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08-10-2020, 02:11 PM | #1 |
Dad
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Austin, Texas
Age: 43
Posts: 675
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Bahamas - First Lobster
This little girl was very proud of her first kill.
She's been completely disinterested in spearing when I've brought it up on previous Bahamas trips, which we make several times annually. She loves the water, diving, exploring, spotting for dad, checking traps, etc. but just never wanted to kill anything. This year, we spotted a lobster on the big reef while fun-snorkeling and it all clicked. She chased it for many tries, hoping to grab it, but it had a deep hole and a stiff desire to live. The hunt was unsuccessful but afterward, she said she wanted to get something to eat for the table. We went and cast-netted some pilchards and she caught us some yellowtail off a wreck, proudly throwing them in the box where in prior years she always preferred to release the ones she had caught. She was proud to feed us, but she really wanted to spear something. I made a sling on my lathe a few years ago and put really light rubber on it for guests and kids to use. We took it out behind the town dock and practiced murdering a discarded Arizona Iced Tea can we found lying on the bottom. She was getting good pull on the shooter and making good shots. The following week, after she had patiently followed the others hunters around watching and learning from us for several days, I took her to a shallow spot I know to hold lobster. Most were smalls, which she had demonstrated a keen eye for distinguishing while hunting with me the other days, but we found one of nice size. She hit it from the side but not hard enough to deploy the flopper, so the spear pulled out. The lobster kicked up sand and we lost it in the cave, but it popped out of a small opening in the back of the rock and began to crawl away. We chased it out over the flats but it popped its tail a dozen clicks, managing to find a second crack that we had already checked and which she had sanded up with some ill-placed fin kicks (it takes a while to put all the pieces together). I was worried the lobster was gonna be hard to find, but he popped back out and raced away over the flats. I was able to cut him off to stop his retreat. GG made a straight-on approach as he flared up at her and stood his ground. I hung back, remembering her successful aim on the aluminum can. I watched proudly as she landed a perfect shot to the face, the audible crunch letting me know he wouldn't be getting off this time. It was fun watching her develop a desire to hunt and feed the family. She doesn't prefer the texture of lobster, but she ate this one, fried in cast iron skillet over a casuarina fire, with great gusto. |
08-10-2020, 04:04 PM | #2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Port Charlotte Fl
Age: 76
Posts: 2,480
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Re: Bahamas - First Lobster
Great Story...reminds me of my daughter and our diving..That's the best shit in the world! She wouldn't shoot, but would carry and help, and one day she decided to go for it...and it was UNBELIEVABLE! She was very nice to write it off as beginners luck...as she put the other seasoned divers to shame.
I have one comment...not aimed at you guys...just an observation...I cant believe the Bahamas allow spearing of lobsters! That seems SO insane! But....it is there country, there rules... |
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