WE'RE IN THE BAHAMAS!

Thursday, February 9

Leaving Boot Key Harbor

We made it!  We left Boot Key Harbor on Tuesday afternoon, with Chris Parker's blessing for an easy crossing of the Gulf Stream...and it was gorgeous!  We sailed overnight with three other boats (Emerald Seas w/ Jim & Renate, Manatee w/ Rod & Eveline, and Orion w/ Lyle & Julie), arriving in Bimini, Bahamas at approximately 10:00 a.m.  And what a crossing it was!  Beautifully calm seas with a full moon and a 3-4 knot current zipping us along.  Although we motor-sailed most of the way, at one point Al turned off the motor and, with all three sails flying, we flew along at 8 knots.  How nice!

Dawn on the Gulf Stream

The water here is simply not to be believed.  There's a reason The Bahamas are known as having the most beautiful waters in the world; absolutely exquisitely clear water with every shade of blue and green imaginable.  At one point when we were approaching Bimini, Al asked me what the depth was.  When I replied "60 feet," he said "I can see the bottom."  Truly breathtakingly beautiful.  And so remarkably clear!  How fortunate we are to be here.

Weech's Marina in Bimini

Bimini Island is a delightful little community.  Very quaint with extraordinarily friendly people.  Our group had cocktails last night at the End of the World bar and then went to a little restaurant overlooking the water where we feasted on fresh lobster (at half the price of lobster in the U.S.).  Since lobster is my favorite seafood and rum & pineapple juice is my favorite drink...and both are half the price we're used to paying...I'm happy!

Our group of four boats (we call ourselves the Moonlighters) is heading off tomorrow for Nassau.  It's another overnight sail with the weather forecast not quite as great as it was for the crossing of the Gulf Stream, but it s/b fine.  We hadn't initially planned on going to Nassau, thinking we would prefer to visit the less inhabited out islands, anchoring out as much as possible and dinghying around the various islands as opposed to staying at marinas.  However, the water here is chillier than we were used to when we snorkeled in the Virgin Islands and our friends have convinced us that we really do need wetsuits to be comfortable.  Did I mention that Bimini is quaint?  So much so that there is no place on the island to buy a wetsuit...so it's off to Nassau we go.  Most of the trip will be spent sailing in approximately 15 ft of water and s/b stunningly beautiful.

Sue in a Bahamian sari (100% cotton, of course!)

We'll keep you posted as to our wanderings whenever possible.  We have lost the wi-fi access we had in the states whereby we could use our Sprint "hot spot"to connect to the internet.  We now have to go searching for free wi-fi on land (this post was typed in Bimini while sitting on the bench where you see Al sitting below; a rather odd place to find wi-fi but delightful nonetheless), so we may not be able to post to the blogspot as often as we would like.  In the meantime, now, more than ever, we truly do wish you could be here with us.

Our new open air "office" offering wi-fi (also known as Bimini's answer to Starbuck's)

Fair Winds from the Crew of Wind Dancer
Sue, Al, Sophie & Chelsea