by Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost Travel Journalist scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com The odds look good for sinking the Lady Luck as Broward County’s largest artificial reef in July. But the mock …
Billfish Invitational Day 1 – Scuba Diving?
19 May 20119:17 PM
During this week’s Billfish Invitational tournament, Fred Garth, Editor-In-Chief of Guy Harvey Magazine, will be filing a series of dispatches from tournament headquarters at the Bimini Big Game Club.
The day began with sunny skies and nice reggae music playing at the open air Big Game Bar and Grill. I munched on eggs and bacon and slurped down mucho coffee after a big night of festivities at the Billfish Invitational opening celebration. (Note to self: avoid Appleton’s Reserve Rum in the future – stick to virgin Coca Cola).
We set out after a hearty breakfast for a few scuba dives with Guy Harvey, his son Alex, Steve Stock (GH Inc, President), Frank Johnson of Mold Craft and sculptor Kent Ullberg. Fishing boats headed out into a glassy sea and negligible winds – 12 boats in all – to try their luck with the wily billfish. A full report on that will come later tonight or tomorrow.
The weather is absolutely and positively PERFECT with zero wind or waves. The scuba trip was also stellar. Saw lots of cool critters – turtles, rays, grouper, permit, and the rest of their slimy brethren. But no sharks. However, Guy Harvey is not the kind of dude to be disappointed. He gathered four mahi-mahi carcasses yesterday for a chum fest this afternoon on the shark dive.
That report as well as fishing results will be coming later, that is, unless the song of the Appleton’s Reserve fills the air with its sweet music before I can jump into the blogosphere. We will see what wins – rum or blog. Place your bets!!
Garth Out!
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![](mailto:?subject=Billfish Invitational Day 1 – Scuba Diving?&body=During this week’s Billfish Invitational tournament, Fred Garth, Editor-In-Chief of <a title="GHM web site" href="http://www.guyharveymagazine.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Magazine</a>, will be filing a series of dispatches from tournament headquarters at the Bimini Big Game Club.
The day began with sunny skies and nice reggae music playing at the open air <a title="About the Big Game Bar & Grill" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/bimini-bar-grill.htm" target="_blank">Big Game Bar and Grill</a>. I munched on eggs and bacon and slurped down mucho coffee after a big night of festivities at the <a title="Billfish Invitational web site" href="http://www.billfishinvitational.com/" target="_blank">Billfish Invitational</a> opening celebration. (Note to self: avoid Appleton’s Reserve Rum in the future – stick to virgin Coca Cola).
We set out after a hearty breakfast for a few scuba dives with <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a>, his son Alex, Steve Stock (GH Inc, President), Frank Johnson of <a title="Mold Craft web site" href="http://www.moldcraft.com" target="_blank">Mold Craft</a> and sculptor <a title="Kent Ullberg's web site" href="http://www.kentullberg.net" target="_blank">Kent Ullberg</a>. Fishing boats headed out into a glassy sea and negligible winds – 12 boats in all – to try their luck with the wily billfish. A full report on that will come later tonight or tomorrow.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/stevekentguyalex11.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-737" title="Scuba Diving at the Billfish Invitational!" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/stevekentguyalex11.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="366" /></a>Left to right: Steve Stock, Kent Ullberg, Guy Harvey and Alex Harvey
The weather is absolutely and positively PERFECT with zero wind or waves. The scuba trip was also stellar. Saw lots of cool critters – turtles, rays, grouper, permit, and the rest of their slimy brethren. But no sharks. However, Guy Harvey is not the kind of dude to be disappointed. He gathered four mahi-mahi carcasses yesterday for a chum fest this afternoon on the shark dive.
That report as well as fishing results will be coming later, that is, unless the song of the Appleton’s Reserve fills the air with its sweet music before I can jump into the blogosphere. We will see what wins – rum or blog. Place your bets!!
Garth Out! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/billfish-invitational-day-1-scuba-diving/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Lady Luck To Take a Dive This Summer&body=by Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost Travel Journalist
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
The odds look good for sinking the Lady Luck as Broward County's largest artificial reef in July. But the mock underwater gambling casino aimed at attracting both fish and scuba divers to the waters off Pompano Beach could use a few more high rollers.
