Crossing and Bimini

Crossing the gulfstream can be the most treacherous leg of our Bahamian argosy.  Often people never gather the courage to “cross the stream” due to its bermuda triangle / dangerous legacy.  Water currents flow North as fast as 3 knots along the East coast of the US, so if winds blow in any opposing direction to the relentless current waves can double in size and be very hard to traverse.  I have been lucky in years past, we crossed a dozen times, this traverse rates somewhere in the middle of the pack. 

We left Islamorada for a night crossing with expectations of SE winds at 12 knots… going true South and up to 15 during the night.  That would have been perfect sailing conditions but true to crossing legacy we didn’t get that…. Winds were almost due East (in our face) for 80% of the trip luckily waves had some South direction in them so we weren’t pounding to weather; we were rolling them 45 degrees off the bow.  SYL and Jumanji were able to sail without engines the last 20 miles when we finally got some South component.

The crossing was fast, I haven’t done the math – but be saw almost 10 knots of ground speed late in the trip.  We planned for a 15 to 16 hour passage; our trip time was 13 hours so we made quick work of the 90+ miles from Snake Creek.  Unfortunately our early arrival put us here before the morning sun.  Entering the Bimini channel requires good light so we set our anchors in the sandy Bahamian beach just outside the cut and waited with great expectation as the sun filled in the colors of the beautiful baby blue watery canvas our boats were now a part of.

This crossing was “not for the faint of heart”.  Linda knows exactly what that means because we have made this type crossing before… doable but more to the liking of burly men than faint of heart.  I can’t say I liked it, but it was not a disaster either…. I would repeat rather than regret the endeavor.

Bimini customs has moved, so naturally we parked in the wrong place.  A bit weary after the all night voyage we moved our ships to “Bimini Big Game Club” to check in first at customs, then to immigration.  The process was painless, $150 and 4 or 5 sheets of paperwork and we are in!  It does require two trips if you have crew, they can’t come with you to immigration but they have to sign their own entry papers.

Mike and I debated about dockage, if we wanted to plug and pay….. but we found a decent anchorage at the North end of North Bimini next to the big fancy resort.  After getting our hooks placed in the sand we all took a nap… when I say I napped.. I actually did what I call “slobber sleeping” I went unconscious for 3 hours.  Reconvening  as a group after noon, we discussed our options for the day.

Weather looked OK for a spirited run to the Exumas the next day (April 2^nd but there was a chance (if we didn’t hurry) we would be in open water for a northern blow.  We all wanted to see Bimini rather than just say “we went there” but were too wiped out to enjoy the day ashore.  We decided to move on…. Then we all took another nap.

I woke up and saw Mike and Laurie heading to the resort in their dink.  When my eyes cleared I drank a big glass of water and followed them ashore while Jono slept.  As it turned out the resort welcomes anyone to come spend their money, even trashy boat people that park at their doorstep for free… so we did.  After the first 15 dollar drink I found out why they were good with it… lol.  One drink, then I came back for Jono, we all ate pizza at the pizza joint.  So… with clearer minds (and a 15 dollar Bahama Mama) we revised our float schedule.

After finding a great off boat option we decided to do Bimini right and spend a few days here at our leisure.  We spent the extra hours getting here instead of blasting across the banks immediately so we might as well enjoy it.  This morning (April 2^nd) we slept in.  I can see people stirring on Jumanji as I write.  The wind has picked up, I feel happy we aren’t out in it.  Today winds start out high but are forecast to lay during the day so our trip would have started briskly putting everyone on edge right off… I’m glad we stayed to enjoy Bimini.  The rigging on SYL sings at about 12 knots and it’s singing to me now, so without looking at the instruments I generally know conditions by the sounds of the boat.  I guess 50,000 miles of sailing gives you that.. at least.

We rented a golf cart for $85/day for the trek to Alice Town (old Bimini) today… we bought some bimini bread and shopped the wares around the small circular tourist heart of North Bimini.  I bought Jono a chartreuse green long sleeve Bimini shirt for his birthday.

Two roads run most of the islands length.  The main road has businesses along both sides but the second road is primarily local housing.  We were driving down the residential coast road on the golf cart and smelled some great cooking as we passed a little take away shop about 1:30 so we turned around and discovered some true Bahamian food on the “locals” side of the island.  Fried fish, potato salad with peas and rice.  The four of us took our local fare to a shady spot overlooking the water and had a mini feast just above the beach.  Earlier we found loads of descent sea glass on the North end of the islands sand bar, our lunch spot beach had the same allotment, so we did very good on sea glass here at Bimini.  Check that one off the list!

Mike and Jono just brought our empty gas cans (two per boat) to town on the cart to be filled.  That will top us off for the next long run toward the Exumas.  Gas was $4.20 per gallon.. very good for the islands.

We normally see one or two sea planes landing somewhere per trip.  But while parked here at the resort, they land 5 or 6 turbopropped 16 seater sea planes per day.  They circle in right by our boat offloading 8 to 12 people per load.  RWB also has a couple signature red/orange ferries running from the commercial airport on South Bimini.  They seem to have a booming business here at “Resorts World Bimini”.  The anchorage is fine, holding seems good but there is not a lot of room, 5 or 6 boats fill it up.

8PM Saturday night:  We found so much sea glass on our earlier excursion we decided to make another run at it so we loaded back on the cart and went to the ocean side beach about the middle of Bimini Road.  The four of us probably picked up another quart of glass.. nice haul.  After beachcombing we went back to the resort and had our obligatory $15 dollar Bahama Mama rum drink overlooking the big expensive boats in the harbor – then turned in our golf cart for the day.  As I sit back on the boat I’m enjoying one of Jono’s famous chili dogs..

Today truly felt like the first day of our vacation.. not just a “get there day” like we have had so many of on our intrepid journey toward the Bahamas.  At times turning for home seemed to be the right answer.. and we did.  Somehow the allure of blue water was so strong with me.. and my plans to sail so ingrained in my mind we persevered…. thru all the turmoil and troubles we finally made it.. we are here.. finally enjoying the Bahamas.

As for weather and our sail plans… It seems the front may come thru a day early so we may not have to wait out a blow on Monday, it may come tomorrow!  That puts us on the move again Monday morning as the cool dry North winds clear out the skies to blow us Eastward then South to our final destination in the Exumas.  It’s likely we will make a long 140 mile leg this next time.. all the way to Highborne Cay or Normans.  As always our plans are in sand and that washes off easily with a bit of water…. so long for now.

Here are some pictures in an effort to share our last few days: