An only in the islands
moment...
The construction boys have been working hard all week, so my
husband and I decided to treat them to an afternoon on the boat so they could
get in the water and do some spearfishing. We stopped at numerous coral heads
and they would jump in and immediately come up with snapper, grouper,
grunts, crawfish, reef crabs, and anything else they deemed worth eating. At one point, someone spotted the
Royal Bahamas Defense Force boat (the Bahamian version of the Coast Guard) rapidly
approaching with its lights flashing.
My husband and I immediately panicked, as one tends
to do when getting pulled over by the authorities. Had we ventured too far and
ended up in the Marine Park (no-take zone)? Did we have the boat registration
on board? Did anyone have drugs on them? The wrong, or undersized fish (quite
possible)?
As the boat got closer, the boys started yelling
and carrying on 'Bey, we jis sightseeing!' Oh dear lord, I thought, now we’re
sure to be arrested. The serious-looking boat crew, with rigid uniforms, bright
orange life vests and machine guns, didn’t crack a smile. They drifted closer
and it was quickly evident that one of the guys on our boat knew one or some of
the officers and he heckled them even further. The Defense Force paused for a
moment, gave us all a good once-over without saying a word, then nodded and
sped away. My husband and I looked at each other in disbelief. I have no idea
what that subliminal interaction was, but it certainly reinforced the fact that
in this country, who you know is everything. All I know is that I’m thankful we
weren’t boarded, searched, and requested to provide a handsome 'tip' for their
services in defending the country.
I’m also thankful for Frankie spearing this
fantastically delicious crawfish (Caribbean spiny lobster) which ended up on
our plates later that evening.
Labels: ISLAND QUIRKS, QUIRKS & CURIOSITIES