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.

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Memories at Small Hope and Cereal in Trees

Something that I've really enjoyed about interning here is how often people ask me how it is that I ended up in the Bahamas, particularly Small Hope. When I answer 'Actually, I've been here before. I was about four years old the first time I visited,' the expressions on everyone's faces goes into an exciting state of shock and joy. It's pleasant to see so many families come here with their children and when I watch the kids jump around the beach and games room I so often think 'Wow, that was me some time ago...that's pretty wild.' A number of guests have asked me to tell stories about my former experiences and they also ask how much things have changed here. And what's nice to say is that things don't really change all that much around Small Hope, and most of the grounds look just the way they did a year ago, 13 years ago and 17 years ago.

My sister and I c. 1995

Coming back always yields a great amount of nostalgia and when I walk down the line of cabins a lot of memories crop up. This morning when I was walking to breakfast, I glanced over at some of the cabins (cabin 1 and 2) and remembered some moments as I noticed a particular tree whose trunk bears an unusual shape. This tree has a large limb that was cut off  a long time ago, which makes for a pretty comfortable seat and is probably something that goes unnoticed. What's funny is that it was there 13 years ago (a lot longer than 13 years probably) and my older sister and I had quite a bit of fun with it back then. 

Back in the day, Small Hope used to have those small cereal boxes at the breakfast buffet--you know, those ones that are great for roadtrips and have a mixture of children's favorites like Fruit Loops and the not so favorites like Raisin Bran. Well, we had the brilliant idea of taking them from the buffet, along with soda cans from the coolers, and actually sell them to guests. We went to the tree whose funny trunk makes a great stand, and set up shop with a sign, Mardi Gras beads and all sorts of decorative shells. We sat around and waited, waited while shouting at passersby and actually made a profit from selling Small Hope's breakfast supply! Granted, it was marginal and probably 77 cents or something like that, but it was an exciting entrepreneurial endeavor to take on as a 9 year old. It's fun to walk by that tree and think about how cool I felt when I was little to revamp the notion of a lemonade stand and sell packaged goods in a tree. Maybe I'll take Kaliks out there some day and try to sell them to guests when the boss ain't lookin!

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Irene’s pancakes

With the weekend upon us, why not treat yourself to some pancakes for breakfast??

A little taste of Small Hope at home.......

Irene’s pancakes

4 cup. flour

1 teaspoon. baking powder

3 eggs

1 cup. sugar

1\4 teaspoon nutmeg

1\4 teaspoon cinnamon

½ c. cream

Water or milk as needed

Combine wet ingredients and beat in flour and spice till just smooth.  Add a

Little cold water if needed.  Best if rested cold an hour before

using.

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Irene has come and gone

Hello to all our friends from Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island, Bahamas!

From Jeff and all the staff we are here and all is well!

Going to do a day of clean up and we re-opened for business on Saturday August 27!

We send out our thoughts to all those who may not be as fortunate as we are…..

We thank all of you who have sent us good wishes and invite you to come on down! 

Check us out…… www.SmallHope.com

Sassy and Scuba had a fine time through out the hurricane getting a one of opportunity to hang out inside with all the staff..........

We are getting ready for our annual closing period as of the 6 of September, to get Small Hope ready for another season......Stay tuned to our Facebook Fan page for updates. 

We have some new things in the boutique for everyone to check out on their next trip to Small Hope

We looking forward to seeing old and meeting new friends soon......

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Everyone likes cookies......

Oatmeal Cookies

 

Ingredients

¾ cup shortening
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon cloves
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups quick-cooking oats

Method

Heat oven to 350˚.  Mix thoroughly shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla.  Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 1 inch apart onto greased baking sheet.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched with finger.  Immediately remove from baking sheet.

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Hi from Jim and Liz....................

We both had a great time at Small Hope Bay Lodge! 

Jim Dive master Dennis and Liz

The place itself is amazing but what adds even more is THE STAFF!!! 

I can’t begin to say enough about them. They are all so friendly and multi-talented, extremely nice young people to help you enjoy your stay at Small Hope.

We mostly snorkeled, relaxed, ate very well, went to Captain Bills Blue Hole and played cribbage!! 

Did a lot of hammocking as well!

