Cay (pronounced "key") Hopping

On Monday, April 28th, we left Norman's Cay and moved to Shroud Cay, just a few miles south. Even though Exuma Park has mooring balls there (for a fee), we elected to anchor just south of the mooring field in a beautiful area surrounded by rock. We soon got the dinghy down and went to explore some of the inland tidal creeks which meander around much of the island's interior. The first creek we followed dead-ended into a big sand flat near the eastern shore of the island, also known as the Exuma Sound side. We beached the dinghy and hiked over the hill to a beautiful beach with a spectacular view of the Sound.

Up the creek we go!


This is the sand flat where the creek ends.


Views from the Sound.



We then took another artery to the north and came out at an opening to the Sound side with a sand bar across the entrance and beautiful beaches on both sides of the sand bar. After exploring the beaches for a while, Todd did a little snorkeling and then we took yet another route back to the boat.




This boat (a large tender) is heading back up the creek.



While we were at the second stop on our creek tour, we met Roy & Doon aboard "Bold Endeavour," a sailboat that was anchored behind "Life's2Short." Roy & Doon are from New Zealand and are heading back north, having spent the past few months exploring the Exumas. Before they left to go back to their boat, we suggested getting together later for happy hour on a little beach near the anchorage.




After a dousing rain Tuesday morning, we decided to move to the southern tip of Shroud Cay in the hopes of getting away from the strong tidal surge we had experienced the previous night. That afternoon we went to explore the creeks at the southern end of the cay and were surprised at how many different routes there were! It was a very calm day with virtually no breeze, something we haven't had in weeks. The downside is that it was quite warm without the breeze.

Roy & Doon joined us aboard "Life's2Short" for happy hour that evening and the next morning we left for Hawksbill Cay in the hopes of finding an anchorage that would give us some protection from the strong north/northeast wind that was forecast for the next several days. Hawksbill also has mooring balls provided by Exuma Park but we elected to anchor on the southwest side of the cay, just inside the mooring balls, in front of a rock bluff. Although the bluff afforded some protection from the wind, the boat still rocked and rolled all day, mostly from the tidal surge.

After we got anchored, we dinghied over to one of the many beaches and walked north along the west shoreline for a good distance before returning to the boat. Although Hawksbill has many beautiful beaches, it also has more rock along the shoreline than any of the other islands we've seen so far. The rocky parts kind of reminded us of the shores of Table Rock, our former home lake near Springfield, MO.

Thursday, May 1st, was our 9th wedding anniversary and we spent most of it hiking and exploring. We dinghied to the southern tip of the island trying to find a way to the Sound side but once you try to go inland from the shoreline, you are confronted with dense foliage and/or rock bluffs. The first place we tried was impassable so we continued east along the southern edge until we reached the rock bluffs bordering the Sound. After securing the dinghy, we climbed to the top of the bluff and tried to find a way to get to the beach, which was quite a bit further north. After walking along the bluffs for a while we decided it was too treacherous. However, the Captain took lots of nice photos while we were up there.









We returned to the west side of the island and climbed the rock bluff in front of our anchorage to find the cairn (rock pile) that was marked on the charts. From there we had a great view of "Life's2Short" and the nearby beaches.





Later that afternoon, just before high tide, we entered an inland tidal creek and followed it as far as we could across the island. When we ran out of water, we tied the dinghy to a mangrove bush and continued on foot toward the hill that would take us to the beach on the Sound side. The foliage was thick but there was a path of sorts that we struggled to follow as we made our way through the jungle. We finally reached the beach and found lots of flotsam and jetsam (a.k.a. beach trash) that had washed ashore but, once again, no shells.

We're assuming that the offshore rocks and reefs either prevent the shells from washing ashore or they pulverize the shells before they have a chance to reach the shore. Either way, the beaches so far have essentially been barren. Even the flotsam and jetsam has been very limited on the Sound side beaches. We're not sure if the park staff schedules periodic clean-ups of the beaches in its territory or if some beaches are just more prone to collect debris than others, but most of the beaches are very clean.

