On February 2ND, we finally got our favorable forecast--winds SSE 15 to 18 with 5 foot seas.
The anchor was up @ 7:00 am and we slowly made our way past the reefs through the Florida Channel. And it was slow, because we were leaving on a flood tide.
Lighthouse on Key Biscayne.
The anchor was up @ 7:00 am and we slowly made our way past the reefs through the Florida Channel. And it was slow, because we were leaving on a flood tide.
Lighthouse on Key Biscayne.
To help compensate for the north flowing Gulf Stream, we headed a few miles south to Fowey Rocks before turning east. Once we turned east, we had a fabulous sail. Our intent was to spend the night at a marina in Bimini, where we would check in with Customs and Immigration.
Coast Guard plane flying a grid pattern. We think they were looking for containers that had fallen off a ship headed for South America.
While crossing the stream, we crossed paths with Liberty, a Morgan 41 that hails from our home port of Kemah, Tx. In October we enjoyed conch fritters on their boat while anchored off the Chesapeake, on Mill Creek.
When we neared Bimini, the weather was too perfect to stop, so we just kept on going. We kind of wanted to see Bimini, but there really is no advantage for a slow sailboat to stop there. If your goal is to only sail in day light, you can't make it all the way across the banks in a day anyway--at least not in the winter. For a faster stink pot (as a sailor I am obligated to call them that, but in reality, I often have stink pot envy--especially on the ICW) it makes sense, but not a sailboat.
At 4:50 pm we entered the indescribably beautiful water of the banks, then rounded North Rock which lies just north of Bimini. We kept on sailing as the wind continued to die down. By 7:00 pm the wind died to 3 knots, so we reluctantly turned on the engine and motor sailed. We did not want to motor, so we decided to anchor off our rhumbline near some other anchored boats. Since we had passed up on Bimini, we had decided to check in with Customs at Great Harbor Cay Marina on the west side of Great Harbor Cay (which is in the Berry Island chain). We did not want to go to Nassau, and Chub Cay is a rip off. So, the next morning we were on our way before sun up. The wind was not from the forecast direction, and they were quite a bit stronger. We ended up sailing close hauled (as close to the wind as possible) all day into 25 knot apparent wind. Not fun. Our plan had been to sail all day, then anchor in Bullocks Harbor which is only a couple of miles from the marina. Then we would go to the marina and check in with Customs the following day (and weather a front that was supposed to hit).
Because of the conditions and our point of sail, it became apparent that we would not quite make Bullocks Harbor in daylight. We hadn't been to Bullocks Harbor before, and were wary there may be some reefs waiting to bite our unsuspecting keel, so we didn't want to do that part in the dark. So we found a place on the chart where we could spend another night on the banks--Brilliant! We had protection from sand bores all around, and no other boats, so I let out a bunch of chain and we went to sleep. Had we gone to Chub Cay or Nassau like normal people, we would have had a fantastic and very fast beam reach.
The next morning was beautiful as we tacked our way to Bullocks Harbor and then turned on the engine to enter the marina. We were tied up by 11:00 am.
Our slip at Great Harbor Cay Marina.
This yacht belongs to Jack Nicholas. It was just a couple of slips down from us. He had flown in on his jet while we were there, then he flew off on his jet before we left. He must have found us boring.
While we were wandering around the cay's small airstrip, this nice couple invited us to see their beachfront house. They drove us to their home in their newly painted VW bug, and we had a very nice visit.
When we neared Bimini, the weather was too perfect to stop, so we just kept on going. We kind of wanted to see Bimini, but there really is no advantage for a slow sailboat to stop there. If your goal is to only sail in day light, you can't make it all the way across the banks in a day anyway--at least not in the winter. For a faster stink pot (as a sailor I am obligated to call them that, but in reality, I often have stink pot envy--especially on the ICW) it makes sense, but not a sailboat.
At 4:50 pm we entered the indescribably beautiful water of the banks, then rounded North Rock which lies just north of Bimini. We kept on sailing as the wind continued to die down. By 7:00 pm the wind died to 3 knots, so we reluctantly turned on the engine and motor sailed. We did not want to motor, so we decided to anchor off our rhumbline near some other anchored boats. Since we had passed up on Bimini, we had decided to check in with Customs at Great Harbor Cay Marina on the west side of Great Harbor Cay (which is in the Berry Island chain). We did not want to go to Nassau, and Chub Cay is a rip off. So, the next morning we were on our way before sun up. The wind was not from the forecast direction, and they were quite a bit stronger. We ended up sailing close hauled (as close to the wind as possible) all day into 25 knot apparent wind. Not fun. Our plan had been to sail all day, then anchor in Bullocks Harbor which is only a couple of miles from the marina. Then we would go to the marina and check in with Customs the following day (and weather a front that was supposed to hit).
Because of the conditions and our point of sail, it became apparent that we would not quite make Bullocks Harbor in daylight. We hadn't been to Bullocks Harbor before, and were wary there may be some reefs waiting to bite our unsuspecting keel, so we didn't want to do that part in the dark. So we found a place on the chart where we could spend another night on the banks--Brilliant! We had protection from sand bores all around, and no other boats, so I let out a bunch of chain and we went to sleep. Had we gone to Chub Cay or Nassau like normal people, we would have had a fantastic and very fast beam reach.
The next morning was beautiful as we tacked our way to Bullocks Harbor and then turned on the engine to enter the marina. We were tied up by 11:00 am.
Our slip at Great Harbor Cay Marina.
This yacht belongs to Jack Nicholas. It was just a couple of slips down from us. He had flown in on his jet while we were there, then he flew off on his jet before we left. He must have found us boring.
While we were wandering around the cay's small airstrip, this nice couple invited us to see their beachfront house. They drove us to their home in their newly painted VW bug, and we had a very nice visit.
Another lady insisted on driving us to the 3 available grocery stores, and then she loaned us a book on the storied history of Great Harbor Cay.
Lisa and I made Friends with a couple of Bahamian guys, and they were going to teach me how to fish off the bank Bahamian style. But alas, the front blew in on their day off, so my loss. They did teach me a pretty cool trick though. I would love to tell you, but then I would have to kill you.
Lisa and I made Friends with a couple of Bahamian guys, and they were going to teach me how to fish off the bank Bahamian style. But alas, the front blew in on their day off, so my loss. They did teach me a pretty cool trick though. I would love to tell you, but then I would have to kill you.
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