# Eating for a dollar a day in the Bahamas



## jerryRiggin (Jul 7, 2011)

I'm interested in how ya'll eat for cheap in the Bahamas.

While we were cruising the Bahamas we fed ourselves for pretty darn cheap. (Check out the map below for the places we've visited.)










However, we bypassed the usual frivolities that "vacation cruisers" afford themselves (like potato chips, nutella, and other processed goodies).

How did we do this? 
We 
1. Spearfished (no triggers or scuba gear!)
2. Fished
3. Conched
4. Stocked up on some of the cheaper long-lasting stuff like rice in Florida
5. Made friends and ate with them to experience the local cuisine instead of just going to a restaurant (get to try the local cuisine and you make new friends... double winner!)

My question to you, how do YOU eat for cheap in the Bahamas??
What tips do you have for us and everyone else out there planning cruises in the Bahamas?


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

One of the true treasures of the Bahamas that almost nobody eats are the penn shells. You see them in many of the anchorages as little arches in the sand. Grab the shell, twist and pull and you'll get a triangular bivalve that very much resembles a scallop inside.
Another is the spider crab. They can be quite large and though they have little meat, they are quite tasty. They are unregulated, unlike lobsters, so take as many as you need to make a nice meal.
For some reason, the Bahamians don't eat shark. Shark is excellent food and has no bones. For the best flavor, soak the cubed meat in a salt water/lemon or lime brine for a few hours to leach out the urea from the flesh. The very best shark, the mako, has no urea in it's flesh, if you feel you can take on a real man eater without becoming his dinner, instead!
In the early morning, you can slip quietly over the stern and gently work your way to the bow and sometimes you will have a group of squid arrayed around your anchor chain just below the surface. Wait for that perfect moment when you can get several with one shot! What a wonderful breakfast they make.
There are many other creatures (octopus, sea cucumbers, moray eels, etc) in Bahamian waters that are unregulated and easy to get, but many require special preparation so always check with a local fisherman before killing something.
If you are the sort to enjoy a good, but possibly fatal, game of Russian Roulette Caribbean style, then Barracuda is the fish for you. As the top predator in tropical waters it will more than likely have a good bit of ciguatera toxins in it's flesh, and this is NOT a meal you will ever forget, even if you only get a light dose. Even if offered one by a local, my recommendation after nearly 50 years of tropical fishing is to politely decline.


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

Beans and split peas are another item you can stock up on, where cheap and available.
I am embarrassed at how much I used to spend, during my poverty years, on beans and pea soup in cans. A year's supply is super cheap, and not all that hard to carry or stock up on. Doesn't take up much space.
I have read not to use a pressure cooker on them, as they may foam up and plug the vent. Put a bit of cooking oil on top, and they don't foam at all. That trick also keeps the top of your pressure cooker clean when cooking brown rice.
Buy a copy of "The Bean Book" by Rose Elliot.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

Just another advertisement for Navionics. Ask yourself, what possible purpose does posting that picture serve? Sorry to break it to you capta and Brent, but you have fallen for it. Trust me, jerryRiggin does not care AT ALL about eating cheap in the Bahamas.


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## jorgenl (Aug 14, 2006)

Why eat cheap food when you can eat good food?


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## jerryRiggin (Jul 7, 2011)

denverd0n said:


> Just another advertisement for Navionics. Ask yourself, what possible purpose does posting that picture serve? Sorry to break it to you capta and Brent, but you have fallen for it. Trust me, jerryRiggin does not care AT ALL about eating cheap in the Bahamas.


Actually, I will be hosting a webinar to help other sailors eat more cheaply while cruising so that they can keep within a smaller budget that many cruisers must adopt when sailing.... at least we did.

I know what WE did to collect food from the ocean to keep us from having to spend as much buying food, but I am interested to see what others are doing. From my previous webinars this is an area of interest to many future cruisers and have been asked multiple times to provide information on this.

I hope that cruisers out there will share their experiences. I appreciate those that have already done so in this thread.


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## jerryRiggin (Jul 7, 2011)

jorgenl said:


> Why eat cheap food when you can eat good food?


LOL... well the idea is to eat cheap, good food.  
We have amazing dishes for super cheap while cruising... if you like seafood


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## jerryRiggin (Jul 7, 2011)

Brent Swain said:


> Beans and split peas are another item you can stock up on, where cheap and available.
> I am embarrassed at how much I used to spend, during my poverty years, on beans and pea soup in cans. A year's supply is super cheap, and not all that hard to carry or stock up on. Doesn't take up much space.
> I have read not to use a pressure cooker on them, as they may foam up and plug the vent. Put a bit of cooking oil on top, and they don't foam at all. That trick also keeps the top of your pressure cooker clean when cooking brown rice.
> Buy a copy of "The Bean Book" by Rose Elliot.


