A Day in the Life at Canuck Palms

“Stingrays, Sea biscuits, Sailboats and Secluded Beaches! 

30 Dec 2017

Chase wakes up well before us and is excited to get to Georgetown, as we have rented a boat for the day.  Heather responds to an inquiry on the website as we get ready to go.  We pack our bags, have a coffee and a quick bite to eat.  We leave the house around 820 am, only to turn around shortly after because we forgot the fishing bait in the freezer!

We arrive at Minns Water Sports at 840 am.  We load up boat number 11 with all our gear, a 17 foot Boston Whaler with a 70 hp motor.  With all the gear (fishing gear, sup board, cooler of drinks, snorkel equipment, beach chair and towels)  we should have rented a 19 foot!

Shortly after 9 am we are on our way out to Elizabeth Harbour.  Low tide is set to be around 1115 am, so we decide not to go around the back of Crab Cay.  We head straight for the West end of Stocking Island, close to Hamburger Beach.  The day is looking perfect.  There is a huge yacht in the harbour as we approach a secluded beach.  Just as we slow down the boat Chase sees a big red sea star and jumps in.

Chase finds his first sea star of the day!

Captain Chase

We set up our breach chairs on a deserted beach all to ourselves.  We see a huge stingray float by.  Heather explores the length of the beach while Chase and I fly fish.

We would love to stay all day.  The water is perfect and we have the beach to ourselves.  Heather takes me down to the end of the beach to show me a little bar area that some of the people on the sailboats must have built.

Chase is anxious to go to sandollar beach at low tide.  On numerous occasions we have found sea biscuits on the edge of the sand bar.   We pack up the boat and Chase drives us towards Chat and Chill and Lumina Point.

Private Exuma beaches 😍😍

We pull the boat up to the sandbar at Sandollar Beach….. it’s perfect timing.  Chase tosses the anchor and Heather jumps off the boat.  She is excited to walk the sandbar and search for starfish and sandollars, one of her favorite things to do.  I turn the key to start the boat to move it closer to the sandbar….and the key breaks!  😲😲

Heather and Chase are going to be awhile anyway so I’m not too worried.  I use our island cell phone to call Minns and let them know where we are.  It could be worse.  I’m sitting with an amazing view at 12 o’clock on a Saturday on a sandbar in the Bahamas.  I cast a line into the water off the back off the boat and Crack a kalik.   I actually come up with a song……

 ” Da boat Don’t work but I don’t care….. I enjoy the view….. and the salty air”

Heather and Chase return to the boat just as a Minns employee drops off a new key.  We are good to go.  We plan to head to St Francis Resort for lunch and then to Chat n Chill Beach Bar for a kalik and to pet the stingrays.

Lunch at St Francis

We enjoy a pizza and a couple rum punches and head next door to Chat n Chill.  We pull the boat up and Chase runs to see the stingrays near the conch shack. 

Chat n Chill

Pet the stingrays at Chat n Chill

We have a beer at Chat n Chill and watch Chase snorkel around the stingrays.  We run into Glen our electrician enjoying a day off.  We pack up the boat and head off into the harbour just before 4 pm.  Chase looks for a reef to fish at on our way back to Georgetown.  

We drop our lines off a small Cay near Crab Cay.  We get lots of bites, and I land a tiny white fish hardly even big enough to use as bait.  Chase somehow manages to catch a finger starfish.  We pull into Minns right at 5 pm and unload the boat.  

As the sun sets we make our way home.  I’m looking forward to an outdoor shower.  We arrive home and unpack the car.  I take the fishing rods and reels to the outdoor shower to rinse them off.  We settle down in front of the TV with a rum punch and a glass of wine, and watch the Montreal Canadians Florida Panthers game.  What a great day……. renting a boat for just one day is definitely not long enough!! ⚓⚓

A Day in the Life at Canuck Palms

Was nice to stay at our own beach today. 😎 

29 Dec 2017

We plan to hang around the house this morning because Wade is popping over to have a look at the front door that we want fixed.   Heather and I have a coffee and head down to the beach as the sun rises.  We do our morning walk, 6 lengths of the beach.  It’s a beautiful morning, the water is fairly calm, and we think it would be a good day to stay at the house today.  

