Heading to the
Bahamas
We left at o dark 30 in the morning. Literally. It was 6:30am
and pitch dark. Our little flotilla of 4 boats turned on the lights and headed south
through the ICW around bends, commercial vessels and boats anchored out. It was
quite the obstacle course.
Libertad headed out first, then Joe Apasilla, then Jim’s Joy
with Good Karma in the rear. All we could see for a while was the light of the
boat in front of us. Jim’s Joy’s American flag kept a steady wave that turned
his steady stern light into a flasher. On off. On off.
Close to Peanut Island we picked up another boat, Loopers Hush
a Bye from Ontario. Hugh and Sherrie. The other Hugh Grant.
We rounded the bend around Peanut Island in Lake Worth headed
towards the inlet just as dawn cracked. We stopped in our tracks. This was not
the calm crossing we expected!! It looked like Lake Erie on a choppy day. Swells
of 3+ feet coming right at us on the nose. Oh boy. We headed out tentatively,
sticking our noses out into the ocean, watching the skyline shrink in the
background while we bounced and bobbled. Even I was getting seasick. I am
getting a little nauseous just writing about it.
The radios started chirping. “I don’t like this.” “The cats
just lost it down below. We have quite a mess.” “Are those elephants on the
horizon?” This last comment from Kermit.
Elephants on the horizon is sea lingo for the image of big
waves in the far distant horizon. As the waves fling themselves in the air it
looks like little images of elephant trunks in the air. Close your eyes and
imagine this. It is hard to see in the distance but Kermit has eyes of an
eagle. As I squinted sure enough in the bright orange light of dawn it looked
like little flames or sticks flinging into the air. Those are elephants. This
is the image of big waves from the gulf stream hitting the calmer waters that
flow next to it.
Again radio chirping. “Let’s see what happens” “Let’s wait a
few more minutes.” Kermit admitted that if those were elephants on the horizon
that represented the Gulf Stream then this big chop was not going to calm down
any time soon.
We decided to turn back. Libertad decided to stay the
course. His boat is bigger. He has stabilizers (not sure exactly what are
stabilizers but I know that people nod their head knowingly, acknowledging that
a boat with stabilizers can withstand greater punishment, bounce and chop than
mere mortal boats). The rest of us turned around careful to avoid a breach
(when the waves hit the boat on the side which can make the boat unstable,
potentially causing a collapse – not good). We put on the gas and arrived
safely back in Lake Worth by Peanut Island where it was calm and safe.
Joe and his wife decided it was not worth it. They gave up
the idea of the Bahamas and decided to go to Fort Myers. Somehow I think he had
the right idea.
Hush a Bye went back to his anchorage south of Peanut Island.
Jim’s Joy and Good Karma pulled into docks right by Peanut Island at Rivera
Beach. We thought we might pull out the dinghys and explore around Peanut
Island. They have an underground bunker built for President Kennedy in case of
nuclear disaster. Might be fun.
We pulled in just fine although there was quite a current.
After we got all tied up we discovered there was no Internet. Not acceptable. So
we untied and made our way back to our old slips at North Port Marina. Probably
they wouldn’t even know we were gone!
The next morning we left at o dark 30 again. Same maneuvers
only this time without Joe Apasilla and his wife. We picked up Hush a Bye again
at the mouth of the inlet. The water was pretty calm, 1 to 2 foot waves coming
out of the south east right on our front right hand side. This was acceptable.
No elephants on the horizon. We were good to go.
On a long journey like this the hardest part is the boredom.
It is always longer than you think. You lose site of land after about 1.5 hours
and don’t see land for 6 hours more. After an hour or so the depth gauge stops
registering because you are in water deeper than 1000 feet. It feels like you
are in a bath toy bobbing along the top of the water.
Finally land ho!! It feels like Columbus must have felt. One
wrong move and the boat is heading to Africa so it is no mean feat to actually
hit the piece of land you intended to find.
West End Bahamas
We pulled in to Bahama Bay Marina in West End on Grand
Bahama Island. If you take a bus south you will reach Freeport or Lucana where
many visitors think of when they think of the Bahamas.
West End is the north tip
of Grand Bahama Island. It is a beautiful resort (I use that word loosely).
There are hotel rooms built 4 units to a building, all painted bright Bahama
pastel colors facing the most beautiful turquoise water you’ve ever seen.
After paying our customs fees we went for a walk on the beach.
I found a hammock. It was heaven.
BTW they never asked for Jack Cat’s papers!!
I put him through that excitement at the vet for nothing!!
We bought lobsters from the lobster man and had a feast on
the beach. It was a good day!
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