this dead starfish  and sea fans behind.

Method
* Mix with living creatures  in all shapes and sizes

Curly tails enjoy sitting in the sun but scamper quickly out of sight

"The seemingly innocuous starfish is another conch predator and has developed a unique way of feasting on conch. Because the conch's operculum does not completely close off the entrance to the conch's shell, the starfish can insert one of its arms in the opening, preventing the conch from slipping further back. Then the starfish does an amazing thing; it forces its own stomach out of its body, sticks it inside the conch and digests the conch right inside its own shell."(taken from http://www.stjohnbeachguide.com) 

This little crab was about 3 inches wide.
Its sideways movements make for interesting tracks in the sand.

Queen Conch

This hermit crab (aka soldier crab, purple pincher) moved into a lamp conch (I think).
It's not going to vacate for anybody!

Penny Poodle, our friends’ seafaring pup, knows how to stay cool on the beach.

I totally wasn't expecting to see these critters on the beach at No Name Cay.
  I just can't resist posting these pics again.

little piglets are sooooo cute

Sea turtles can be seen in anchorages, in rivers, and on the reefs.....

...and they can swim away faster than I would ever have imagined.  

Seeing dolphins riding our bow waves is an unbelievable thrill that never grows old.

This recipe is best served with sunsets....

.....and conch serenades.

To conclude this winter's blog, I'd like to share my new favourite saying:
   "May you always have sand in your shoes
                                         and a shell in your pocket."