Perfect morning for a walk on the beach

I make eggs and bacon for everyone and we relax on the back deck.  Wade still hasn’t arrived, and it starts to rain.  The rain usually  doesnt last very long, and will be good for the grass and gardens.  

After the rain Chase runs down to check the beach.  He calls us on the “Cobra” 2 way radio and says it’s calm and the waves aren’t too big.  We pack up the beach umbrella and of course a cooler of drinks and the fishing equipment.   The power goes out at the house, a perfect time to head down to the water.  We set up our beach umbrella and chairs and head in for a swim.  

A great day to stay at our beach 

Chase and I start to get our fishing rods ready when I see Wade show up.  Chase and Heather build a sand castle.  Wade and I drink a kalik and then head up to the house to look at the door frame that we need replace.   I head back down after Wade leaves and fish for about an hour, while Chase and Heather jump in the waves.  

Our beach all to ourselves

We return to the house around 4 o’clock.  All three of us have a rinse in the outdoor shower. Heather and I jump in the car and head to Emerald Bay just two minutes up the road.  We stop into the Emerald Bay Pub and Grill to order pizza but unfortunately it’s closed down for now.  I take the opportunity to slip next door to Bristols Liquor Store to get scotch, Sands Radlers,  and red wine.

We stop at Tracy Bowes Convenience Store for onion, cheese, milk, yogurt, pasta, juice, pancake mix and bacon.  We drop the groceries off at the house and decide to check out Club Yolo for take out. We pull into Club Yolo at Exuma Palms Hotel a couple miles down the road.  We order three banquet burgers to go, and have a kalik and a rum punch while we wait.  We sit outside on the patio furniture and take in the view of Three Sisters Rock.

We sit at our breakfast bar and eat our burgers…. the are fantastic.  We relax on the couch and watch a Jackie Chan movie.  Tomorrow is a big day…. we have a boat rented from Minns Water Sports!  I can’t wait to explore Elizabeth Harbour and the secluded cays!

A Day in the Life at Canuck Palms

Definitely one of my favorite days in Exuma!  28 Dec 2017

It was one of those days.   One of those days when nothing is really planned, and it turns out to be amazing.  

We are set to meet our friend Wade around 930 am.  Wade wants to take Chase spearfishing.  Last trip we rented a boat and Wade took us fishing.  That was an amazing experience that we will never forget.  Heather and I enjoy our coffee on the back deck.  I reply to some messages on social media, and Heather sends some emails to some upcoming guests.  

We meet Wade and he introduces us to a couple of his friends.  The view is absolutely breathtaking,  they have a magnificent spot.  We enjoy a couple kaliks, and Chase is patiently waiting to go spearfish.  As we look out into the #ExumaBlue water we see something swimming between the reef and the beach.   It’s two baby dolphins!

Wade opens a Christmas gift from us, and then we unpack the snorkel and spearfishing equipment from the car.  

I could sit here all day 😍😍😍

I grab the cooler and follow Chase and Wade down the beach and into the water.  We hit our first reef and I’m all set with Chases’s “Go Pro” to capture pictures and video.  Wade dives down and within seconds comes up with his first spiny lobster!

Chase on the hunt for lobster

We explore 4 or 5 reefs and get a couple small fish (Chase wants to use them for bait to fish with later).  We also find a rock lobster and a few spiny lobster.   We even see the biggest spotted eagle ray swim right between us!  I’m trying my best not to tip the cooler over (that would suck!).  

