LIFE
EXPLORED
I
Stranded Naked
f you travel to Fiddle Cay in the Abacos, chances are you’ll stumble across “Stranded Naked,” a houseboat with quite the history. It all began with one man: long-time Jimmy Buffet fan, Bobb Henderson. After visiting and falling in love with Green Turtle Cay in the early 1980s, he made the decision to fulfill his dreams of living the lifestyle portrayed in Jimmy Buffet’s songs, and search for a boat of his own to take to the Bahamas and use as a place to live. After acquiring a houseboat that he named “Stranded Naked,” the adventure began. Bobb enlisted a new friend, George Cross, a diesel mechanic and Jimmy Buffet look-alike, to help him make the unpredictable journey from Fort Lauderdale to West End. Once they arrived, they met up with Bobb’s roommates, Tommy Grubbs and Andy “MoonDick” Burke. After being relentlessly grilled by the crew aboard President Ronald Reagan’s Blue Thunder “Zero Tolerance” DEA boat, drinking their weight in beer, and clearing Bahamian customs, they were off on their final excursion to Green Turtle Cay. Seven days and several repairs later, they tied up to the vessel’s new home, the Other Shore Club, but the adventure didn’t end there. Bobb and George gave up their bachelor lifestyles and gave in to the married life to start families of their own. After losing loved ones along the way, and almost being killed himself, Bobb remains in good spirits. At Bobb and Patricia’s 20th year anniversary party, the remaining Stranded Naked crew spent their time reminiscing about the good ole days and how thankful they were to be alive. More than two decades later, even after enduring wicked hurricanes and storms, “Stranded Naked” can still be found at the Other Shore Club where boatloads of good times have taken place, and countless memories have been made. It’s the site of the legendary Cheeseburger Beach Party, which provides thousands of people with free burgers and Bahamian rum punch each summer. Although no longer supported by Bobb and the Stranded Naked crew, each year the legendary Fiddle Cay Cheeseburger Beach Party continues to attract countless amounts of people, creating new friendships and unforgettable memories. To read the full story on Bobb and Patricia Henderson and the Stranded Naked Cheeseburger Beach Party, visit StrandedNaked.com. Written by REILLY KOONTZ Photography by GRIFFIN KOONTZ
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July-August 2018