Fantastic reefs, with great visibility, teeming with fish of all colors. From the divers we talked to they all said the dives were fantastic! You must do the Shark Emporium Dive or snorkel as I did a memorable experience to be sure!

Kudos to Jeff for offering the opportunity to enjoy Small Hope Bay Lodge, for being such a friendly, gracious host!!

Thanks to all Jeff, Nicky, Mel, Loren, Aidan, Leyna, Antonio, Joe, Bhurna, Austin, Abba, Dennis And thanks to Renaundo and ALL of his kitchen staff for the great meals!

I know I’ve left some out by mistake but you get the idea!

Come to Small Hope Bay Lodge you will LOVE IT!!!

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The dogs of Small Hope Bay Lodge.................

Guest services goes beyond the human staff at Small Hope. Small Hope’s two resident dogs, Rex and Sarah, like to chip in now and then as running companion or beach tour guides. One afternoon last week we became the first guests to test their river guiding skills.



Rex leading the way



Sara guiding the way

As we entered Davis Creek for a kayak paddle, we were met by both dogs as they enjoyed racing across the flooded sand bars. Soon though, it was all business for Rex as he decided it was his job to guide us up Davis Creek, swimming ahead of the kayak. Rex and Sarah earned a special dinner treat for creating such a fun experience and ensuring we did not get lost in the mangroves.


Mark & Barbara
Marshfield, MA

Mark, dive master Joe and Barbara

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A Big Congratulations!

Congrats to our return visitor, Dena!
On Saturday, Dec. 18th she was a lucky winner in a promotion to mark the 5 millionth visitor to The Bahamas for the year 2010. Her name was entered with other visitors from around the Bahamas Islands.


Dena was given a voucher for Androsia and a Small Hope Bay Lodge voucher to go towards her stay with us.

Dena and her family spent their second visit with us and we look forward to the next! Pin It Now!

Sharptail Eel what a find!!!!

While on a dive at Liben's Point one of our many shallow dive site's, dive master Dennis was lucky enough to come across a very uncommon to rare fine here in the Bahamas, a Sharptail Eel.

The Sharptail Eel are relatively unafraid of divers, they usually hide in the day time and forage in the open at night. You more likely to find them anywhere from shallow grass beds to areas of rocky rubble to reefs. 

Below is a look at the Sharptail Eel in its natural habit do what they do.Pretty cool !!!

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Breakfast wonderful breakfast

Breakfast at Small Hope!



Start the day with a hearty breakfast! Decisions, decisions…..fried or scramble eggs, pancakes or French toast, ham or bacon…maybe a little of everything! We also have fresh fruit, a range of cereals, toast and jam and there is always a pot of coffee brewing.

If you are feeling a little adventurous, ask for the Bahamian Breakfast Special!


“Chicken souse”  boiled chicken & vegetables in a lemony broth

“Corn beef & grits” (known as Fire Engine, by the locals) -corn beef with green peppers and tomatoes in a thyme sauce

“Stew conch” a thick soup with conch and potato

“Sardines & grits” the name says it all!

Well, this makes me hungry, how about you? Pin It Now!

Androsia Testimonials from guest

ANDROSIA TESTIMONIALS FROM SMALL HOPE BAY LODGE GUESTS

Here at Small Hope we offer all guest the chance to experenice the Androsia Batik factory. Where you can have a lesson, a tour around the warehouse were all the Androsia Batik is made. We offer this tour 3 times a week in the afternoon.

Here are some coments from guest who have already experenice the Androsia tour:



Batik

 Laurie

“We went to Androsia because we thought it would be an easy way to pick up gifts. We only planned to spend 10 or 15 minutes in the boutique but ended up staying over a half hour! There are so many beautiful, colorful products to choose from. I would recommend this excursion to anyone!”

Elena Killgore

“I have been there before twice. The Killgore family (my family) brought 15 people with us this time. When I come back, I’m still going to use the little writing utensils and I hope they have the praying hands in the wax. I appreciate them doing this for me and my family and friends. I look forward to seeing the factory and the people next time I come. My experience has been wonderful every time I have come.”





Caitlin Killgore

“After three times of visiting the factory and store, the magic of creating my own cloth has not diminished in the least. Our creativity is unleashed by designing marine life and then choosing a color to have it dyed in. Also, the shopping gave me a chance to buy my own apparel to make me feel even more connected to the island.”

