December 2, 2013.

Got off the boat early to hike the eastern side of Raccoon Cay. These recent squalls filled the usually dry salt flats so crossing the cay had an added “swamp” obstacle.

Swamp Woman

We combed the ironshore and a few small beaches which yielded 26 Hamburger Beans.

After returning to the boat we decided to try someplace new. Johnson Cay. Johnson Cay is a small cay with a U-shaped anchorage that is completely exposed to the north.

The weather has to be pretty docile to consider an overnighter there. We're expecting clocking winds at less than 9 knots.We never brought Veranda in there before the re-power because if the boat didn't start once we were there we were truly screwed. There is room for a few boats but there seems to be an unspoken understanding that if there’s a vessel already anchored there, you find some place else to drop the hook. Since there’s only 3 “tourist” boats down here at the moment it wasn't going to be an issue.

It was a quick motor from Raccoon to Johnson and the hook was down in less than 45 minutes. After lunch we walked the beach and went for a swim. Christy found 3 spectacular Helmet shells while I grabbed 3 more lobsters. We were swimming one of the coral heads together when Christy spotted an Ocean Triggerfish.

Queen Triggers are very good eating but just too pretty to kill. Ocean Triggers are much larger and usually curious to a point. They hang around for a bit but until today they stay just out of spear range. He was swimming a semicircular route and because I'm better at geometry than he was I took a course that would bisect his path.

The spear tip ripped through his spine and he was instantly qualified for a special parking space. A 12 pound fish usually puts up a hellacious fight but my lucky shot had broken his spine and crippled him. Nice.