The non-profit Shipwreck Park Foundation, made up of city officials and local business owners including the Isle Casino, has put up $625,000 to purchase, transport, clean and finally sink the 324-foot former sludge tanker about 1 1/2 miles southeast of the Pompano Beach Pier. The ship, originally called the Newtown Creek, was towed from its former home in New York City to a shipyard on the Miami River in late April to be stripped of equipment, cleaned of pollutants and drained of fuel and oil.
But some unexpected permits imposed by New York officials before they would release the ship increased the project cost by about $175,000. So now the Foundation is looking for some private donors to chip in and make up the difference.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/wreck.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-4075 size-full" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/wreck.jpg" alt="wreck" width="720" height="361" /></a>
"It's going to be a great wreck," said Captain Jeff Torode of South Florida Diving Headquarters, a Guy Harvey Outpost Outfitter. "Everybody is going to benefit. It's a win-win."
The Lady Luck sports multiple decks and is covered with metal piping that creates plenty of nooks and crannies for fish to hide and coral to grow. Its relief and complexity enhances the whimsical casino ambience to be created by prominent Pompano Beach artist Dennis MacDonald: mock poker tables; roulette wheels; oversized dice; and fish costumed as croupiers. Donors to the project can commission unique artwork by MacDonald to be placed throughout the ship. The interior bulkheads will feature a rotating gallery of waterproof paintings and other decorations crafted by local artists. Options for underwater selfies will be limitless.
Lady Luck is to become the centerpiece of Pompano Beach's Shipwreck Park, which includes other popular artificial reefs such as the Captain Dan and Jay Scutti. Plans call for an underwater trail connecting them.
Resolve Marine Group, based in Fort Lauderdale, has been chosen to sink the ship-- performing underwater modeling and other tests to ensure it settles right-side up on the sandy bottom. Broward County's last artificial reef deployment-- a barge holding Easter Island-like Rapa Nui statues--went wrong when it flipped upside down off Deerfield Beach last summer, crushing most of the artwork.
To learn more about how you can help with the deployment of Lady Luck, go <a href="http://www.shipwreckparkpompano.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a>.
*******************
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
********** https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/lady-luck-to-take-a-dive-this-summer/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Bouncer for Sale at Guy Harvey’s Bimini Sands Beach Bash, Bonfire & Tournament&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/gho-btb2014-logo-cc.jpg"><img id="i-1964" class="size-full wp-image" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/gho-btb2014-logo-cc.jpg?w=650" alt="Image" /></a> “Legendary Captain” Bouncer Smith Auctions Bimini Fishing Charters To Benefit Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and IGFA, During Guy Harvey Outpost Beach Bash Bonfire & Tournament at Bimini Sands Resort & Marina June 26 - June 29 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (May 8, 2014) – Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts announced today plans to offer Bimini fishing charters with IGFA “Legendary Captain” Bouncer Smith during its upcoming Beach Bash Bonfire and Tournament. The June 26-29 tournament will be hosted by Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, the newest member of the Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Collection of offshore resorts and lodges. Guy Harvey Outpost has opened on-line tournament registration where anglers and their guests can bid on half and full day charters with Capt. Bouncer. Auction proceeds will go directly to the IGFA and Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation to benefit conservation efforts in Bimini and its surrounding waters. “This is a first for me,” said Capt. Bouncer. “I’ve taken clients to Bimini to chase world records, but this is a special opportunity for anyone of any age who wants to learn first-hand my secrets of the Bimini fishing grounds.” Added Mark Ellert, president of Guy Harvey Outpost, “Fishing Bouncer and his 33-foot Dusky is the difference between fishing and catching, whatever your target species might be in Bimini. If you want to improve your odds at winning this tournament, chartering Bouncer is the way to do it.” Capt. Bouncer and crew will be available for half day charters Thursday afternoon and Friday and for a full day charter the day of the tournament, Saturday, June 28. The tournament format will provide prizes for all ages and species, with boat awards and scoring incentives based on largest fish caught and released. A separate billfish division will award both teams and anglers with the highest aggregate points based on the number of billfish caught and released. “With awards for length not number of fish, luck will be a factor and should create some surprising winners for non-billfish species. After all, even blind squirrels find nuts on occasion,” adds Capt. Bouncer with his trademark smile. Tournament festivities will kick off Monday evening, June 23, in Fort Lauderdale with a pre-departure dockside party hosted by <a href="http://www.papaspilar.com/">Papa’s Pilar Rum</a> at the <a