Kayla Combs

“The experience was unique and I would do it again. I learned the techniques of batiking and was intrigued by them. I hope I can do it again.”

Lynn, Faith, & Buddy Best

“We truly enjoyed our visit to the factory to learn the technique of batik. My daughter enjoyed learning and making her own creative piece of art. A wonderful group of people! We loved it!”





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Shark diving at Small Hope

The “Shark Emporium” Dive 

۞ WHY WE ARE SHARK DIVING: 

We do the Shark Dive in order to allow you to observe sharks, one of the most amazing and interesting animals of the ocean rarely seen up close in our area. Sharks have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years and have proven themselves a vital part of their environment. This dive will give you the change to better understand and respect shark behavior, as well as enjoy the thrill of watching them feed.

Reef Shark

One of the many sharks you will see

Making the chum

۞   HOW THE SHARKS FEED:

We have tried not to disrupt their nature as little as possible. At Small Hope Bay we use a chum ball method. A “Chum ball” consists of fish pieces frozen in salt water. Because the fish is frozen, as it melts it creates a “slow release” of the food. Using this slow release” method, sharks do not associate humans with the food. Although we are conditioning the sharks to a small degree by feeding them we feel we are not changing their behavior.When sharks feed they have a hierarchy. The sharks will swim calmly in and wait their turn; they usually feed one at a time off the chum ball. Some sharks may not even feed at all. The shark feed can last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on how long the chum ball lasts. Near the end, when the last piece of fish comes loose from the chum ball one of the sharks will try to snatch it. This action excites the other sharks creating a “Mad Dash” for the last piece of fish. The Dive masters will knock on their tanks when this time is close.



Sharks feeding on the chum

۞ HOW WE WILL DIVE THE DIVE:


On the sand waiting for sharks



To start the dive you will sit in a sandy area in front of a large coral head in about 60 feet of water. You will relax and get comfortable as the Dive Masters bring the chum ball down. As soon as they bring the chum ball down they will give you a signal that you are free to swim around. It is asked that no one goes closer than 20 feet to, and never under the chum ball. you are welcome to swim around and on top. After the food is gone, and the sharks begin to disperse, you are free to roam the bottom and look for shark teeth. You can go back to the boat at any time you like.

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Juggling Love

We've always known that we have multi-talented guests at Small Hope Bay Lodge but even Jeff was surprised at the talent exhibited by honeymooners, Jason and Laura. The newlyweds kept the other guests constantly entertained with their bubbly personalities but really kicked it up a notch first with light up juggling balls and then with a really HOT fire show!

Here is the video of the juggling, with Divemaster Loren getting in on the action:



And then the bonfire on the beach that turned into a fire show and lessons for Divemaster Dennis.






Thanks to Jason and Laura for the fabulous spontaneous entertainment -- just another example of why the Small Hope way of life rocks! Pin It Now!

WAHOO!

Gene and Andrea took a break from their diving vacation (they became certified Open Water divers at the beginning of their 10 day stay) to go out for a half day of deep sea fishing.

They brought in two barracudas and Andrea came in victorious by reeling in a good sized wahoo. Chef Scoot filleted the fish for dinner and Andrea fed all of the guests the fish dish that night!



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Spontaneous Entertainment

The tradition of spontaneous entertainment continues in our 50th year here at Small Hope Bay Lodge. Georgia took many of the guests back in time by playing songs by Jimi Hendrix, the Who and other classic rockers. Here's a video of her musical stylings:


Our resident musician, Ashley, has left Small Hope Bay Lodge to pursue his music career in Nassau. We wish him all the best and look forward to seeing him become a big success! Pin It Now!

Fishing and Snorkeling for Couples

Peter and Carol have been coming to Small Hope Bay Lodge for years because they can do both of their favorite activities -- great snorkeling and fantastic bonefishing -- all in one place. Carol surprised Peter for his birthday with a trip to wander the Andros flats and she got her fill of Bahamas snorkeling while he was at it!

Thanks for sharing your special day with us!

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Professional Relaxation

If you work hard, you play hard and that is what the six ladies from California did when they came to SHBL. Kate and Le have been coming to Small Hope for years and enjoy spending time in their life together diving with us and this time, they brought four of their friends along. All of the women are doctors and nurses and they took time out of their busy schedules to dive, hot tub and go on eco tours here on Andros Island.