Holy moly! I never knew how to prevent the pressure cooker from clogging b/c of the steam. THANK YOU!!


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## jerryRiggin (Jul 7, 2011)

capta said:


> One of the true treasures of the Bahamas that almost nobody eats are the penn shells. You see them in many of the anchorages as little arches in the sand. Grab the shell, twist and pull and you'll get a triangular bivalve that very much resembles a scallop inside.
> Another is the spider crab. They can be quite large and though they have little meat, they are quite tasty. They are unregulated, unlike lobsters, so take as many as you need to make a nice meal.
> For some reason, the Bahamians don't eat shark. Shark is excellent food and has no bones. For the best flavor, soak the cubed meat in a salt water/lemon or lime brine for a few hours to leach out the urea from the flesh. The very best shark, the mako, has no urea in it's flesh, if you feel you can take on a real man eater without becoming his dinner, instead!
> In the early morning, you can slip quietly over the stern and gently work your way to the bow and sometimes you will have a group of squid arrayed around your anchor chain just below the surface. Wait for that perfect moment when you can get several with one shot! What a wonderful breakfast they make.
> ...


Wow, capta! What wonderful suggestions. After a year of "living off the land" in the Bahamas (and many, many shorter trips) I never tried many of the things you listed here. I am eager to try them on my next trip now.

A few questions, 
Is it legal to collect shark? 
I know that triggered spearguns are illegal in Bahamaian waters. Can you harvest a shark with a polespear and/or Hawaiian sling (which is what we always use)??!! Or do you catch them with line?

Any suggestions for resources on how to prep these creative harvests (besides the locals) so I can plan and learn a bit in preparation for the next trip?

Thanks a million!


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

jerryRiggin said:


> Wow, capta! What wonderful suggestions. After a year of "living off the land" in the Bahamas (and many, many shorter trips) I never tried many of the things you listed here. I am eager to try them on my next trip now.
> 
> A few questions,
> Is it legal to collect shark?
> ...


To the best of my knowledge there are no local regulations on shark fishing in the Bahamas, but it's been some time since I've lived there. I'd check with a customs/immigration officer on that.
As for catching them, I'd go with hook and line, not being in the water with an angry/injured one, even a small one. Cook shark as you would any fish.
Any scallop recipe should do nicely for the penn shells (lots of garlic, Mediterranean seasonings and olive oil). I doubt there are any local recipes for either, as the locals eat neither. If in doubt, curry makes anything palatable!
Squid is nice sauteed with garlic in olive oil, but also fried. Caution; over cooking will make it rubbery.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Yes, you can collect shark(s), but I would NOT use anything other than a hook and line. Shooting a shark while in the water is just plain dumb. They don't die easy, and they really get pissed off when you shoot them.

As for eating quality, mako is pretty good, but the best tasting of all is the spiny dogfish, or dogshark, which reaches about 55 pounds when fully grown. The meat is harvested commercially and frequently used for fillet of fish in fast food restaurants because there are no bones to contend with, thus no law suits about bones stuck in someone's throat. Like all sharks, they must be quickly killed, then immediately gutted and rinsed thoroughly to prevent spoilage. I usually cut them into steaks about 1-inch thick, remove the spinal cartilage and skin, them rinse again and freeze the steaks in vacuum sealed bags. They are best prepared on a gas grill and basted with Yoshida Gourmet Sauce while grilling. A light sprinkle of Montreal Steak Seasoning also goes a long way. 

Now, you will need a fishing license to harvest any species of fish, including shark. And, non resident licenses can be expensive, especially in Florida where a 3-day license is $17 and a year round license is $47. And, they don't give you a break because you're over age 65 if you're a non resident.

The person that posted about ciguatera hit the nail on the head - even a mild case is really nasty and has long lasting effects that you don't want to encounter. And, you can contract ciguatera from nearly any fish that spends a fair amount of time residing over coral reefs. The most prominent species that carries the disease is parrotfish, which are immune to the effects. They consume the dynaflagellate algae that contains ciguatera while nibbling on dead coral. Parrotfish are among the favorite prey of barracuda, which are also immune from the neurotoxin. Other species that have reported incidents of ciguatera poisoning include: yellowtail snapper, red snapper, mangrove snapper, grunt, and various species of mackerel. While not common in these species, it has been reported. 