We make it back to the beach….. that was my cardiovascular workout for the day.  I’m hoping I burned off one of the kaliks I had earlier.  We relax and check out the days catch.   The view is perfect and we enjoy a couple more kaliks in the sun.  Chase cuts up one of the small grunt fish for bait and casts his line off the rocks into the water.

 Chase casts his line out off the rocks

We say goodbye to our new friends.  What a great time and great hospitality.  They were so nice to have us visit and let us enjoy a few drinks and the perfect view. We also say goodbye to Wade, and he tells us he will drop by in the morning to check out some repairs we need him to do.

We get home and unpack.  Heather and I slip to Tracy Bowes Convenience Store at the end of the street for bread, cheese, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, milk and apples.  We stroll down to the beach one last time, and of course Chase has to go wave jumping.   I enjoy a glass of wine and prepare dinner….. pasta alfredo,  salad, baked potatos, and of course fresh lobster!   

Heather opens up the windows so we can listen to the waves and feel the cool breeze.  It’s been a long day and I can’t wait to relax on the couch.  Chase watches fishing videos on youtube and I start on the blog.  I can’t believe we have already been in Exuma for 5 days!! 

A Day in the Life at Canuck Palms

Exuma has the friendliest people!   27 Dec 2017

We wake up early and relax again with a coffee on the back deck.  I honestly could stay here at the house all day.  Chase catches geckos in the back yard, and begs us to go to our favorite breakfast spot Augusta Bay this morning.  

We pack up the car and say hi to our neighbours Barry and Donna.  We head towards town around 945 am.  We get to Augusta Bay and Chase runs in to grab a table.  

Enjoying the view at Augusta bay 

We enjoy coffee after breakfast on the dock and watch the boats head out to go fishing. 

The view of Elizabeth Harbour 😍

We jump in the car and head to town.  We park at the government dock and walk to a few stores.  We stop by Top to Bottom so Chase can check out the fishing supplies.

Top to Bottom 

Chase is excited to rent a boat and we stop into Minns Water Sports.  We reserve a 17 foot Boston Whaler for Saturday!  

Rent a boat from Minns

Heather shops at Sandpiper for a few minutes then we leave town to stop at a few other stores.   Sandpiper has wonderful island gifts.

Sandpiper gift shop

We stop at Exuma Building Supplies for fresh water and Smittys for clothes pins, hamburger and fishing bait.

Have a kalik at the Gentlemens Club

We drop into AID and grab some house supplies and arrive home at around 2pm.  We quickly drop off our items and slide up the road to Flamingo Beach at Paradise Bay.  We have the beach to ourselves….

The secluded Flamingo Beach ❤❤

I slip to Bristols Liquor store at nearby Emerald Bay to grab some kalik, wine and coconut rum.  When I return Chase is already fishing close to shore.  

Bristols Liquor Store at Emerald Bay 

We get home just after five o’clock.  Chase rinses off the saltwater fishing reels in the outdoor shower.  Heather organizes new dishes in the kitchen cupboards, and I start the BBQ.   We enjoy hamburgers and a glass of wine and relax for the evening.  Looking forward to another amazing day tomorrow!

A Day in the Life at Canuck Palms

Sharks, stingrays and starfish!  26 Dec 2017

Today we plan to find somewhere to relax and fish for most of the afternoon.  We wake up around 7am, and I can tell it’s going to be a perfect day.  The birds are chirping in the trees and I can hear the waves.  

Enjoying a coffee on the deck 

After a coffee on the deck we get ready for our day.  Chase hears some kids at the beach and wants to check it out.  We all head down to the beach.  There is a family on the beach including four kids around his age.  Heather chats with the mother and Chase joins the boys in the water and enjoys jumping the waves.  The family is from Lithuania and staying at our neighbour’s beach house (Calypso House).  

