Hurricane Joaquin

While we keep the Central Bahamas, Bermuda, and everyone else affected by Hurricane Joaquin in our thoughts, we are happy to say that Small Hope Bay lodge and the rest of Andros Island has survived the storm without any major damage. Jeff gave everybody Friday and Saturday off to prepare for the storm, but the worst weather we got was fifteen mph winds and a few brief showers. So, we were able to spend our days off relaxing, enjoying some time with the family, or playing poker and eating Erin's delicious food in the lodge.
Now that the Hurricane Joaquin is continuing to head North, we have some more flat seas and another beautiful day in paradise.

Pin It Now!

Tommy Hobson Fresh Beat Band Star Visits Small Hope Bay

Fresh Beat Band Star Tommy Hobson Visits 

Small Hope Bay Lodge!

Fresh Beat Band star Tommy Hobson, visited Small Hope Bay Lodge a month ago. Originally known as The JumpArounds, The Fresh Beat Band is an American preschool show has been airing on Nikelodeon since 2009 and has received many awards since its premiere. Tommy plays a character named "Shout", who is a member of a band called "Fresh Beats". The band is made up of four members, Twist, Kiki, Marina and Shout. Shout is the keyboard man and vocalist. The concept of each episode begins with the band singing about a problem that the band will soon comes across. Throughout the episode, the band manages to solve the problem. At the end the band sings their closing song, which includes what the problem was and how they dealt with it.

Hobson has also made many television appearances. Most notably he has starred in Free Enterprise and Clubhouse Detectives. Hobson started acting at the age of 6 and received a B.A. in theater from Yale University. 

Pin It Now!

Blast from the past

Small Hope Blast from The Past!!!

Recently we had a visit from a former dive master Mike Francis, and he gave us some photos that made us reminisce.

Small Hope Bay has always centered it's service around family,fun and adventure and we have held true to our core values from 1960 to now. It has been an incredible journey for the past 55 years of operations at Small Hope Bay Lodge, and we plan to keep you 'a part of the family' for many more years to come. 

Small Hope Bay Lodge. then, now, always!!!

Pin It Now!

Pea Soup N Dumplings

Winter has officially arrived and for all of you who are looking for something delicious to warm you up after a long day out in the cold here is the perfect recipe.

 Bahamian Peas Soup N Dumplings 

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, as needed

2 small onions, small dice

1 sweet pepper, small dice

2 tomatoes, small dice

½ cup tomato paste

2-16 oz. can coconut milk

2-16 oz can Pigeon Peas (beans can be substituted for peas if preferred)

Water, 3 qts.

4 tbsp. browning

2 Sweet potatoes, medium dice

2 tbsp. Thyme dried

salt, and pepper as needed

Dough for dumplings (recipe below)

1 lb. Ribs, already boiled separately

1 cups smoked Ham, already boiled and cooked separately, then diced into medium cubes

1. Sauté onions, pepper, and tomatoes in a pot with a little vegetable oil until a little brown and tender.
2. Add tomato paste, cook until aroma rise, and brown a little.
3. Add coconut milk, and pigeon peas to pot, and stir.
4. Add Water to pot.  Season with thyme, salt and pepper.
5. Add a little browning to water.
6. Let come to a boil, and reduce down to a simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes to let flavor develop.
7. Add sweet potato to pot, and continue to cook on low simmer until tender, 15 minutes.
8. Add the meat to the pot.
9. Turn heat up to medium.
10. Add dough by pinching off small pieces of dough and spreading with hands, until a flat piece, and drop straight into hot soup.  Add until all dough is gone, or enough in pot for your liking.
11. If not thick enough, add cold water to the mixing bowl that you did the dough in and pour into soup.
12. To finish cook just until dough is cooked all the way through.  Take off the heat and serve

Dumpling recipe:

2 cups Flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

¼ cup. shortening (or vegetable oil, shortening best)

liquid, as needed (use some liquid from the pot to mix dough)

1. Flour, salt, and pepper, together.
2. Cut in shortening until look like cornmeal.
3. Add liquid slowly until dough comes together, soft, smooth and pliable.
4. Let rest at least 5 minutes and then add to soup by spreading thin and dropping into hot soup

Enjoy this classic Bahamian dish this holiday season and bring a bit a the Bahamas to your dinner table!

Pin It Now!

Small Hope, the Nature Conservancy and Lionfish!

This week at Small Hope we got to be involved in two different environmental efforts, one addressing the growth and health of our reef, and one focused on controlling the lionfish population that threatens the marine life here in the Bahamas and other Caribbean areas.

At Small Hope, we take the protection of the environment very seriously. We have enacted several ecological programs around the lodge for this reason. From our recycling program to the water saving procedures to our reverse osmosis water treatment, Small Hope has continued to develop plans and programs that help to safeguard the beautiful and unique environment of Andros Island, Bahamas.

Andros is home to the Andros Barrier Reef, the third largest barrier reef in the world. The reef is full of hard and soft corals, sponges and a variety of sea life. The reef itself is in good condition, but due to various global conditions and effects there is more algae on the reef in recent years. 

ANCAT (Andros Conservancy and Trust), which was formed with Small Hope Bay Lodge and of which Jeff Birch is secretary has developed a new coral farming program and this week Small Hope got to be a part of their efforts. Felicity, of the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos branch of the Nature Conservancy led the group which also included Kemit-Amon Lewis, the Coral Conservation Manager from the US branch, Stopher Slade of the St. Croix branch and Eric Buck of the St. Thomas branch. The group came to Andros with the goal of setting up Coral Nurseries. They set up 5 blocks of new-growth coral, each featuring three different types of coral in each block.  These Coral Nurseries will grow the coral and can be used for future coral transplanting to any damaged areas of the reef!

We were also lucky enough to host Indira and Nichola, who came to Andros as representatives of  the Bahamas Department of Agriculture to work on their study of lionfish. Lionfish are a venomous fish native to Indo-Pacific waters and considered an invasive species in the Bahamas as well as the rest of the Caribbean. The beautiful striped fish are known to have a voracious appetite, an indiscriminate palate (devouring many different species) and reproduce at a high rate. Many organizations and governments have started to take a more active role in the control of the spread of lionfish population.

Indira and Nichola came as part of a study evaluating the changes in populations of lionfish in various areas - places where they were being actively hunted, as well as control groups - and to report on their findings. 

The spiny fish are often killed with spear guns by scuba divers and are considered quite tasty. Our own chef, Don Goodman made up some tasty lionfish fritters from a catch brought in by a few of Small Hope's guests . . . 

 . . . Delicious! Pin It Now!

A Beautiful Night at Small Hope Bay Lodge

Now that hurricane Sandy has passed us here on Andros everyone was excited to get back out on our patio and enjoy the calm weather. The patio looked especially nice the last couple of evenings as we approached the October 29th full moon. Cocktail hour was made extra special with this amazing view captured by divemaster Fede. Guests and staff enjoyed Claudius's delicious drinks, yummy conch fritters and great conversation. 



















Yesterday the view was spectacular as well with the full moon rising. This view had everyone out snapping pictures! Happy Birthday again to our guest and new friend Daren who celebrated with us yesterday out under the beautiful moon...we hope you had a great night Daren!!

Pin It Now!