Miami, Crossing, Bimini and Nassau

Ship’s Log – December 31, 2009 – Miami, FL to

January 11, 1010 - Nassau, Bahamas

Indeed Friday it will be for the crossing. We moved out to an anchorage Thursday night the 31st to be nearer the cut and to be able to leave after dark and not disturb anyone – of course everyone was up for New Year’s anyway. It was a gorgeous day and we had a great view of the Miami skyline. There were lots of folks playing in the water and getting into the celebratory mood. That made our pre departure nap a challenge, but we set the alarm for 9:30 and were anchor up by 9:45. Thank goodness for chart plotters and radar. Finding the navigational aids with all the city lights was a challenge. Government Cut was quite sloppy and only calmed down a bit after we got outside. The auto pilot was engaged and off we went. We both stayed on duty until midnight to celebrate the New Year under a Blue Moon on our first crossing of the Gulf Stream together. After that we took turns staying on watch and sleeping. I would have liked for a smoother crossing but I am assured that in regards to the Gulf Stream it was a 9 out of 10!

We arrived a bit early at the Bimini Harbor entrance and had to drive in circles to wait for sun up. The entrance was indeed small and a challenge but the water color is now that stunning blue and crystal clear so that we can see the bottom streaming under us. No one was answering the VHF at the marina at 7:30 am so we just tied up and went to sleep. Every now and then Mark would get up and head to customs and immigration and finally was able to get us registered at about 10am. There were four other boats at the marina – it is a really small marina – about 12 slips and the first person that saw us immediately invited us to a pot luck dinner that evening. Before prepping for dinner we took a walk around the town. It seems very sad and depressed. Everything was in disrepair, trash all over the place, lots of vacant building and for sale signs. On the windward side of the island the wind was howling at about 35 – 40 kts. , but we were well protected on the lee side. Back at the boat I threw together some leftover rice and beans and added some “trinity” and spices to it. It was a group of 5 couples – all of the cruisers at this marina. One group – Mike and DeAnn on Fidelio out did themselves with baked ham, stuffing and green beans. There was also artichoke / cheese / olive dip, salad and two desserts. Just as we were about to dig into the spread a squall line passed and the skies opened up. We were the closest boat so with a nod from Mark, we all bolted to our boat and got all the food in. Everyone then scurried to their own boats to close down. It was a wall of cold water blasting out of the sky and I think the inside of our boat got washed too. By the time everyone recovered and made their way back to our boat is was over and we were able to spread out into the cockpit. It turned out that they had all crossed within the previous 24 hours of us. We packed up at about 6:30 and had time for one more nap before the local Junkanoo started at 8pm. It is New Year’s Day after all! The economy may be depressed but they put on a great little Junkanoo parade. Costumes, kids dancing, drum band, local brass band – lots of noise and festivities. The entire island was there for the parade. When they got to one end of the street they turned around and went the other way. All that hard work – they well should make the best of it. Afterwards, some of the local ladies had food for sale and we had some of the conch fritters. They were excellent and we even were able to get a Kalik beer to wash them down with. Finally we crashed at about 9:15. I know that even as the Junkanoo headed down the street again, I was asleep before I was half way through the thought of reaching for my earplugs. It was quite a Crossing / New Years Day.

The next few days were spent discussion the weather – we were “stuck” there until the wind let up – getting to know our fellow boaters and checking out the island. It did come to life once regular life set back in, though I understand it is a mere shadow of its former self. We partook of the local conch delicacies, did some of our own fishing in the harbor, and took a trip to South Bimini (a 4 minute ferry crossing) to visit the Shark Institute. Though located in very simple facilities it is one of the premiere facilities in the world studying sharks with lemon sharks in particular. Seven of us had gone over to see them and we then all traipsed out to their holding pens in the water to see the sharks up close. We had one more picnic / chart party and then we got a break in the weather. The sailors took off on Wednesday and we left the following morning, Thursday the 7th along with the 8 or so anchored boats.

The little harbor entrance was again tricky but no problems and we were outside. We went South a bit to Turtle Rocks and then we turned east onto the Banks. The Banks are this great shallow sea that covers much of the area around the Bahamian Islands. It is bazaar to have 8 – 10 feet for the next 55 miles or so. The sky was overcast and the winds calmed down to 5 knots. We took turns standing on the bow and just looking at the bottom go by. Not much in the way of fish, much to Mark’s disappointment. Several of the sailboats went straight thru to Nassau but the remainder converged with us at the “Northwest Shoal” west of Chub Cay. We arrived at about 4:30 and they straggled in over the next 4 hours. It was just a bit unusual to be anchored out in the middle of nowhere. The shoal is underwater so it looks like you are in the middle of the ocean but we were off the travel path and it was nice to have company and a grouping of anchor lights for the night. The sunset that night was quite spectacular with nothing but the sky and the sea.

Sunrise was also amazing as we got underway at 6:30am. Several sailors had already pulled out and there was quite a line of them on the way to Nassau. About an hour after we left we went from 10 feet to 1000 feet in about 5 minutes. The Banks are interrupted by great bodies of VERY deep water and today’s “sail” would be all in DEEP water. We heard one of the sailboats on the VHF radio exclaiming that he has never seen it as calm as we have today. Fine by me! Mark has his fishing lines out but so far it looks like chicken for supper. We checked into Nassau at @ 3pm driving past the cruise ship dock with four huge ships to get to our marina that once again is not nearly as glowing as the ads, but it will be secure for the next upcoming blow. The farther we get the fewer cleats there are; we tie to pilings and they are fixed. Fortunately the tide is only about 3 feet so the line adjusting isn’t too bad. Had not wanted to go Nassau, but I guess it is like the airlines in that it is a hub and everything seems to have to go through there. When we studied the charts we understood. You can go around but it is really out of the way.

We’ll spend the next few days figuring out how to get Wifi – probably the Starbucks across the street. Our Mifi card does not seem to be getting the job done. Mark ran out of Bahamian phone minutes having a discussion with Verizon and needs to replenish, but my phone is still on US / Verizon / $2.00 a minute. One day was spent checking out the tourist area of town. I honestly don’t get it. The largest cruise ships in the world head here and it’s just not that great here. The squall came through and the winds have been howling at 35 – 40 kts. So we hang tight , lay low a bit, do boat chores, check out the area and study the weather. Looks like Tuesday departure, about 50 miles and then the pot of gold – the Exumas chain of islands begins.