As we walked along the beach, the Captain entertained himself by picking through the various mismatched tennis shoes, glass bottles, plastic containers, rope, etc., to see what treasures he could find. He decided that he could construct all kinds of things to make a home on the beach if he was stranded here, kind of like Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway. However, without fresh water I'm afraid he wouldn't last very long, although he informed me that he could "drink coconut milk and be just fine." Somehow I doubt it!

Part of the Captain's interest in examining the items on the beach was to determine where they came from. We found one plastic 30-gallon barrel with Greek writing on it that had apparently once been packed with olives. It had since been made into a lobster or crab trap of some kind and ultimately ended up washed up on the beach. Todd was also hoping to find a "message in a bottle" but that didn't happen. Since we don't have a world atlas, we aren't sure what land mass lies east of us but our guess is that it is the Mediterranean and that most of the items on the beach either came from that part of the world or had fallen off ships somewhere in the Atlantic.  The Captain even came up with the grisly idea that perhaps some of the shoes had people attached to them when they fell overboard. Nice thought, huh?

Friday we set off for Warderick Wells, the headquarters of the Exuma Land & Sea Park. What started out as a moderate chop on the water quickly built to waves that were sending salt spray to the top of the flybridge with 20-25 mile per hour east wind. Not a fun trip! After about two hours, we arrived at Warderick Wells and picked up our assigned mooring ball. The remainder of the afternoon was spent posting our blog update from April 27 and catching up on e-mail as the wind continued to howl from the east.

Todd spent Saturday morning changing the oil in the generator and making a sign with our boat name on it to leave on Boo Boo Hill. While he was working on the sign, Tom & Jackie from the boat "In Your Dreams" came over in the dinghy to say hello. We briefly met Tom & Jackie our first day at Shroud Cay but they left the next morning for Warderick Wells so we didn't have much of a chance to visit with them.

The mooring field at Warderick Wells is U-shaped with a huge sand bar in the middle of it that dries out at low tide. Saturday afternoon we went over to the sand bar to join Tom & Jackie who had set up chairs and were enjoying their own private island! When the tide started coming back in, we packed up and headed back to the boat where I made a dip to take to the boaters' happy hour sponsored by the park every Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

This is a view of the mooring field from the Park Headquarters deck. "In Your Dreams" is in the background.


Tom & Jackie enjoy the sand bar at low tide.


The next afternoon, we joined them.


The Admiral and the Captain with "Life's2Short" in the background.


Tom & Jackie invited us to their boat for pre-happy hour at 5:00 p.m. and gave us a tour of "In Your Dreams," a 2005 48-foot Krogen. What a showpiece! I told the Captain we were slumming aboard "Life's2Short." Then again, "Life's2Short" is twenty years older, eight feet shorter and four feet narrower, all of which make a tremendous difference in a boat.

Anyway, we left "In Your Dreams" and went to the beach next to the Park Headquarters building to join the other boaters for happy hour. It was a fun time on a nice beach and, as an added bonus, it was even protected from the east wind! While we were there, Todd saw a guy that he said looked really familiar to him. Come to find out, he was in Demopolis the fall of 2006 and is well-acquainted with Fred, the owner of the Demopolis Yacht Basin who is also a good friend of ours.

The boaters' happy hour gathering at sunset.


Today is Sunday, May 4th, and we are going to take our boat sign to Boo Boo Hill and check out some of the many hiking trails on the island. According to the cruising guide, boaters have been leaving the names of their boats on Boo Boo Hill for years, carved or painted on anything from driftwood to fishing floats to old outboard motors. Todd made our sign from an old piece of wood he found among the flotsam and jetsam on Hawksbill Cay and I must say that he did an admirable job. Our plan is to post this update tomorrow and leave here on Tuesday, so stay tuned for our next update with details of our hiking and snorkeling adventures at Warderick Wells and who knows what else as we continue our journey south.

As Country Joe McDonald sings... this is "Paradise with an Ocean View"

I need to preface this update by letting you know that we intended to post it on April 27th, as you will read below. However, the satellite Internet connection at Norman's Cay was not strong enough to allow us to do that so we are posting this now, as previously written, and will post another update before we leave Warderick Wells early next week.