Now, ask any Floridian, especially those residing in the keys, what is their favorite food fish and the vast majority will tell you grunt. I tend to agree with them. The meat is snow white, sweet, flaky and tastes fantastic when dipped in beer batter and pan fried in vegetable oil. DO NOT USE OLIVE OIL! It is not suitable for frying any battered fish and gives it a nasty taste. Grunt, flannel mouthed grunt and French grunt can be found from North Carolina to the Dry Tortugas, all of the Bahamas and BVI, they're very each to catch, and grow to an average of 10 inches in most areas. However, I have found considerably larger ones southwest of Key West, some weighing up to 2 pounds and measuring 14 inches in length. Bait varies from squid strips to small pieces of shrimp, and when you find a large concentration of them, a small piece of red rag impaled on a size 1 wide-gap hook works great. After I've placed a few fish in the cooler chest, I often wipe the strip of cloth over the fish to get some slime on it, which makes it a deadly bait the grunt go crazy over. 

While sailing along the edge of the reef, I often troll a small, silver or gold spoon on a heavy action spinning rod. This is a great way to catch Spanish mackerel, cero mackerel and king mackerel, all of which are great tasting when consumed fresh. However, because they are an oily species of fish, they do not lend well to freezing for more than a few days. I skin and fillet the mackerel, then marinate them in Yoshida Gourmet Sauce for about 30 minutes before placing them on the boat's kettle grill. Another great recipe for them is to coat the fillets with about 1/8-inch of mayonnaise, then sprinkle the mayo with a bit of Old Bay Seafood Seasoning, which is available at most US grocery stores. 

For side dishes with fish, I prefer things such as mac and cheese, potato salad, and macaroni salad - what the Hell, you don't want to linger in a nursing home, do you? Steamed broccoli is pretty good too if you slather it with cheese sauce, and the same goes for baby brussell sprouts as well. Cheese sauce does wonderful things to most green vegetables. Then I sprinkle them with Durkee Onion Bits - OH YEAH!

Of course, I usually find that washing dinner down with either an ice cold beer, or green coconut Margeratta makes any meal a bit more palatable. This part of the meal, however, will blow that dollar a day budget all to Hell. 

All the best,

Gary  

Good luck,

Gary


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## K100Fran (Dec 7, 2000)

I vote for lunch with Gary😀🍺


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)




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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

K100Fran said:


> I vote for lunch with Gary😀🍺


And he says he keeps his bar well stocked, win win.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

miatapaul said:


> And he says he keeps his bar well stocked, win win.


.. not to mention the live music afterwards!


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

Faster said:


> .. not to mention the live music afterwards!


Gary always has a flock of pretty birds as well...


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

So now we're up to 'Win, Win, Win, Win'


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

The boat's on the hard guys, but when mid April arrives, the boat will be **** and span, in the water, the bar fully stocked, and I'll call the ladies. The next four months seem like eternity right now, but I try not to think of the upcoming nasty weather in this part of the world. Today, I put an extra tarp over the front of the boat, added water to the batteries, and made sure the solar panel and regulator or working OK. In the next few days, I'll be wiping down the entire interior with bleach-water and then coating the interior woodwork with a protective oil. After that, I'll polish the stainless stove, clean the windows, then bring home all the bed clothing to wash and stow. I even wipe out the interior of the storage complartments with bleach-water, then place a dryer cloth in each drawer to keep them fresh. I want that boat to smell like brand new when spring arrives. The only special project I have for this winter is to install a new antenna lead for the SSB, which is an easy task.

All the best,

Gary


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

For really cheap food around here in BC is road kill .Big bucks with hardons get hit by trucks and I roadside butcher for the dog. He loves the venison. I'm pretty picky but gotta admit it doesn't all go for Cooper. Grew up on hillside steaks so just like old times.


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

Wonder how many posts this thread is from dumpster diving?


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Back when hard times were upon our family, we pretty much lived on venison, squirrel, rabbit, and fish. We had a pretty good vegetable garden next to the house, which produced peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, carrots, beets, squash, peas, and lima beans, nearly all of which were frozen. In reality, we had a much better diet than most of our neighbors who had much high incomes at the time. Since improving the financial status and growing old, I've become lazy. No more vegetable garden, and I enjoy the taste of fillet mignon much more than venison.  I guess my point is, if you're good with a fishing rod and a shotgun, and have access to locations where game and fish are abundant, you can live very, very well on the cheap. I've written a cookbook many years ago that deals mainly with game and fish, though I never got around to having it published. Just might have to do that next year. 

All the best,

Gary


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## norsearayder (Dec 19, 2006)

When I was in Bahamas in 2012 shark fishing was illegal ‼


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

To my knowledge, shark fishing is still legal worldwide.