Heather chillaxing in the hammock

We pack up the car with all our gear including the stand up paddle board.   After breakfast we decide to drive to Rolleville to chill for the day.  We want to set up for the day on the beach at Shoreline Bar and Grill, but take a detour and discover another spot.  It’s so awesome!  It reminds me of Cocoplum Beach, but on the bonefish side.  You can walk for miles out into the ocean.  

This will do just fine…. 😍😍

We set up the beach chairs and get the SUP board and fishing equipment out of the car.  I inflate the “Red Paddle” SUP for Heather and Chase tests out the fly rod.  This is the perfect place.  

Ready to bonefish… 🐟🐟

I walk the shore in the knee deep water attempting to stalk a bonefish.  It’s quiet, and I wade through some sea turtle grass.  A lemon shark swims to my left, another at my 2 o’clock.   Amazing!  As I continue to explore I disturb a stingray….. sending it swimming off to deeper water.  Even if I don’t see a bonefish today I’m happy I got to see that.  I walk back slowly, casting into the mangroves.  Chase catches a small shark but it breaks the line taking the hook and squid with it.

We stay all afternoon.  I walk out as far as the eye can see looking for bonefish, and Heather and Chase ride the SUP board behind me.  We explore several sandbars and find lots of treasures including sand dollars, star fish and conch shells.

The sun is setting and we have had a full day on the water.  We wade back towards the car and I try fishing one last time along the shore in the mangroves.  I don’t want to leave because I can tell it’s going to be the perfect location to see the sunset.  

Going to be a perfect sunset

Heather enjoying her SUP board 

We head back towards the house and pull into Exuma Point Restaurant to have a beer.  We meet the owners in the driveway and they tell us they are closed for the day.  It’s probably for the best as we are all tired and can’t wait to enjoy a relaxing evening at the house.  We get home around five o’clock,  and I unpack the car while Chase rinses off in the outdoor shower.  We wind down with pasta and deep fried pickles for dinner and enjoy a drink on the back deck.  

By the looks of the sunset it’s going to be another sunny day tomorrow.   No plans yet for tomorrow, but I’m sure it will include a beautiful beach somewhere……. and a kalik or two. 

A Day in the Life at Canuck Palms

Christmas morning in Exuma!  25 Dec 2017

I was in the deepest REM sleep when I was woken up to the sound of  “Santa was here!!” Chase keeps on me to get up and see the presents under the tree.  I beg Heather to make coffee first.

We enjoy sitting around the tree opening our stockings and presents from Santa.  Chase gets new fishing tackle and a new tackle belt, amongst other cool things.  Santa got me deodorant, socks, toothpaste and underwear……  👍👍 

Santa came!

I polish off a couple coffees and am anxious to check out the beach since we didn’t make it down last night.  Just before we go we hear Chase yelling from the second bedroom…. “Elfie came!!”  It appears Chase’s “Elf on a Shelf” made the trip to the Bahamas.  Chase sees that Elfie has a gift beside him and he opens it up with excitement.  A new IPhone 6!  Chase can hardly contain himself.  What a great morning so far. 🌲🎅🌴🎅

We wander down to the beach….it’s a beautiful morning.  Chase and I set up our fishing rods and Heather goes for a walk down to the end of the beach and back.  I’m hoping to catch a bonefish off the edge of the reef.  Chase tries out his new fishing tackle.

Chase hoping to catch a bonefish 

I walk to the end of the beach and back with Heather looking for sea shells.  Chase jumps waves and is in his glory.  Christmas in Exuma is awesome.  No crowds, no hustle, no traffic jams…..and no snow!   Just beach and sunshine ☉☉

Chase enjoys his new kite at the beach

We return to the house around 11 and have scrambled egg wraps for breakfast.  Chase packs up the car with fishing gear, snorkel equipment, beach chairs and the cooler full of drinks.  We head off west towards Emerald Bay.  We stop at Flamingo Beach at Paradise Bay and check out the view.   We decide to venture back to Emerald Bay and set up for the day.  We set up the beach chairs and enjoy the view of the crystal blue water and Grand Isle Resort.  