We left the Nassau Harbor Club Marina Tuesday afternoon, April 22nd, and spent a quiet evening anchored at Rose Island. Wednesday we set course for Ship Channel Cay with a strong northwest wind and a quartering sea. The anchorage at Ship Channel Cay was west-facing and we could see as we got close to the shore that there was no protection from the northwest wind. So, we turned south to go to Allan's Cay and were promptly hit on the beam with 3- to 5-foot waves. Fortunately, Allan's Cay was only a few more miles south. The anchorage was pretty full when we arrived so we went to the north end and found a spot to drop the hook in about six feet of crystal-clear water.

It was still rough in the anchorage but nothing like it had been on the outside! We also had the tidal surge to deal with at Allan's and between the strong north wind and the surge, the boat essentially bobbed and rolled continuously. After putting the dinghy down we went around to the east side of Leaf Cay, just east of Allan's Cay, to a nice, protected beach where we spent a few hours enjoying being out of the wind. While we were there we met a couple who had sailed to the Exumas from England and were on their way back. They apparently had some pretty scary weather along the way, including 25-foot seas at one point during a storm, and the wife hadn't decided if she was going to make the return trip on the boat or fly back to England from Nassau. I'm pretty sure which option I would choose!

Our private hide-a-way on the east side of Leaf Cay.


Thursday was still rough and windy so we went to a different east-facing beach on an island a little further north and did some shelling. We then motored over to the west side of that same island where Todd snorkeled for a bit while I manned the dinghy. When he first got in the water he was spooked by a rather large barracuda but he said the underwater scenery was absolutely spectacular! He did, however, manage to brush up against some fire coral which caused an ugly, hard welt on his shoulder that lasted for several days.

The Admiral searches for sandy treasures!


Rugged beauty.


After a brief stop back at the boat, we went to yet another east-facing beach, this time on Allan's Cay, and spent a few hours reading and relaxing. However, the wind had clocked around to the east enough that we were exposed to the constant blow. That evening the boat bobbed and rocked even more than usual with increased winds and a brief rain shower. Overall, not a good night for sleep. The boat was still bouncing around quite a lot in the strong northeast wind Friday morning so we decided to move further south in the anchorage hoping to at least get away from some of the tidal surge. The wind was continuing to clock more to the east, which helped in the anchorage, but the surge continued to be a factor.

That afternoon we went to a west-facing beach on Leaf Cay, just a short distance from where the boat was anchored, and hung out for a few hours. This beach is one of two designated "Iguana Beaches" and excursion boats from Nassau generally show up twice each day loaded with people who want to see the iguanas. They are used to being fed and are not very shy about walking up to you to see if you've got anything for them.

Relaxing on Iguana Beach with Life's2Short in the background.

Iguanas looking for a handout... aren't they "cute?"



Southwest Allan's Cay anchorage and the only tall palm tree in the area.


We decided to go to Norman's Cay Saturday and anchored on the west side of the island. Unfortunately, the island is very narrow and didn't afford much protection from the east wind, but at least we didn't have the tidal surge to deal with.

The anchorage at Norman's Cay.



Norman's Cay, which is approximately six miles long and 1000 feet wide on average, is one of the longest islands in the Exumas. Norman's gained notoriety during the late 1970's and early 1980's when it was used as a base for a very profitable cocaine smuggling operation led by drug lord Carlos Lehder. Today, the only reminders are the bullet holes in some of the buildings on the south end of the cay and the airplane that crashed in about ten feet of water east of the old marina dock on the south end of the island.

Saturday afternoon we dinghied over to the beach and found the Norman's Cay Beach Club, which was surprisingly nice and predictably expensive. The least expensive "meal" on the menu was a jumbo hot dog for $8.00 and sandwiches, a la carte, started at $13.00. We elected not to eat but we did buy a couple of Kaliks, a Bahamiam beer, for $5.00 per bottle which seems to be a fairly common price (unless you're at Atlantis where it's $7.50!).

Norman's Cay Beach Club, formerly known as McDuff's.


A truly unique open-air restroom, complete with a flushable toilet and running water.


Stefan, the owner of Norman's Cay Beach Club, along with Sally the bartender/waitress.


We started chatting with Sally and learned that she and her husband, Mark, are from a small town in Missouri called Elkhead, somewhere along Highway 14 between Ozark and Ava. Who would have imagined running in to someone from southwest Missouri living and working on Norman's Cay in the Exumas? Yet another example of how small the world is.

