Bahama Breezes

It’s been great here!  We’re thoroughly enjoying the Bahamas and really not doing much of anything. 

I realize it’s been quite a while, but our time with the internet is consumed by weather reports and emails to friends and family.  In Fresh Creek I got distracted by a online chats with friends, but that just proves that just because we're gone, doesn't mean we don't sincerely miss you all.  I’m trying to get into the habit of writing things ahead of time and just taking it ashore with my jump drive.  The computer is a pain to lug around in a Ziploc bag.  Apart from getting really wonderful emails from home, it’s pretty nice not having a phone in your pocket or sitting in front of a computer.  It’s amazing how much of your day opens up when you aren't in front of the computer screen.   But of course, we do love it and without it we wouldn't be able to show you all our wonderful pictures and share our stories.

Our crossing to the Bahamas was really quite good.  We had Northerly winds in the gulf stream which made for a pretty bumpy ride but not too bad.  I have to confess that I lost it a little bit.  I can't cook when everything is flying around and I don't appreciate a struggle just to keep my rear on the toilet seat.  Just as I was about to curse the whole thing, the winds died and it became glass calm and we had to motor to the Northwest Passage.  

So calm it was hard to tell where the sea ended and the sky began.

We spent a night achored off the reef there in total calm.  It was good to get some good sleep and continue the ride to Morgan's Bluff, which was a much gentler ride.  Clearing into Customs was very quick and easy.  We dropped anchor in the bay and hoisted the Q for Quarantine yellow flag, and sent the Captain ashore with our boat documents.   Everyone else (me) remains on board until cleared.  Matt called Customs from the bar at the dinghy dock landing and had us cleared in short time.  The Bahamian officials didn't request a search of the boat, they were happy to simply take the check.  $300 gets you a six month cruising permit and fishing license.  From what we've heard about the Caribbean, even the other boats who have been around the world, all seem to agree, that the Bahamas offers more fish and beautiful coral than  any other place they've seen.  Many people are happy to cruise only in the Bahamas, but for us, it will be a good first stop, and hopefully we can come back and visit in the warmer months when the water temperature is a bit more inviting.

We visited Morgan's Cave, which was named after Sir/Captain Henry Morgan, the pirate who's raids against the Spanish New World for gold and silver and England will never be forgotten.  It was just a small cave, but I have no doubt that the man himself probably stood there sometime hundreds of years ago.  The Bahamas were a favorite spot for pirates with the intricate cays perfect for hiding out.  Not surprisingly, the area was also used later in history for rumrunning during prohibition and drug running during the 1980s.  Especially where we were in Andros Island, the largest but least populated, we saw several US Coast Guard helicopter fly-overs a day.