June, 2015: When our Saltwater Department Manager, Joe Codd, came to me this winter with a fantastic opportunity to travel to the Bahamas for a familiarization trip, I immediately said YES! I am going into my fifth year as an administrative assistant at Frontiers and had previously traveled to the Bahamas with my colleague, Joe Linscott. While that trip was astonishing, I was truly pumped to experience the lodges we recommend to our clients first hand with my husband, Mark, joining me.

Upon landing at Marsh Harbour airport, we quickly went through customs and our lovely taxi driver, Marjorie, met us outside. Marjorie’s animated stories were a welcomed joy for our drive to the Delphi Club.

After a scenic drive, we reached the stunning Delphi Club. Sitting high atop the limestone hill carved into the forest, the Club reminds me of a country house estate. Its large wrap-around verandahs captures the sea breeze, its location offers panoramic ocean views and there are beautiful gardens throughout the property. The Delphi Club is truly a tranquil and romantic setting.

Max, Delphi’s fresh young manager, greeted us excitedly and showed us to our room. The space was large, bright and airy. To be honest, clients could not go wrong in any of the rooms at the Club. We stayed on an upper floor, which had a private balcony overlooking the infinity pool and ocean. Rooms located on the main level are beautifully decorated and have a balcony, garden and ocean views.

After freshening up from the flight, we joined the two other guests in the dining room. Chef Jason created several amazing main dishes that evening. The menu included a spectacular seafood mussel and clam pasta dish along with a lobster tail delight; salad and a luscious dessert rounded out our meal. After dinner, we all moved to the lounge area for pleasant conversation. An hour or so later, with full tummies and heavy heads, we decided to call it an early night.

The next day, we were up early for a scrumptious breakfast and our first day of bonefishing. Max chose Ishy as our guide. We met him in the driveway and had to tow the skiff about 10 minutes to reach the boat dock. I have been on other Bahamian back roads before and the drive along the dirt road was not as bad as I had expected. The route they use is an old logging road and is well-maintained by the Delphi Club. Much to our delight, it was wider than most Bahamian side roads and the potholes were minimal.

Mark and I are both new to fly fishing and were excited to learn. We had a windy day on this first day of learning how to cast, but our guide was patient and taught us well. We quickly learned that a good guide, finesse, preparation and the right equipment are essential for this sight fishing excursion. As we gained confidence and improved our casting techniques, Ishy looked for bonefish for us to catch on the fly.

I was immediately hooked (no pun intended) on the sport and decided that as soon as I reached home I was signing up for fly casting classes! With water temps nearing 80 degrees in the afternoon, the morning proved productive. I hooked three fish my very first day. I later came to find out those three fish earned me the rights to head of the table that evening as I landed the most fish for the day. While most of my catches were small (except for a large four pounder), this was a huge accomplishment for me! I could not wait to get back to the office to let the guys know how well I did.

In addition to fishing, the lodge offers alternatives for non- fishing spouses: swimming at the beach, infinity pool, nature tours, ocean kayaking, paddle boarding, or visiting the local towns of Marsh Harbour or Hope Town. Also, for a small fee, The Delphi Club offers the club car for use while exploring. We chose to head back for an enjoyable afternoon on the sugary soft white sand beach and finished the day with a dip in the infinity pool.

On the third day, Chef Jason offered a wide variety of breakfast choices cooked to order, all served by the friendly staff. We were tempted to use the club car and venture off to explore local towns when Max suggested we try snorkeling. He arranged for us to meet Dana, Delphi Club’s only female guide. She was a treat to be around in this male dominated sport. I look forward to fishing with her on a future visit.

Max drove us to Cherokee Sound, a quick ten minute drive from the Club, where we met Dana. Seeing schools of bone fish from the boat as we began our guided snorkeling tour of the blue holes and reefs, I wished I had brought a rod with me. This excursion would be an excellent opportunity for fisherman and spouses to enjoy even more of the islands offerings. Colorful fish, sting rays, loggerhead turtles, star fish, an abundance of conch shells and a sea horse made the underwater tour an unforgettable experience.

After a pleasant afternoon of snorkeling, we said our goodbyes to Max and the staff at the Delphi Club, and hopped in a taxi for a short ride to the Abaco Lodge. If you take a trip to Abaco Island, I highly recommend staying at the Delphi Club.

By: Laura Thompson
Club Photos By: Barry and Cathy Beck