Abaco Island, Bahamas - Our Photo Diary

 For my thirtieth birthday, David surprised me with a trip to Abaco Island Bahamas. We went for an extended weekend - since it was our first real trip away from Finn, we were both feeling anxious about leaving for too long. David chose Abaco because it's right up our alley - a little off the beaten path, lots of local things to check out, plus the bonefishing is spectacular.We did a whole lotta nothing and it was everything we needed. We were able to reconnect and relax, something we don't get to do very often with a toddler running around. Our idea of vacation is to wake up without a plan and see where the day takes us. Sometimes we get lost on a random island in the Bahamas, sometimes we end up finding the most wonderful local spot to eat. I love the way we vacation!One day, we rented a car (mind you, they drive on the other side of the road with the driver on the other side of the car!) and drove the length of Abaco Island to Cherokee Sound. Cherokee Sound has less than a 200 person population, the longest dock in the Bahamas, and world famous bonefishing flats. We spent the entire day wading the flats looking for bonefish. We did not see a single fish the entire morning, and David started getting frustrated. I convinced him to break for lunch and we could return when the tide was rising. When we came back, we saw dozens of HUGE bonefish! The water is so clear and spectacular that you can see the fish from so far away. It was absolutely amazing! We waded over 800 feet from shore (we could tell because the dock is 700 feet long) and were the only people in sight. David hooked a fish almost immediately.People may think that David's fishing habit gets in the way of our vacation. But the reality is, his hobby has taken us to places I never would have imagined! I think the most important thing a wife can do is be a partner to her husband - take interest in his interests. I truly love watching David fish, I love watching his eyes light up when he hooks one, I love the passion he has when he talks about it, I love watching him teach me all the ins and outs of it. His hobby creates our vacations! Now if only I can get my back cast better so I can fish too!I would recommend Abaco Island to those who like an adventure. It's not exactly easy to get to - we took three flights from DC, and had to go through Nassau. It's not a resort town, in fact our hotel was essentially living amongst the locals. It was absolutely gorgeous, though, and boasts one of the world's top ten beaches. You can see from the photos that the sand really are white!Overall, it was a great trip and before we even left, we started planning our next adventure. David votes for Cuba, or New Zealand! Ha! But I'm trying to convince him he needs to go chase the trout out in Idaho and Montana.