href="http://www.biminiboatyard.com/">Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill</a>. Capt. Bouncer Smith will be on hand to offer tips on current Bimini fishing conditions and techniques. From there the action moves to the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, with pre-fishing and social activities on Thursday and Friday, June 26 and 27. Saturday is tournament day, with fishing from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, followed by beachfront pig-roast and awards ceremony that evening.For more information and to register for the tournament or bid on a Capt. Bouncer charter, call Guy Harvey Outpost at 1-800-513-5257 or visit <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/BeachBash">www.GuyHarveyOutpost.com/BeachBash</a>. About Captain Bouncer SmithInducted by the IGFA in 2014 as a “Legendary Captain”, Capt. Bouncer Smith is a South Florida sport fishing pioneer. Respected for his intimate sport fishing knowledge Capt. Bouncer Smith has devoted his life to sharing fishing with others through his radio shows, magazine articles, seminars, and IGFA “conservation through education” efforts. Fishing out of the Miami Beach Marina, Capt. Bouncer and his 33’ Dusky center console are icons among South Florida charter boat captains and crews, having won most major South Florida fishing tournaments during his career. For more information visit <a href="http://www.captbouncer.com/">www.captbouncer.com</a>About The Guy Harvey Outpost Beach Bash, Bonfire and TournamentThe Guy Harvey Outpost Beach Bash, Bonfire and Tournament will be held June 26-29 at Bimini Sands Resort & Marina. The event marks the return of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts to Bimini, the birthplace of the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA), after a two year hiatus to pursue development elsewhere in the Bahamas and Caribbean. The event will feature an exciting IGFA compliant fishing competition, scuba diving, family-friendly Bahamian activities and much more, headlined by world-renowned marine artist and conservation advocate Guy Harvey and Florida fishing authority Capt. Bouncer Smith. During the event’s signature bonfire celebrations, 30-foot tall Blue Marlin wire sculptures by artist Bobby Little will be lit on fire Friday and Saturday night. The company expects the Beach Bash, Bonfire and Tournament to become a standing South Bimini summertime event at the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina. For more information visit <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/BeachBash">www.GuyHarveyOutpost.com/BeachBash</a>. About Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts & LodgesGuy Harvey Outpost Resorts & Lodges promote sustainable adventure tourism and high quality watersport activities. With properties located in pristine waterfront settings, the company has become a symbol of ocean conservation and awareness while fostering lifelong memories for its guests. Its Signature Collection properties currently include the Tradewinds Resort on St. Petersburg Beach and the Islander Resort in Islamorada, and construction is underway on a 30-unit eco-lodge in the Galapagos Islands. Members of the company’s Expedition Portfolio include a network of independently owned and operated boutique hotels in Mexico and the Bahamas. For more information and reservations at all Guy Harvey Outpost properties, visit <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com./">www.GuyHarveyOutpost.com.</a>About Bimini Sands Resort & Marina Located 50 miles from Miami on the gateway island of South Bimini, Bimini Sands Resort & Marina features fully furnished villas with breathtaking waterfront views, a full-service marina accommodating boats up to 115 feet and three freshwater swimming pools. Bimini Sands also boasts several upscale dining options, including the island’s only sushi bar, and guests can enjoy a full complement of watersport activities. Minutes from Bimini International Airport, its idyllic location offers spectacular views of Bimini’s unparalleled blue waters and radiant sunsets, along with picturesque coral reefs and a secluded beach setting. Family-owned and operated for more than 15 years, Bimini Sands is one of the Bahamas’ best-rated family vacation destinations. For more information visit <a href="http://www.biminisands.com/">www.biminisands.com</a>. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bouncer-for-sale-at-guy-harveys-bimini-sands-beach-bash-bonfire-tournament/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey Outpost Club to Open on Rum Cay, Bahamas&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-aerial-lr1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-949" title="Rum Cay, Bahamas" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-aerial-lr1.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="412" /></a>
Second Location for Guy Harvey Outpost Properties Program
Fort Lauderdale, FL - November 28, 2011 - <a title="GHO web site" href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts LTD</a> announced today plans to open its second boutique resort property on <a title="About Rum Cay" href="http://guyharveyoutpost.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=87" target="_blank">Rum Cay</a> in the southern Bahamas. The popular <a title="Sumner Point M&V web site" href="http://www.rumcaymarina.com/" target="_blank">Sumner Point Marina & Villas </a>property is undergoing renovations and reopens this spring as the Guy Harvey Outpost Resort & Marina, Rum Cay.