We also met several other people while at the bar, five of which had come in on a transport boat that moves various types of cargo between the islands. Mike, the captain, told us that they had quite a time moving some pigs, goats and chickens in rough seas a few days ago. We had seen the boat come through the anchorage at Allan's Cay when we were there but didn't know what kind of boat it was, what they were doing or where they were going. As we talked to Mike, we learned that the boat, named "Yamacraw," was built in the Chesapeake Bay area in 1922 and was originally used to transport fish from the fishing fleets back to land, and because it is a documented vessel it was used in 1944 by the military as a buoy tender in Chesapeake Bay.

After a while Mike told us they were going to take Mark (Sally's husband) to the northwest part of Norman's Cay to pick up a vehicle he had left there earlier and we somehow got invited to go along. We dinghied back to our boat and Mike and his crew picked us up on their way north. Todd stayed in the pilothouse with Mike nearly the entire trip while I stood out on the deck talking to various members of the crew. It was a fun experience with some unique individuals, but I have to admit to being a little nervous going off on a boat with a group of guys we knew nothing about! On the other hand, Mr. Friendly (a.k.a. Todd) didn't seem to think there was anything to worry about and, thankfully, he was right!

Just a bunch of old hippies, and Brenda, out for an evening cruise! What a GREAT time!






We went back over to the Beach Club early this afternoon to share a hamburger and noticed a wireless router on a nearby table. We asked about using it to connect to the Internet to upload the blog and were told we could, so our plan is to go back over later this afternoon and do just that, especially since we don't know when we will have another opportunity. We are assuming that the Internet access is via satellite since there is no telephone service on the island.

The wind is currently blowing out of the east but is moving to the south and is supposed to clock around to the north again by mid-week, so our plan, as of today, is to travel south a few miles to Shroud Cay tomorrow, spend a couple of days there and then possibly come back to anchor on the south end of Norman's Cay until the north wind calms down. Of course, this is all dependent on the weather but the anchorages on Shroud Cay are on the west side of the island so we definitely don't want to be there when the wind shifts to the west and north. This may be "paradise with an ocean view," but the constant wind tends to dictate when and from where you are able to enjoy it!

Bimini to Nassau

April 17th was our final night in Bimini and we invited Lanny and Jess over again for dinner. We pulled away from the dock about 7:15 a.m. Friday and prepared for a long day to Chub Cay. In fact, when the Captain plugged the waypoint into the GPS we learned that it was ten miles farther than we originally thought, based on what the charts told us. At any rate, we figured we would reach Chub by 6:30 or 7:00 Friday evening. Along the way we established radio contact with George & Janice who were also on their way to Chub Cay in their sailboat, "Calamus."

About mid-afternoon Janice called to say that they were tired of getting knocked around by the waves and were going to anchor on the Bahama Bank somewhere near the entrance to the Northwest Channel and go in to Chub on Saturday. We decided we would do the same and finally got anchored about 5:30 that evening. We arrived at Chub Cay about noon on Saturday and found a place to anchor in an incredibly beautiful setting; unfortunately, the anchorage is just off channel that leads to Chub Cay Marina. Between the tidal surge from the deep water that is a very short distance from the anchorage and the wakes from the boats going back and forth to the marina, we were subjected to a constant side-to-side rocking motion that was not very pleasant!

Our anchorage at Chub Cay.


We put the dinghy in the water planning to go get some ice from the marina; however, the Captain wasn't able to get the outboard motor started. After messing around with it for quite a while, he gave up and ended up going with George & Janice in their dinghy to do some snorkeling in search of what the Bahamians call "summer crab" after lobster season ends. With a couple of successful hits, we were all set for a wonderful dinner of grilled summer crab and fresh Mahi-Mahi provided by Todd's fishing friends in Bimini.

Shhh... don't tell anyone it's a lobster.


The sun sets over the Bahama Bank...


...as the moon rises over Chub Cay.


We left Chub Cay about 7:45 Sunday morning and crossed what is known as the Tongue of the Ocean, arriving in Nassau early afternoon. The water is several thousand feet deep in the Tongue and it was fairly rough even with a very light breeze from the east/southeast. I would hate to see what it's like in big winds!

