The Undersea World of Pastor Jeff

My son-in-law, Jeff Bartz, grew up in Stafford and is the youth pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Batavia. An avid outdoorsman he became a good shot with a bow and arrow rather quickly. As a result, I had little doubt he would master a Hawaiian sling. But never for a moment, not in my wildest dreams did I think he would become so proficient so fast. When we started out as dive companions I was his instructor, showing him how to use mask, fins, snorkel and how to use a "sling." Two years later I was relegated to fish retriever, swimming to the bottom to collect fish he'd speared. And I didn't mind one bit, knowing there would be fresh fish on the dining table. But spearing fish on coral reefs a mile or more offshore can be a bit hairy at times as fresh kills often meant predatory species came cruising.

This barracuda provided plenty of thrills - from the moment Jeff speared it until we put it in the boat. After cartwheeling all over the place, the "cuda" died on the bottom in thirty plus feet of water. A few minuters later I hit a nice sized margate that took off into the coral maze with my spear. We were treading water when Jeff said, "There's a shark." Now short of breath I asked "Where?" "Right there" he said, motioning below us. I peered into the water and sure enough, maybe twelve or fifteen feet below us, a gray reef shark came swimming toward the coral, its tail sweeping back and forth, its head swinging from side to side. Anything but oblivious to our presence, the shark paid us no mind and was probably homing in on the wounded margate. 

  Our spearfishing expeditions lasted long enough to gather the evening dinner. We made sure there was plenty of time for family recreational diving. In photo above one of my grandson's has spotted something.

  Turns out to be a sea biscuit. Only 8 years old at the time of photo, he's become quite adept in the water.

  Four year old Michael had no qualms about the ocean. 

But the little guy wasn't quite ready to take the plunge.

A school of striped grunts mingle with a lone tang and a blue parrot fish.

A "stoplight" parrot fish.

Spiny lobsters have no claws....still great eating.

Mutton snapper also provide excellent table fare.

This is a porcupine fish - covered with spines and not good eating!

Upside down porcupine fish!

Reg Sweeting grew up on Man 'O War Cay where he still resides. He works the stone crab and lobster boats in season. Here he's about to take a hatchet to a conch and release vacuum inside.

Having broken the seal he applies the knife....

and its conch fritters for dinner....

along with some grouper!

The Man 'O War cemetery. Jeff refers to this pic as "the hope of heaven in the Bahamas." 

Sunset over Marsh Harbour.