Love pulling up to this view! 💧💧💧💧

Chase and I try our luck at fishing again.  I try my saltwater fly fishing rod for the first time since I bought it.  I managed to teach myself how to fly fish this year at our cottage in Muskoka Ontario (@canuckpines).   I absolutely love it….. can’t wait to catch a bonefish!  

Chill time 😎

We relax and swim for the afternoon.  We see a handful of couples walking the beach from Sandals and Grand Isle Resort.  As we are packing up for the day we see some rain clouds off in the distance……. and then the most beautiful double rainbow. 

 We pack up and head back to the house.  Chase wants to hit our beach again to fish and swim before dinner.  We spend an hour or so fishing and Heather stays at the house to have a shower and get dinner ready.  As the sun sets we return to the house, and I can’t wait to jump in the outdoor shower and throw on one of our new bath robes.  

A glass of wine and a rum punch as the sun sets 🍹🍷

We enjoy cabbage rolls for dinner and wind down on the couch watching a Christmas movie.  Heather shuts off the air conditioning and opens all the windows.  I’m loving the fresh ocean breeze and the sound of the waves!  🌊🌊  What a great Christmas day in Exuma.  Where should we go tomorrow?  Bonefish flats?  Cocoplum Beach?  Maybe Tropic of Cancer Beach on Little Exuma?  Decisions decisions…… 

A Day in the Life at Canuck Palms

On the way to Exuma!  24 Dec 2017

We have an early morning and wake up around 5am.  Our flight is set to take off for Exuma at 9:05.  We are southbound on the highway by 5 o’clock hoping that we don’t run into any snow.   The Toronto airport is busy, but despite a few long lines we are through security by 7:30 am.  We are delayed about an hour due to high winds, but eventually land in Moss Town Exuma just after 2pm.  

Travelling Santa seems to be all smiles 

The air is warm and the sun is bright.  I immediately feel a sense of slowing down….. no stress.  We get into the airport and hear the sound of the band playing Bahamian music in the lobby.  Chase hopes to see his buddy “Hasty” on the elephant skin drum.  We are through the airport in 20 minutes and grab the rental car from Exuma Car Rental across the street.  We cram our luggage into the Toyota Corolla and head for the house.  Since its Sunday and we were delayed in Toronto we will miss getting to Tracy Bowes Convenience Store near the house.  We grab some kalik and some juice at the store just outside the airport.

We arrive at the house and get our luggage inside.  Chase is already catching frogs and hunting for geckos.  We throw some shorts on and remember that the Exuma Market in Georgetown may be open until 5pm.  We wave at our neighbours Barry and Donna, and head towards town.  

We grab some of the basics to get us through the next couple days….  eggs, bread, water, pop, and of course squid to use for bait while fishing.   We arrive home again shortly after 5.  Chase wants to fish but we have too much unpacking to do before dark, plus we need to make dinner.  But first things first…. a rum punch with coconut rum! 

Rum Punch x 2 😃😃

Heather sets up the Christmas tree and finds a wonderful gift from our friends Tracey and Pete who were guests in November.  Canada 150 drink coolers, @torontomapleleafs Christmas ornaments and more!  

Christmas tree is up! 🌲

Thanks Tracey and Pete!

Someone likes Kalik 🐸🐸

We have some pasta along with pumpernickel and spinach dip for dinner.  Delicious!  We wind down the long day by watching some TV and relaxing on the couch.  I pour a scotch and do some social media for business. 

I’m excited to get to bed after the long day and a couple busy weeks.  Heather makes the bed with our new Monaco Liquid Cotton 500 thread count sheets along with a beautiful Bluebellgray duvet cover resembling the bougainville flowers of Exuma.  

Off to bed…. last I heard Santa was in Florida!   

Bahamas ranked 2nd in the world for top places to travel to in 2018

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-places-to-travel-in-2018