About halfway to Nassau, we heard a radio transmission about a search and rescue operation for a woman who had supposedly fallen overboard sometime around 4:30 a.m., and we saw the Coast Guard helicopter flying a grid over the water. Then, about and hour later, we heard someone come on the VHF saying that they had found five dead bodies floating in the water and were making arrangements to have them transported to a nearby marina. We later heard that there were as many as ten bodies found, that it was some kind of smuggling operation gone bad and that their boat probably sank, but it's anyone's guess as to what really happened.

The entrance to Nassau Harbor. You can see two cruise ships docked on the right and the Atlantis complex on Paradise Island on the left.


By early afternoon we were anchored in Nassau Harbor just east of where the big cruise ships dock and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening reading, napping and watching the activities in the harbor. Since we had to do something about the non-functioning dinghy motor, we made arrangements to go to Nassau Harbor Club Marina Monday morning where we were hoping to find someone to work on it. Before going to the marina we stopped at a nearby fuel dock to top off with diesel for a mere $5.03 per gallon (that includes a 2.3% surcharge for using a credit card).

A closer look at Atlantis from our anchorage in Nassau Harbor.


We saw lots of mega-yachts cruising through Nassau Harbor.


After securing the boat at the marina, the Captain promptly got out the hose and spent a few hours washing off the massive amount of salt that had accumulated on the boat since leaving Bimini while I walked to a nearby gas station to purchase a bag of ice.

Our slip at Nassau Harbor Club Marina - "Life's2Short" is second from the front if you can't tell.


Todd also called an outboard mechanic who told him that his labor rate was $75 per hour, with a two-hour minimum. When he learned how old the motor was (1978), he told Todd that any parts they might need would have to be ordered from Miami, assuming they could even still get them, and suggested that we consider purchasing a new outboard while in Nassau. George had told Todd that you could buy an outboard in Nassau cheaper than in the States so I suppose that is the prudent thing to do, under the circumstances. We certainly can't go to the Exumas without an outboard on our dinghy!

So, Todd spent the afternoon shopping for, purchasing and installing a new Mercury 9.9 horsepower outboard while I walked over to the grocery store to see what I could find. Talk about sticker shock! Nonetheless, I found a few things on sale and bought a few other things that were more expensive than I wanted them to be, but at least within the bounds of reason considering where we are.  I should mention that there is an entire shopping center across the street from Nassau Harbor Marina complete with a Starbucks (with WiFi), a Radio Shack, a Kentucky Fried Chicken, a bank, a liquor store, a video store, a Mailboxes, Etc., a home store of some sort (Bed, Bath & Home) and several others. There are also three marine stores and a dive shop within a few blocks. Makes it very handy when you're on foot!

At the time of this update, the marina rate is $1.75 per foot, per night, plus $6.00 for water and the electric is metered (not sure what the price is per kilowatt hour). After walking to a nearby Chinese restaurant for dinner, we took a taxi over to the Atlantis on Paradise Island. Atlantis is a huge resort and hotel complex with a large marina, an aquarium that puts Hemingway's to shame (the Springfield people will know what I'm talking about), a multi-acre water park with slides, river rafting, pools and sand beaches, along with a 64,000 square foot casino and the requisite shops and restaurants. Although not as opulent as the Las Vegas hotels and casinos, it is definitely a spectacular piece of real estate!

A limited view of a small portion of Atlantis. It's just too massive for the camera to capture!


This is an outdoor fountain featuring flying fish.


We spent some time checking out the aquarium and wandering around the beautifully landscaped grounds before making our way to the casino where we played a few slots. Unfortunately, our bad luck with the slots continued and, at $7.50 per beer, we didn't linger long!

Our plan is to leave the marina this afternoon and anchor at Rose Island for the evening before heading to Allan's Cay in the Exumas tomorrow. Rose Island is about four miles east of Nassau and then Allan's Cay is probably another thirty-five miles to the southeast. Our next chance for Internet access will likely be Warderick Wells, Park Headquarters for The Exuma Cays Land And Sea Park, which is about one-fourth of the way down the Exuma chain. Stay tuned as we continue our exploration of the Bahamas!