Rum is the southern gateway in and out of the Bahamas, just like <a title="About Bimini" href="http://www.bahamas.com/out-islands/bimini" target="_blank">Bimini</a> is to the north, so this is a great complement to our system and certainly will be a welcome Outpost for any of our customers spending time further down the island chain," notes company President, Mark Ellert. The Rum Cay project follows the reopening of the <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club</a> last year as a Guy Harvey Outpost. Rum Cay is an out-island destination known for its rugged and unspoiled beauty, and daily life on Rum is little changed over the past hundred years.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-bluffs-lr1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-952" title="The unspoiled bluffs at Rum Cay" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-bluffs-lr1.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="366" /></a>
"Every serious angler or diver has the Southern Bahamas on his or her bucket list, every mariner knows it’s where you put in for fuel and shore leave and with a lack of crowds or development, Rum Cay enthusiasts consider it their own private island retreat," adds Ellert, who oversees location selection for the firm. "For all these adventure travelers, we intend the Outpost Club & Marina to be the destination of choice in the Southern Bahamas."
The island has approximately 60 permanent residents and is roughly 50 miles southeast of Georgetown in <a title="About The Exumas" href="http://www.bahamas.com/out-islands/exumas" target="_blank">the Exumas</a>. Conception Island, which is part of the <a title="About the Land and Sea Park" href="http://www.bnt.bs/parks_exuma.php" target="_blank">Bahamas National Land and Sea Park</a> sanctuary, figures prominently in the company’s interest.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-marina-lr1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-954" title="Rum Cay Marina" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-marina-lr1.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="366" /></a>
"Conception is just 10 miles from Rum," said the company’s chairman, <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Dr. Guy Harvey</a>, who holds a Ph.D in marine fisheries management. " In addition to the fantastic diving there, we intend to work with government in expanding the coral and shark research work of the <a title="GHRI web site" href="http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Research Institute</a> which is a cornerstone of our Outpost program in the Bahamas."
Named Santa Maria de La Concepcion by Columbus who visited the island on his first voyage to the New World, Rum Cay is believed to have acquired its modern name from a shipwrecked cargo of rum. The island’s most famous shipwreck is that of the 101-gun <a title="About the HMS Conqueror" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Conqueror_(1855)" target="_blank">HMS Conqueror </a>which sank off Sumner Point in 1861, and is now preserved and protected as the Bahamas Underwater Museum.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/snorkling-off-rum-cay-lr1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-956" title="Snorkeling off Rum Cay" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/snorkling-off-rum-cay-lr1.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="828" /></a>
Widely recognized for its outstanding diving and fishing, Rum Cay is also popular with surfing and kite-boarding enthusiasts, and sky diving over the island is quickly gaining in popularity. This December the resort hosts its second "Jump Boogie", a weeklong skydiving and kite-surfing event.
"Rum Cay has always interested us because of its unquestionable natural beauty and its top-of-class sporting activities, including extreme sports that appeal to a new generation of Guy Harvey friends and fans," emphasizes Ned Stone, who leads the company’s "Outpost Pursuits" program. "Surf, kite and paddle boards are the new beach sports, and we intend to bring our top-of-class DNA to these as we’ve done for fishing and diving."
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-surfing1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-957" title="Surfing Rum Cay" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/rum-cay-surfing1.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="367" /></a>
The Sumner Point Marina is situated on the southeast tip of Rum Cay. The marina and adjoining club facilities have been owned and operated by the Little family since 1960. Known for its protected marina, picturesque beachside cottages and gourmet dining, the property exudes the bohemian flair of its owner and artist-in-residence, Bobby Little.
