Welcome to Small Hope Bay Lodge, since 1960 we have been hosting scuba divers, nature lovers, & friends at our out island getaway in the Bahamas. Let us introduce you to this unique island, from dramatic scuba diving, the best snorkeling sites, world class bonefishing, & more. Unspoiled & virtually undiscovered. Andros Island, Bahamas is a world apart from the crowds & a true Bahamas Vacation.
Always a favorite around the Small Hope lunch table is Conch Chowder. This is the perfect meal to replenish your energy after a morning of diving or out on the flats fishing. Now with this recipe you can bring some of the Bahamas and Small Hope Bay Lodge to your lunch or dinner table. With all the snow this winter this is the perfect dish to warm you up after shoveling the driveway! Enjoy!
Ingredients
Vegetable oil 2 Tbs Onion, small dice 1 Celery, small diced 2 pcs Sweet Pepper small diced1 Tomatoes, small diced 2 Garlic chopped (cloves) 4 Tomato Paste ½ cup Flour ¾ cup Conch 2 lbs. Fish Stock, as needed 3 q. Carrots, medium dice 2 Potatoes, medium dice2 Thyme 2 Tbs Salt, as needed 1 Tbs Pepper, as needed 1 Tbs Pepper sauce ¼ teaspoon
Divers and snorkelers can enjoy a thrill of a lifetime while learning about some of the most misunderstood creatures in the ocean. Our shark observation dive allow divers and snorkelers to view sharks up close, in their own habitat and witness the beauty and majesty of these incredible fish.
At Small Hope Bay Lodge the objective of the shark encounter is to raise awareness, evoke a sense of responsibility and to have fun! Our shark encounter provides the sharks with a small amount of supplemental food on an irregular basis, not making the sharks dependent on us as a food source, yet still allows us to experience the thrill of being up close and personal with one of the ocean's top predators.
As the boat approaches the site, we can see the sharks begin to gather. An average of a dozen Caribbean reef shark at a time show up for a frozen chum ball feed. The chum ball, composed of frozen fish parts, hangs suspended on a fixed line 40 feet below the surface. Divers kneel off to the side on the sandy bottom at a depth of 60 feet. Other than providing them a free meal, to which they help themselves, we do not interfere with the sharks or molest them in any way.
Join us for an experience of a lifetime!
Check out the the Small Hope Sharks Experience Here
Learn more about these incredible creatures below...
cSharks have roamed our oceans since before the time of dinosaurs, but their long reign at the top of the ocean food chain may be ending. The onset of industrial fishing over the past 60 years has drastically depleted their populations. Of the shark and ray species assessed by scientists for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 30 percent are threatened or near-threatened with extinction. There are many threats facing sharks today that include by-catch, where sharks are killed when other seafood is being targeted, recreational fishing, sharks being used for ingredients in cosmetics or health supplements, destruction of habitat and more. Shark fins are now among the most expensive sea food product in the world. In general sharks are slow growing, late to mature and over long lifetimes will produce few offspring.This leaves them quite vulnerable to over exploitation and slow to recover from depletion. Being that sharks are a top predator within the ocean their depletion presents risks for the entire ocean ecosystem. A decline in the population of Tiger Sharks in a certain area will directly effect the population of sea grass beds. With nothing there to prey on the sea turtle population they will flourish and in turn deplete the vital sea grass beds, which would be an important and devastating loss of habitat.
How can you help
Visit these sites to see how you can get involved and help preserve the world's shark populations. Keep fun and educational programs such as the Small Hope shark observation dive going by helping to conserve our ocean's sharks!
Another delicious dessert for you to try. Coconut Cream Pie is always a favorite at the Small Hope dessert table, and now with the recipe you can bring it home to your table!
Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients:
1 pie crust (9 inch), baked
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
½ cup evaporated milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 packages coconut flakes (4 cups)
1 teaspoon coconut rum
1 cup whip topping
Directions:
In
heavy pan, dissolve cornstarch in water; stir in water and milk and egg
yolks.
Izzy, our playful and goofy potcake decided he was in the mood for a little fishing the other morning. He jumped right into the tidal pool and spent his morning looking for the perfect catch. His fishing skills need a little work but he sure is a joy to watch!
Check out the video as Izzy tries his best to catch a fish!
Never have you tasted anything so delicious.......
If you are like me and are constantly searching for something sweet and chocolatey to enjoy, then this is the recipe for you. Now don't get me wrong salty, savory foods have their place, I am the first dig into the salty potato chips but nothing beats the satisfaction you get when you satiate your craving for a deliciously sweet treat.
Sex in a Pan is heavenly and will no doubt become your new favorite dessert! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Have you heard what people are saying about SHBL.......
Patrick and Leon, long time repeat guests came back twice in 2012 for some diving, relaxing and socializing. Cocktail hour is always fun when these guys are around!
The Milward family came to celebrate the wedding of Isaiah and Marie. While here they also learned to dive, went fishing and danced the night away after the happy couple said 'I Do'
Lynn and Paul came all the way from the land down under to enjoy a relaxing honeymoon at Small Hope. During their stay they logged some truly incredible dives and had fun goofing off on the dock. Everyone is looking forward to their return trip!
Small Hope Bay Lodge is a special place where special people come to escape reality and enjoy some time away for the hustle and bustle of life. Whether you are a diver, fisherman, relaxer or social butterfly you will fit right in. Thank you to everyone for all the kind words about Small Hope. Our fearless leader Jeffrey Birch has always said "When you are at Small Hope, you are family"! At Small Hope Bay Lodge we have the biggest, strangest, craziest, most amazing family you could ever imagine. Thank you to all of our absolutely incredible guests who are now permanent members of that family. We look forward to seeing you all again and can't wait to meet the members still to come, I'm sure they will be as wonderfully unique and amazing as the rest!
Another year has come and gone and as we said goodbye to 2012 everyone at SHBL welcomed in 2013 with quite a celebration. The festivities at the lodge included a terrific feast prepared by our beloved culinary team. The main course was delicious, but oh the desserts! Renauldo decided to break his record this year and prepare a grand total of 53 desserts, quite fitting as we welcomed in Small Hope's 53rd year or operation.
After dinner the traditional hat making commenced and everyone's creativity came out as they made New Years hats of all shapes, sizes and colors. The night was filled with singing, dancing, Alec's bang bang shots and of course everyone got up for the electric slide! Before we knew it, midnight was here. The decorations were removed from the tree and everyone followed it out to the beach. At the stroke of 12 the tree was tossed in the fire and we all said farewell to 2012! Family, friends, guests and staff all threw in their hats and made their wishes for what they hope the new year will hold. It was a wonderful night and a New Years Eve that will not soon be forgotten! Check out our video to see how to ring in the new year at Small Hope Bay Lodge!
Onion, small dice 1
Sex in the Pan
