Sailing Through the Berry Islands: A Christmas Adventure of Peace and Gratitude

Sailing through the Berry Islands in the Bahamas offers a rare chance to escape the noise and distractions of everyday life. This Christmas, we found ourselves surrounded by turquoise waters, untouched beaches, and the quiet presence of nature. Our days were filled with hiking on deserted shores, trail- running on Whale Key (a private island with an airstrip, inhabited by a flock of peacocks), free-diving for fresh seafood, and sharing moments that reminded us of what truly matters: family, faith, and the simple gifts of life. (What a surprise to find gold on Whale key as shown below!)

During our walk, Rob spotted a beautiful orchid growing wild among the coastal plants. We admired the flower quietly, knowing we couldn’t take it with us. I found a beautiful small piece of driftwood, perfect for making a piece of art. This moment reminded us to appreciate nature’s gifts without disturbing them, a lesson in respect and gratitude.

Free-Diving for Conch and Lobsters

The clear waters around the Berry Islands are perfect for free-diving, and we took full advantage of this by doing a quick snorkel for conch and lobsters. (Quick because the water was cool and Rob and I did not wear our wetsuits.) Sadly, the locals have poached many of the smaller conch that are illegal to take because they do not have a well-developed "lip". This practice will lead to overfishing and will hurt the local fisheries. We will remind them of that...whenever we see people. Locals getting free medical care will have to listen to my lectures on conservation of natural resources! It is pretty remote here with no other boats around and no houses, except a few private estates on the private islands.

Rob and I have lost some of our competitive spirit since we saw some lobsters that were pretty big, but rather than go get our wet-suits and come back to get them, we let them live to see another year. It is unlikely that anyone would be able to catch them if we could not catch them. We do not use spears but catch by hand. Cooking and sharing the meal felt like a celebration of the day’s efforts and the bounty of the sea. It was a reminder of how nature provides for us when we treat it with care.

Celebrating Christmas with Meaning

Our Christmas celebration was simple but deeply meaningful. We did not exchange gifts, but the true focus was on the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. This time together in such a special place, in touch with friends and family by e-mail and text, was the greatest gift of all. Thank you Elon Musk for Starlink!!!

The quiet and peace of the Berry Islands allowed us to feel the presence of God in a way that is hard to experience in busy, noisy places. Without traffic, noise pollution, or the usual distractions, we could reflect on what we value most: health, family, friends and faith.