"It’s time for our family to take this incredible property to the next level", remarked Bobby Little in announcing the conversion of his boutique resort. "I was raised on Rum, as has my son. With our renovations and the support of the Guy Harvey Outpost brand and management, I expect our property to become a beacon for sustainable tourism in the Southern Bahamas. I can’t think of a better legacy for our family, for the Bahamas or for anyone who has come to call us their island home."
For more information, visit <a title="GHO web site" href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost</a>. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-outpost-club-to-open-on-rum-cay-bahamas/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Capt. Slate’s ‘Creature Feature’ Dive – New Location, New Thrills&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/slate.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-2903 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/slate.jpg?w=660" alt="Slate" width="660" height="256" /></a>
(Tavernier, FL) The five-foot-long green moray eel glides out of its coral reef cave and heads straight for the ballyhoo that Captain Spencer Slate dangles from two gloved fingers. The eel quickly gulps the bait then allows Slate to cradle it in his arms and stroke its slick sides. Slate holds the eel out to a ten-year-old diver sitting nearby who gives it a pat, and it returns to its cave.
"A sweetheart, a doll," Slate says later of the eel, who he has named Wasabi.
Slate has been making friends with eels, sharks, barracudas, Goliath groupers, and numerous other Upper Keys reef denizens since the late 1970s. His twice-weekly 'creature feature' feeding dives on Fridays and Sundays conducted from Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures Dive Center, a Guy Harvey Outpost outfitter in Tavernier, regularly draws a sell-out audience.
On a recent Sunday, two families from Fort Pierce-- both with newly certified scuba diving ten-year-old daughters-- travelled to the Keys for the third time to participate. Both girls thoroughly enjoyed the dive, and declared they would share photos and videos upon returning to school.
"They were cute!" one girl said of Wasabi and Lester, another green moray befriended by Slate.
Slate escorted his guests to the first dive at Davis Reef, a shallow, scenic coral ledge about 25 feet deep where Wasabi makes her home. Slate dropped to the bottom carrying a PVC canister filled with chum and bally hoo, quickly attracting a school of yellowtail snapper and grunts that followed the scent trail.
The captain stopped in front of a shallow cave near a large Southern stingray that rested half-buried in the sand and kept a wary eye on the food fest. The swarming snapper and grunts were so thick around the chum canister that the divers could barely see Slate. The divers settled down in the sand to see what would happen next.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10924171_770345289702868_1772420048942809884_o.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-2907 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10924171_770345289702868_1772420048942809884_o.jpg?w=660" alt="10924171_770345289702868_1772420048942809884_o" width="660" height="339" /></a>
Wasabi appeared pretty quickly after Slate took out the first bally hoo. Her jaws flexed open and closed as she approached the bait, then devoured it. She held pretty still for all the public displays of affection by the humans, then went back to her cave to digest the meal. She never snapped at anybody.
The stingray, tired of the hoopla, slowly dusted itself off and swam away.
Slate let the schooling fish have their way in the chum slick for a little while, then got out another bally hoo for Wasabi. She re-emerged from her cave, ate her snack, indulged the divers, then departed.
None of Slate's guests has been injured by his featured creatures in decades, but he has. Following numerous nips to the fingers requiring multiple visits to a hand surgeon over the years, Slate began wearing chain-mail gloves. Even today, he has very little feeling in his digits. Trying to feed barracudas bally hoo clasped between his teeth, Slate has suffered split lips, a black eye and a severed nerve in his cheek.
"Like getting a haymaker from Sonny Liston," he said.
A Goliath grouper he fed regularly at the wreck of the City of Washington off Key Largo once swallowed his arm and part of his head in its haste to score a meal.
He just laughs off the injuries and vows to keep hanging with the sea life.
"You know me. If I find an eel, I am going to make a buddy out of it," he said.
On the second dive with the group from Fort Pierce, Slate headed to nearby Pleasure Reef where he is trying to cultivate a more solid friendship with Lester, another moray. Lester responded a bit slowly to the offered bally hoo and didn't want to hang around too long for the requisite love fest. But he didn't display any hostility, just shyness.
During that dive, the guests also spotted a large nurse shark and a sea turtle passing by. Nobody was scared -- just excited.
That's the whole purpose behind the creature feature, Slate said -- showing visitors that residents of the underwater world are not out to get them.
"I've done this my whole life, so people will respect them and get over the idea they'll eat you alive," Slate said.
