45under45: Boating Adventure with Captain Plug


Captain Plug's website reads: Hi, I am Stafford Patterson, also known as Captain Plug, owner and operator of Sea Horse Boat Rentals. I am an 8th generation Bahamian, and live in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas. It would be my pleasure to guide you around Central Abaco, and assist you with your boating wishes, either on board one of our rental boats, my 24' Grady White, or on your own craft. I have been boating on the Sea of Abaco for 40 years. I am also familiar with the history of the area, and am willing to share my knowledge with you. Would you like some instruction or familiarization to boating in our area? I am a pro with lots of patience. How about a nice family outing with a visit to some cool beaches, or to see some of our beautiful settlements? I can do that too. The kids or the missus want to find some shells? No problem. Dad wants to wet a fishing line, and perhaps bring something home for dinner? I know a few good spots. Is bar hopping your passion? I know them all! You will enjoy your time with me. I will guarantee you that. Patience, passion, and professional are TRULY all words that describe Captain Plug! In fact, in my entire life, I have never met someone with so much patience. There were six of us on his boat. Me - Rapid fire question asker and wanna be local. Shawn - Chatty big fella. Nicholas - Squirrely little salt. Summer - Familiar with boats and the area...but cautious. Emma - Sun goddess and bow rider. Zack - VERY tall guy.

Emma, Nicholas, and Zack

He took us through the Sea of Abaco with our first "stop" at the castle on Tilloo Cay. We requested to show everyone the castle and floated nearby as he shared his knowledge of its history: who, when, how it was built as well as how it had endured hurricanes over the years. It is for rent! Click here to see their rental info and pics of the house. (Although I literally sometimes wear a crown, this is a little too posh and pricey for my taste. I'm more of a shabby chic gal. 😏)

Everyone claimed their boating spots. I was First Mate and in charge of "helping" Captain Plug navigate. (Ahahaha! He's got these waters and their intricacies etched into his soul.)

Summer and Emma bow riding. Every now and then Emma unfurled her arms like wings and just became one with the wind.

Shawn, wisely suited up for the sun and captained the deck portion of the boat.

Nicholas never stayed in one spot for long. I was lucky to capture this shot!

Zack claimed the port side cooler as his domain.

Next stop, Tilloo Pond...also known as Turtle Pond. According to Captain Plug, turtle hunting was banned in 2009. The turtles in these waters no longer fear boat engines and they were quite happy to allow themselves to be seen.

It's hard to tell in the photo, but this dark blob is a sea turtle.

Summer was dying to get out and snorkel with the turtles! However, we went on just a few hundred yards south to the Tilloo Bank. All the kids got in and snorkeled around in the shallows.

Emma and Zack...Nicholas with the bunny ears.

Summer found a tiny white sand dollar - only about the size of a dime. I was tasked with keeping it safe.

After the snorkeling was over, it was time to motor on down to Pete's Pub. Captain Plug chose to take the inside route with Cornish Cay to our port. He showed us the ruins of the Wilson City, a defunct lumber camp that ran on Great Abaco from 1906 until 1916.

Pete's!

When we first started coming to Abaco in 1996, Pete's Pub was just a "bar" that ran on the honor system. Grab a beer and stick some money in the pickle jar. Now, Pete's is all fancy-fied. There's a bar tender, waitress, and a kitchen that makes excellent Bahamian dishes...cracked conch, peas-n-rice, and pineapple slaw. Pete's even has air conditioning now! Well, a Bahamian version of AC.

They've put up this main sail, tied it to some coconut trees, and it captures the ocean breeze that gets funneled down to the picnic tables below.

Summer and Mommy enjoying the AC.

The AC truly is an engineering marvel!

Pete's Pub has hundreds of T-shirts stapled about. I noticed that Zack had been wearing his high school Ryle Raiders basketball shirt while we were in the Bahamas and he happened to have it on the boat. After MUCH coaxing, he put it on one last time, thought for a little bit longer...and agreed to hang it up!

Both Emma and Zack played for their high school basketball team.

Zack couldn't back out now.

They took pictures for their high school coach.

Up it went.

My sister came here with my folks on their first ever Bahamas trip. (There's a funny story that goes along with their maiden voyage. It involves my dad and Cindy having a few too many drinks for my mom's comfort and then my mom having an apoplectic fit and packing her bags. I'll tell that tale another time.)

Summer has been wearing this coral colored shirt for YEARS! It was Cindy's. Since we already had the baggie of markers and the staple gun, it seemed like a perfect day to donate this shirt to Pete's. Summer, Nicholas, Shawn, and I all signed it. I also included the "Melnick Family Doodle" (the interlocking ovals) and her years of earthly life. I don't know if I'll be back here. I don't know if my folks will get the chance to come back here. But, she'll be here...until the staples rust and the shirt falls off the rafter. I straddled between the bar and the steps going to the kitchen door and stapled about a million staples in.

I'm so glad I did this!

Once our time at Pete's was done, we headed back north to trawl around Little Harbour, Lynard Cay, through the North Bar Channel and on the ocean side of Pelican Cay.

Zack caught a Bar Jack near the reef by Goole Cay.

Hello, Future Bait!

Shawn caught a hefty Yellowtail just to the east of Pelican Cay. As he was reeling it in, Shawn said, "Aw, I think I lost it."

Nope, the fish just stopped swimming once he lost the back half of his body!

Sadly, that fish continued to "swim" in the live well for at least another hour!!!

Lines up! Off to Cracker P's!

Nicholas, always on the move...checking out the cabin.

The now shirtless Zack, donning bug repellant on each limb AND around his neck!

Ring toss game at Cracker P's.

Emma and Shawn

Shoreline friends at Cracker P's.

Summer exploring Lubbers Quarters and the shore by Cracker P's.

Summer was determined to collect up all of these black pottery bits and then try to put them back together. They looked like a plate or a bowl. They are very porous and lightweight. We wondered what they could be.