Fresh Oysters on Jedediah Island

I was very fortunate to join some friends on their sail boats for a couple of days on the August long weekend.  We had wonderful hot sunny weather the whole weekend, and so there was much time spent swimming and seeking shade.  We arrived on a speed boat from Madeira Park to join up with two sail boats anchored in a sheltered bay at about 3:00 in the afternoon.

Boats waiting to greet us

We rafted up to one of the boats as they had already stern tied and anchored in the bay.  When we arrived they were busy erecting a home made, cover to provide shade.  This was the first time it had been erected and there was much hilarity as they tried to get it up.

But after a few false starts and many bungee cords it was time for a beer to celebrate the now shaded cockpit.

After shade had been procured it was time to go out and explore, first by swimming and then in blow up kayaks.  Nancy discovered an oyster bed close by and fetched a bucket to fill with fresh oysters for appetisers.  She came back with a large bucket full to the brim with large rather misshapen oysters.

At much peril to herself and her hands, she set to knocking as many barnacles as she could off the oysters before we cooked them.

Then we threw them 4 at a time on to the small barbecue at the back of the boat.  Four was all the we could fit at one time on to the very small grill.

We cooked them for a few minutes with the top down until they were starting to open and the juices were bubbling around the edges.  Then Nancy again causing great damage to her hands pried them open and served them on the half shell.

Apparently tequila would have been a good thing here to splash on them, but as we only had gin which really did not seem to work, we squeezed on a good hit of lime and slurped them back.  These were the best oysters I think I have ever had, partly because they were so large and fresh and partly because we enjoying them in such beautiful surroundings.

We sat outside getting in to very philosophical discussions as to the importance of fate in our lives and parallel universes as the light changed from bright sunshine to that wonderful warm light just before sun set.

As it got darker Nancy noticed that if you stirred up the water it glowed.  This was the same phosphorescence that we had seen in Puerto Rico last year.  But this time I was able to swim in it!  This was magical as the water sparkled and shone with every stroke.  A magical end to a wonderful day.