That message certainly went a long way with two very exhilarated ten-year-old girls.
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing, and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/capt-slates-creature-feature-dive-new-location-new-thrills/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Bahamas Wahoo Challenge – Day 2&body=The second and final day of fishing in Leg 1 of the <a title="BWC web site" href="http://www.bahamaswahoochallenge.com/" target="_blank">Bahamas Wahoo Challenge</a> has come to a close and all the fish have been weighed at the <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Big Game Club</a>. Airborne came on strong during day two with four fish totalling 115.3 Pounds, and Shine On came in with four fish totalling 99.65 pounds. None of the remaining competitors weighed a qualifying fish on day two.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/shine20on202521.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-275" title="Shine On - Winner of Leg 1 of the Bahamas Wahoo Challenge" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/shine20on202521.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>
Using the four best fish of the two days, Shine On came in with 116.15 pounds and Airborne in with 115.30 pounds, followed by Hit That with 42.2. The difference between 1st and second places was LESS THAN ONE POUND! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bahamas-wahoo-challenge-day-2/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey Outpost’s Outdoors Blog Gathering Growing National Readership&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/sue-cocking-with-tarpon.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2937 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/sue-cocking-with-tarpon.jpeg?w=300" alt="Sue Cocking with Tarpon" width="300" height="200" /></a>The outdoors adventures that veteran writer Sue Cocking brought to the front door for Miami Herald subscribers over two decades are now reaching a national audience courtesy of a popular fan-interactive website hosted by <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts</a>.
Considered the preeminent woman outdoors writer in America, Cocking’s first-person accounts of her travels cover a colorful, action-packed and sometimes edgy series of field reports covering Florida, The Bahamas and beyond.
Cocking, now the outdoors staff writer for Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts, built a legion of fans in South Florida over the past 21 years as the Outdoors Writer for the Miami Herald. The highly respected journalist was also a news reporter and anchor for several South Florida radio stations, including WINZ and WIOD, both in Miami. She was also the co-host of “The Weekly Fisherman”, aired weekly on WQAM-560.
Sponsored by the Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts—a unique collection of waterfront destinations— Cocking’s blog is no passive stroll in the park. She literally dives right in and can be found chasing grey ghosts in the Florida Keys flats; gator hunting in Lake Okeechobee; diving with hammerhead sharks in the Bahamas; and kayaking in the Everglades back country.
“Sue is the perfect correspondent for our Travel With a Purpose Outpost theme,” said Mark Ellert, President of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts. “She stands directly in the center of where adventure mixes with education, science and conservation. Her tales are fun, evocative and educational and her experiences open the door for anyone who wants to participate, whether it be recreational fishing and diving, hunting, sailing, powerboating, camping on simply advocating the conservation of the outdoors and oceans.”
“Reader interaction is key to the success of this blog,” said Cocking. “I’m always open to new experiences and story ideas, and invite readers to share their stories, images and videos with me.”
Cocking can be reached at <a href="mailto:scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com">scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com</a>. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-outposts-outdoors-blog-gathering-growing-national-readership/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey and Vaughn Cochran Team to Create Black Fly Bimini at the Bimini Big Game Club&body=FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—OCTOBER 6, 2010—<a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a> announced today he is teaming with fellow artist, conservationist and fly fishing personality, <a title="Vaughn Cochran's web site" href="http://www.vaughncochranart.com/artgallery/" target="_blank">Vaughn Cochran</a>, to launch Black Fly Bimini, a Guy Harvey Outpost Outfitter operation.
Black Fly Bimini will operate out of the newly reopened <a title="Bimini Big Game Club web site" href="http://www.biminibiggameclub.com" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club, a Guy Harvey Outpost Resort and Marina</a>.
In making the announcement, Harvey commented “this legendary Club overlooks flats abundant with bonefish and permit. Vaughn has the skills and passion to help us promote Bimini’s remarkable back-country fishery for its great fishing and mesmerizing natural beauty.” Commenting on the varied fishing opportunities his Bimini Outpost has to offer, and their spirited competition as renown offshore and back country anglers, Harvey is quick to add, “looking at Vaughn is a bit like looking in the mirror, so I’m sure glad he keeps his fishing to skinny water!