Bimini - The Gateway to The Bahamas

We left No Name Harbor (Biscayne Bay) Saturday, April 12th, and had a rough first hour as we made our way to the Gulf Stream, primarily due to the tide, the current and a number of sport fishing boat wakes. The rest of the trip was bumpy and rough but much better than the first hour. The waves were probably two feet or less during most of the crossing but the confused nature of the water still made for an uncomfortable ride. Upon entering Bahamian waters, boaters are required to hang a yellow quarantine flag on their boats to signify that they have not yet cleared customs. Once that is done, it is customary to replace the quarantine flag with the Bahamian courtesy flag.



This is part of the Bimini Harbor waterfront featuring several small marinas. Ours is the one with the two-story yellow building in the background.


By 2:00 p.m. we were tied up at the Sea Crest Marina and glad to be there! After rinsing a heavy coating of saltwater off the boat, filling out the customs and immigration forms and clearing customs and immigration, we toured the nearby portion of Alice Town and then walked up the hill to The Anchorage for some late afternoon appetizers overlooking the ocean.

The Anchorage used to be a residence whose owner was good friends with Ernest Hemingway, a frequent visitor to Bimini. Hemingway writes about Bimini and the house that is now The Anchorage in his book, Islands in the Stream, which Todd just finished reading. We left The Anchorage and walked down to the beach where we met the local Methodist minister, Skip George III. Skip lives in Manhattan and travels to Bimini to fill in as a guest minister two months each year. Not a bad place to spend a working vacation!

The Admiral visiting with Skip on the beach.


Skip's church on the hill above the beach, overlooking the ocean.


A beautiful sunset over the Atlantic.


The water in Bimini is very clear and has that wonderful turquoise color that people generally associate with the Caribbean. And from the beach, less than a mile offshore, you can easily see the dramatic color change where the ocean floor drops off into the deep, dark blue that is the Gulf Stream.

The gorgeous water surrounding Bimini with the Gulf Stream visible in the background.


Laughing gulls perched on a post at the marina.


Sunday morning we deciced to tour the northern part of North Bimini. The Bimini Islands include North Bimini, South Bimini and East Bimini, with Alice Town on North Bimini being the main center of attraction. Just as we were leaving the marina the Bimini Tram came by so we hopped aboard for a guided tour.

A Bahamian man dressed to the hilt for Sunday church service.


We rode the tram to Bimini Bay, an upscale resort at the northern end of the occupied portion of North Bimini, and then got off part way back so we could check out some of the things our tour guide/driver told us about on the way up. As we walked back we came across two locals cleaning conch and stopped to watch. Conch is widely harvested in The Bahamas and there are huge mounds of discarded shells all over the place!




We also stopped in to visit Ansil "Bonefish Ansil" Saunders, a local boat builder who created "The Bimini Bonefisher," a custom, handcrafted work of art. Ansil builds two boats per year and uses native woods such as horse flesh and mahogany in their construction.

Ansil poses beside his latest creation.


Ansil has met many famous people over the years and one of his favorite stories is that he was with Martin Luther King, Jr. three days before he was assassinated. Dr. King needed some peace and quiet to do some writing, so Ansil took him out in a boat to a secluded area of the island where he wrote his sanitation workers speech. Because of all the death threats he had been receiving, Dr. King also wrote his eulogy that day. According to Ansil, Dr. King wanted to ensure, by writing his own eulogy, that he was not remembered for his many awards and scholastic achievements - those things were not important; he wanted to be remembered for making a difference in the lives of those he represented. It would seem Dr. King got his wish.

Other interesting attractions along Alice Town's main road, King's Highway.




This is called Dolphin House and was built by local author/historian Ashley Saunders, who also happens to be Ansil's brother. The house is built of mostly natural materials, including coral, stone and shells, all found in Bimini. Three mosaic dolphins mark the entrance and a hodgepodge of tiles covers the entire exterior of the building.


A view of King's Highway. Pretty narrow for a main street, isn't it?


This is the site of The Complete Angler, a popular local bar/restaurant that burned to the ground a couple of years ago. It was reportedly a favorite hang-out of Ernest Hemingway's.