Gary


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## norsearayder (Dec 19, 2006)

Gary first of all. I admire your posts,boat,lifestyle etc.in USA sharks are very regulated,you need a NOAA permit to catch one,a minimum size of 4.5 feet and some sharks you cannot hurt or catch such as the great white.in the Bahamas a. New law in 2011 bans all shark fishing.I read this in a Bahama sportfishing magazine when I was there.gota go eat cheers


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

And remember, SCUBA is NOT allowed for the harvest of fish, lobster or any other critters. If you're going to spearfish, you need to use a Hawaiian sling and snorkel gear/free dive. (Per Fishing regulations | The Islands of The Bahamas)

I believe the official regs are here: http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/imag...sJurisdictionandConservationRegulations_1.pdf


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I knew about the shark fishing permit, that has been in place for a long time. Kinda like a federal fishing license. In US waters, sharks are catagorized for recreational fishing as follows:

Harvestable Sharks fall into the following three groups of species:


Group 1 sharks (12 species) have no minimum size limit and include: 

Atlantic Sharpnose
Blacknose
Blacktip
Bonnethead
Finetooth
All species of dogfish and smoothounds within the Genus Mustelus

Group 2 sharks (9 species) which have a 54 inch (fork length) minimum size limit:

Bull
Nurse
Spinner
Blue
Oceanic whitetip
Porbeagle
Shortfin mako
Thresher

Bag and vessel limits for Group 1 and Group 2 sharks: The daily bag limit is one shark per person per day and there is an overlapping vessel limit of 2 sharks. This means that the maximum number of sharks that can be retained from a vessel is 2 sharks even if more than two anglers are on board.


Group 3 sharks (which include all species of shark not included within Groups 1, 2 and 4) are not specifically regulated.

For this group of sharks the daily bag limit is 100 pounds or 2 fish - whichever is the greater amount.


Group 4 sharks are prohibited from harvest in state waters and include:

Atlantic angel (Squatina dumeril)
Basking (Cetorhinus maximus)
Bigeye sand tiger (Odontaspis noronhai)
Bigeye sixgill (Hexanchus nakamurai)
Bigeye thresher (Alopias vulpinus)
Bignose (Carcharhinus altimus)
Caribbean reef (Carcharhinus perezii)
Dusky (Carcharhinus obscurus)
Galapagos (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)
Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
Longfin mako (Isurus paucus)
Narrowtooth (Carcharhinus brachyurus)
Night (Carcharhinus signatus)
Sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus)
Sand tiger (Odontaspis taurus)
Scalloped hammerhead (Sphryna lewini)
Sevengill (Heptranchias perlo)
Silky (Carcharhinus falciformis)
Sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus)
Smalltail (Carcharhinus porosus)
Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)
Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Whale (Rhincodon typus)
White (Carcharodon carcharias)

The biggiest problem with shark conservation is not every nation has signed onto the deal. And, the commercial exploitation of shark is incredible, even in the US. Much of this is due to the fast food industry, which utilizes shark meat for fish sandwiches because it has no bones and very easy to process. No bones = no lawsuits because of fish bones caught in someone's throat. The prime targeted species for this is spiny dogfish, which are heavily harvested off the coast of North Carolina during the spawning run.

The prime reason behind the shark fishing prohibition in the Bahamas was a huge black market that was finning sharks in that part of the world. Sharks were rarely kept by recreational anglers, mainly because the species in the bahamas were not preferred for eating, but when it came to shark fins, all sharks were targeted. The practice of shark finning has been pretty much banned worldwide, but the black market dealers don't care much about laws.

As for edible species, my favorite is the spiny dogfish, which reaches weights of about 55 pounds maximum and can be found in shallow waters along the coasts of most nations. They give birth to live young, usually in early spring. The meat is sweet, firm, flakey and can be prepared in a variety of ways with excellent results. I usually cook steaks on the grill and baste them with Yoshida Gourmet Sauce. Be careful not to overcook them as they can be tough when overcooked.

Hope this helps,

Gary


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

For beans and split peas, I rinse them in enough water, until the rinse water runs clear, to wash away the indigestible proteins ( fart maker) A bit of vinegar helps here.
Then I use three cups of water per cup of beans or peas. I add sweetener , stevia in my cooking. Peas I cook for 20 minutes at 17 lbs in the pressure cooker, just hot enough to keep the rocker barely moving, for 20 minutes. Any hotter or longer will burn them .
For 18 bean soup mix, I add ketchup, onions, garlic, turmeric, sweetener and any veggies I have around , and cook them for a half hour, with the rocker bately moving.. If they haven't been pre soaked, I leave them for the day, add a bit more water, and give them another ten or twenty minutes at supper time .
Supper is soup. Leave them overnight and they thicken, giving you the best burrito filler ever, for breakfast.


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## jerryRiggin (Jul 7, 2011)

K100Fran said:


> I vote for lunch with Gary😀🍺


And we'll stay for dinner!


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## jerryRiggin (Jul 7, 2011)

Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone! Really useful information!


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)




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## dilligaf0220 (Jul 29, 2015)

It still is.


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