One of their hot tub excursions resulted in the formation of the the multi-national North American Dive Association or NADA. This fun loving dive group had the whole Lodge in stitches (todo por NADA) all week long!

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Sonya's Praise

We recently received this email from Sonya, who visited us in July:

I was a solo diver with limited experience, looking for a nurturing dive environment where I could gain the practical knowledge and confidence I lacked. I decided on SHBL as part 2 of my dive vacation but did not sensibly plan how I would get there from my first destination, Aware of my dilemma, Jeff Birch, Very Graciiously offered to pick me up as my best other option would have been taking 2 planes approximately 8 hours apart.

Instead of showing my appreciation my first words to him were "where is the rest of the plane", when he showed up in the single engine cessna 182 pictured on the website. Wondering if it would be safer to swim to the lodge, I eventually boarded the plane and there began my relationship with the soothsayers of SHBL. Sometime after takeoff Jeff convinced me to open my eyes and something shifted at that moment. I don't know whether it was his calm demeanor or the the beautiful scene spread out below me, probably a bit of both, but my fear of flying in that "pint sized plane" was replaced by my gratitude for the sublime experience.

One by one, my fears were challenged. While diving, Ashley calmly and unhurriedly coaxed me through caverns that I had initially refused to enter. I set my depth goal at 90 feet and achieved 185. WOW!!! I dove with sharks, and the Back of the Blue Hole is an under water experience that I doubt I will ever surpass. But thats OK, as long as I get the chance to do it again.

I had a personal underwater guardian angel in Alex, always there when I needed him. And Danielle was the angel on land. I began my underwater photographic experience with the advice and guidance of Loren. "Thanks so much, Loren." Chef Renauldo went beyond expectations to accommodate the special requests of his guests. My inability to tolerate those weight belts was no problem for Amanda whose technological prowess had her whipping up an alternative in no time. Tonya is fun and spirited and Moose exhibits such calm and competence that I basically stuck to him like glue during my 185' dive. I hear Mike is "the man", but I didn't have the pleasure of diving with him. Looking forward to it in the future. Congrats to dive master Dennis, who I also look forward to diving with.

The guests are at least as lovely as the staff and interns. The British Padmores and the Mississippi McCalls really went out of their way to embrace a solo traveler and I look forward to seeing them again in the future. What great luck that there was another solo diver, Wes, that became my dive buddy for the rest of the trip.

When I compare my dive competence and level of comfort pre SHBL to post SHBL I can hardly believe it. These people are nothing less than bonafide Dive Whisperers!
I highly recommend Small Hope for a fantastic dive vacation and don't forget to bring your "extra baggage", I am sure you will leave a lot lighter. I did.

Thank you Jeff and the entire Small Hope Staff!

Sonya Preudhomme
@SHBL July 2009

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Small Hope Staff Party

To celebrate the close of the 2008-2009 season, the entire staff at SHBL had their annual meeting and staff party. The entire staff - dive, maintenance, kitchen and housekeeping got together to enjoy a delicious Bahamian meal and a fishing expedition.

First, we had to take care of the serious stuff and Jeff went over the customer exit surveys for the year. We learned that for the fifth year running, we have scored 100% in the customer service category! Thank you to everyone who returned a survey this year. We do read them and we do learn from them!

After the business was taken care of, the staff split up onto two boats and headed out to the reef to do some fishing. It was a tight competition between the boats to see who could haul in the most catch -- it was especially tight between our two best fisherman, Austin and Terrance!

We then all moved to Goat Cay for some music and relaxation. Gearing up for our 50th season is keeping us busy so the staff all enjoyed our day in the sun!

See you soon!

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Geo Caching at Small Hope Bay Lodge

Long time guest Nick has helped Small Hope Bay Lodge enter a world of high tech intrigue -- geo caching. Geo caching is a fun and high tech treasure hunt using GPS technology. The hider of the cache takes a container and hides in it a log and maybe some goodies and then mark the location of the cache with their GPS. They then post the coordinates and maybe some hints and encrypted clues on sites like geocaching.com for others to download so they can go search for the treasure.

Nick created the first caches on Andros a couple of years ago and this year, he has trained us to do caches of our own. You can find the coordinates for one of our caches and get more information on Geocaching here.

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