It was about 3:00 p.m. when we got back to Alice Town so we went to the Bimini Big Game Club for a late lunch/early dinner where we ran in to Lanny, a sailboater we met in Demopolis, AL the summer of 2006. He and his friend, Jess, are making their way back to the states from Georgetown and stopped in at Bimini to take a break and to wait for the conditions in the Gulf Stream to improve. As it turned out, Lanny's boat is right next to ours in the marina and Jess's sailboat is across the dock from Lanny's.

It was an extremely hot day so we walked back to the marina and sat at a shaded picnic table visiting with Lanny and Jess where we learned that Jess is from northeast Tennessee and that he knew Jack, the owner of "Flagmaker" who died while we were together in Crystal River, FL this past December. Jess hadn't heard about Jack's passing so we filled him in. I know we've said this before, but it never ceases to amaze us how small a world it is among boaters!

About 9:00 p.m. the cold front that had been predicted to move in Sunday evening arrived and we all scurried back to our respective boats as the temperature dropped and the rain started to fall. Monday was considerably cooler and very breezy but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Todd got out his surf fishing gear and walked over to the beach to try his luck, but it was too rough and he didn't stay long. In fact, as the forecast currently stands, it appears that we may be held up in Bimini most of the week. What can I say, there are worse places to be!

Early Monday afternoon Todd was invited to go fishing with David, another boater on the dock. David is part owner of a 30-foot Prowler catamaran with two 250 horsepower outboards. According to Todd, the boat is a fishing machine! They went down around Cat and Gun Cays and had a little action, but they weren't able to get anything in the boat and came back empty-handed.

That evening we sat out on the dock visiting with Lanny and Jess as Lanny tried, unsuccessfully, to catch fish off the dock. David had planned to go fishing again Tuesday morning but the water was far too rough. The wind had virtually howled all night and it was even cooler and breezier Tuesday than it had been on Monday. George & Janice, the sailboating couple we met at No Name Harbor who encouraged us to come to Bimini, dropped by the boat late Tuesday morning. After making the crossing on Saturday, they had gone down to South Bimini and anchored out for a few days before coming in to Bimini Harbor.

We made plans to meet them for lunch at 1:00 p.m. at Capt. Bob's, just across the street from Sea Crest Marina. During lunch we learned that Janice likes to play Cribbage, as does Todd, so she and Todd made plans to get together later that afternoon to test their skills. Todd and I then walked up the hill to look at the ocean and it was a mess! According to NOAA weather radio, waves in the Gulf Stream have been between eight and fourteen feet all week and the breakers were literally pounding the shoreline, sending saltwater spray several feet into the air!

With the exception of Todd and Janice's Cribbage game, most of the afternoon and evening was spent relaxing and reading on the boat. The wind continued to blow and it was quite cool so we didn't venture far. Wednesday was partly cloudy and still very breezy with a few showers, but David decided to go fishing anyway and, of course, Todd was eager to go along! Michael, the dockmaster here at Sea Crest, also joined them for their morning fishing adventure They left about 7:30 a.m. and came back around noon. The seas were running five to six feet, but Todd said the Prowler did amazingly well in the rough off-shore conditions.

The guys caught two barracuda, had one dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) get off before they got it to the boat, and had a thirty-pound wahoo (a type of mackerel) get cut in half by a shark just as they were getting ready to gaff the fish! They even brought back the wahoo head to prove they had caught one, or at least part of one!

This is David and Michael.


David with what's left of the wahoo they caught!


Michael poses with one of the barracuda.


Too bad barracuda aren't good eating, although the islanders seem to like them.


We thought the boys might enjoy a home-cooked meal, so we invited Lanny and Jess to join us for dinner Wednesday evening. They were very appreciative!

Jess and Lanny, the salty sailors!


Today is Thursday, April 17th. It is somewhat warmer and not as windy and it sounds like the weather is going to continue to improve over the next several days, so our plan is to leave Bimini, at least by tomorrow (if not later today), spend a few days getting to Nassau, and then arrive in the Exumas the first part of next week. Based on what we've been told, there are a few places along the way with wireless access so we will update the blog whenever we have the opportunity.