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/vaughn20cochran20with20bonefish.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-140" title="Vaughn Cochran with Bonefish" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/vaughn20cochran20with20bonefish.jpeg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="263" /></a>
Black Fly Bimini will organize all of the Big Game Club’s backcountry fishing programs, with on-site staff, operations and merchandising support. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Cochran and his fly fishing wife, Jean, oversee Black Fly Inc., a collection of enterprises featuring fly fishing merchandise, art and travel. The couple has recently opened Black Fly Bonefish Club, their newest lodge, located on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas.
“Hands down any day, for a pure adrenaline rush, the Grey Ghosts of Bimini can hold their own against the Man in the Blue Suit”, Cochran notes, referring to the Blue Marlin that is synonymous with Bimini’s reputation among off-shore anglers. “Now with the help of the island’s legendary bonefishing guides, we’re going to revitalize awareness of the great bonefishing that Bimini offers.”
In addition to featuring Guy Harvey sportswear and gifts, the <a title="The Outfitter Shop at the Bimini Big Game Club" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/the-outfitter-shop.htm" target="_blank">Outfitter shop</a> at the Bimini Big Game Club will feature Black Fly merchandise and fly fishing supplies, including assorted flies developed by Cochran especially for conditions on the Bimini flats.
About Vaughn Cochran
A Florida native, Cochran grew up in the art community of St. Augustine and earned art degrees in ceramics and painting at the internationally known and respected Art and Printmaking Department of the University of South Florida. Becoming one of the most respected fly fishing guides in the Florida Keys, Cochran later managed some of the legendary fishing lodges of the Caribbean and Central America, including Parismina Tarpon Rancho in Costa Rica and Turneffe Island Lodge in Belize. Along the way, he nurtured his artistic calling, and today his works are found in numerous private and corporate collections, including a recent one-man exhibition at the IGFA’s main gallery.
"Although I still enjoy painting the traditional fishing and seascape scenes that I'm known for, my newest work is in the pop style from earlier in my painting career. I started with pop art fish and have moved on to other images and icons of the fishing industry, he said." These paintings are now available as prints as are many of his more traditional scenes of the flats he fished on a regular basis.
With his quick wit and entertaining laid back style, Cochran is a frequent host and guest of various fly-fishing TV shows including the popular “Spanish Fly” with fishing pal, Jose Wejebe.
What started out as Vaughn Cochran's marine art gallery years ago has turned into one of the most unique destination fly shops in the U.S., Black Fly Outfitter, a full service technical fly shop specializing in saltwater flies, custom fly kits, fly rods, fly reels and clothing for tropical fly fishing destinations around the world.
The company’s sumi-style Black Fly logo adorns a complete line of fly fishing merchandise, gear and gifts. Original paintings, fine art prints, ceramic tiles and art pottery, Black Fly merchandise and additional T-shirts are available at www.vaughncochranart.com.
About Bimini Big Game Club, a Guy Harvey Outpost Resort and Marina
Founded as a dinner club in 1936 in Alice Town, the island’s cultural hub, by Nassau entrepreneur and bon-vivant, Neville Stuart, the Big Game Club has over the last 74 years hosted world-class fishermen, major tournaments, international celebrities and tens of thousands guests looking to bask in the unique “Islands in the Stream” mantra made famous by author Ernest Hemingway who fished and lived in Bimini in the mid 1930s.
Today, the Big Game Club’s Outpost concept is designed to take the resort beyond that of a “fishing lodge (though admittedly a majority of visitors will be there for the world class fishing) to create an eco-destination attracting both fishing and diving enthusiasts while focusing on adventure travel, sustainable tourism and marine conservation.
The Big Game Club, which is located on the main navigation channel in Bimini Bay, currently features a 51-room resort and a 75-slip marina capable of accommodating boats up to 145 linear feet. By Spring 2011, a full service fuel dock will be operational.
There are Phase II plans that will include a Guy Harvey Theater, guest lecture series and interactive sessions with Dr. Harvey and the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NOVA Southeastern Oceanographic Center and day trips to the Bimini Biological Field Station’s world-famous shark lab. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-and-vaughn-cochran-team-to-create-black-fly-bimini-at-the-bimini-big-game-club/){kind=link}
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