Bahamas - Round One

March - April, 2013

After being at my dock in Fort Lauderdale for just a couple of weeks, I was ready to head off for my first real adventure over to the Bahamas! This time though I was not alone, a good friend, Kelda from back in Airlie Beach days was joining me for the trip.

Hawksbill Cay

Mast Top View

So after stocking up with supplies, we set off to make our way back down river, winding our way through downtown Fort Lauderdale to exit the waterways and get out into the Atlantic ready to cross the Gulf Stream. Our first destination was set for Bimini, a port of entry into the Bahamas and also the closest point being only roughly 50 nautical miles from the US. The crossing over went smooth enough, it was a little choppy as the breeze was opposing the current of the Gulf Stream, but again Dream Odyssey made her way along quite nicely. Kelda managed to to survive also! By late afternoon we were tied up at Brown's Marina at North Bimini, cleared in through customs & immigration, and all set to explore further into the Bahamas the next day.

I'm not going to go into detail about each and every spot we visited during the 3-4 weeks, but it was a great trip. Sure there were moments of frustration as not everything went exactly to plan. A ripped head sail, some short choppy seas but all in all I still consider it a success.

Some of the highlights.

Friendly Fish!

Made a stop off in the south of New Providence Island, where I caught up with old friends Chang & Terri whom I worked with years ago when I was based on Hamilton Island. Was good to see them, albeit fairly briefly as it had been something like 7 years. Managed to get out for a dive with Chang, we took my little dinghy out to one of the local sites where they do shark feeding. We weren't feeding but of course the sharks still come to meet you and follow about just in case.

Pipe Cay

Had a great anchorage down in the Exumas, alongside Pipe Cay. We had the spot all to ourselves, and after setting two anchors to keep us safely in the narrow, deep channel between the island and a sand bar were able to comfortably enjoy the surroundings. Even managed to get Kelda in the bosun's chair and lifted to the top of the main mast for the view and few photos. Would probably have been my favourite spot to anchor thus far.

Norman's Cay

Norman's Cay was another nice spot to visit. With a cruise about in the dinghy to explore where you just can't get to otherwise. Some great little stretches of clean white sand amongst the clear, warm waters. Some history to the place also from the days when the Bahamas was a popular stepping stone to the US for drug runners.

Having stopped off in Nassau and had the torn sail repaired, it was time to make our way back to Fort Lauderdale. Kelda had her next adventurous travels to get on with, and I had decided to get back and find some work. I knew I was going to have to do so at some point before I was ready to set sail without looking back and figured it was better to get it over with. Using Bimini again as our port of call to clear out, it was then a much nicer sail back across the Gulf Stream, this time running with the current a little. Safe and sound back to the dock before nightfall.