Off On Another Adventure! Bahamas April 2015!

Going under the Seven Mile Bridge
Saying goodbye to Marathon

One of the several "Fast Boats" we saw along the way

Playing Mexican Train in Bimini

Sign says it all?

Welcome to North Bimini

Beautiful costumes at the Junkanoo
in Freeport

One of the dancers at the Junkanoo

Saying goodbye to Rho-Jo in Ocean Reef

Inside the Two Dollar Bar

Having lunch and a beer in the
Two Dollar Bar

One of the local hangouts
Two Dollar Bar

Dinner tonight!

Can't beat fresh grouper!

Port Lacaya lighthouse

Visit to the Straw Market

Welcoming us to the market

Running ahead of the storm!
Just made it back in time!

Mike taking the dinghy out for a spin to
North Bimini

Our first Bahamian meal!

One of the huge container ships outside
Port of Freeport
He was staged and waiting for Customs

Our first sunset in the Bahamas!

The End of the World Bar

This was our view from Nautinell
every morning in Bimini
at Bimini Sands

Going fishin'!

Our boats in Bimini Sands

Resident shark here at Bimini Sands

Lunch at the Island House

Main Street in Alice Town

Our other resident at Bimini Sands
A Stingray

This guy came in our harbor to pick up a boat!
Quite a skillful maneuver!

Saying goodbye to Rambler
as they head to the Exumas

Point Isaac Lighhouse
about half way to Lacaya from Bimini

Beautiful day for a wedding
here at Ocean Reef

The day finally came – for several of us anyway.  Finally on Thursday, April 9 we untied from what has been our home for the last five months.  We weren’t alone though.  Ray and Linda (Second Noelle) snuck our early this morning.  They are on their way back home to Chattanooga, TN for the summer.  Richard and Kathy (Rambler) and Joey and Rhonda (Rho-Jo) left heading with us up the east coast to find a good day to cross to the Bahamas.  To say we left together is not quite right.  Rambler and Rho-Jo left about 8:30 and NautiNell pulled out of her slip about 9:45.  We still had a few things we needed to tend to.  That seems to be the Chapman way!  Anyway we’re going the same way so we’re bound to see them and hopefully cross the Atlantic with them.  Here’s how it’s been going for the last few days……

April 9, Thursday   We left with a plan to travel about 40 miles to Sunset Cove in Buttonwood Sound (Key Largo).  We stayed there last year when we were traveling with Jeremiah and Second Noelle.  It was a great day to travel although, we did go through some pretty skinny water!  There was a lot of wind but the waves were on our nose and it was just pretty much “choppy”.  We heard from the other two that they were at Gilbert’s where they were tying up to the dock.  Being still about an hour away from them, we dropped a hook about 6:00 and enjoyed the sunset in Sunset Cove.  It was a little noisy for a while with the music coming from the bars on shore but it didn’t last too late.  After that it turned out to be quite a nice evening. 

April 10, Friday   We left about 8:30 this morning heading for No Name Harbor.  We had originally planned to stay a couple of days in Boca Chita.  But it looked like we’d be crossing on Saturday so we passed on it and went to No Name where the inlet – Biscayne Cut -  is close by.  We made it to No Name which was about a 45 mile trip by about 3:00.  We like it there.  It’s very secure and there are lot of boats to watch – especially on a weekend.  There is a restaurant there too, but we didn’t eat there this time.  We wanted to just hang out on the hook and relax.  The others had gone to a marina and would be coming back this way to go through the cut early in the morning.  We were hoping to be able to cross altogether.

When we were in Biscayne Bay earlier getting near to No Name, we saw a dive boat tending to a dolphin.  They had it up on the swim platform.  We couldn’t tell what was going on but it must have been hurt.  There were SEVERAL dolphins jumping and swimming around the area – it seemed they knew he was there and didn’t want to leave him.  It was pretty interesting.  Hope he’s okay.

April 11, Saturday   We are finally going to the Bahamas!  It’s been three years since we were over there.  Things happen along the way and the best laid plans don’t always turn out.  But this time we’re on our way!  We left No Name Harbor about 7:15.  It was perfect timing – Rambler and Rho-Jo were just coming into the cut when we pulled out of the harbor.  There were also two other boats in the harbor that were also crossing just a few minutes behind us.  It was only about a 45 mile trip to Bimini.  There was a strong east wind that put the waves on our nose.  They were pretty good sized waves too.  We bounced around a lot.  Let’s just say it wasn’t the best crossing but it could have been much worse.  When we got past the Gulf Stream it seemed to let up some and as we got to the other side, the winds seemed to lay a little.  When we got to our destination I had quite a mess to clean up in NautiNell.  Things were strung all over – nothing broken – and I’ve definitely seen it worse!

Now along the way we chatted with Rambler and Rho-Jo.  In those conversations it finally came up that they had planned all along to go to South Bimini!  We had charted our way into North Bimini where we had been before.  We talked about it some and decided that we’d just go south too.  It’s not over a half-mile in difference.  Plus it’s was actually easier to go into the entrance of South than North.  We stayed at the Bimini Sands Resort.  Much nicer place than what we would have been in at North Bimini (Alice Town). 

The water is unbelievable!  I think I had actually forgotten just how beautiful it is over here.  The water is the color of turquoise!  You can see the bottom from way over 20 feet.  We soon were seeing all kinds of fish, a stingray and a shark.  The shark was about 4 feet long and just off the side of our boat!    We got to the marina about 3:00 and the guys took a taxi to Customs to check in.  Customs is here at the Bimini Airport.  They all cleared customs easily and then it was time to enjoy ourselves. 

Of course one of the first things Mike did was to take a dinghy ride over to North Bimini.  He said it wasn’t bad at all so I know we’ll be taking another ride tomorrow!  We all went to dinner at the restaurant here at the marina – The Petite Conch – conch fritters and cracked conch!  We’re in the Bahamas, baby!

April 12, Sunday   We had an easy morning this morning.  Mike went fishing.  Caught several but no keepers.  We went on that dinghy ride!  Went over to Alice Town.  It’s still pretty much the way we remembered it.   Not much has changed except they have built a huge new casino and a Hilton Hotel at the very north tip.  That didn’t really interest us – we tend to like the funky Bahamian style.  We had planned to go further south around the tip of Bimini where the Bimini Beach Club is located but it was a bit to “wavy”.  The others hung out at the pool.  Later we all played Mexican Train.  It was a hoot!

April, 13, Monday   Mike went fishing again early this morning.  Then we all took the ferry over to Alice Town (North Bimini) so we could get Bahamian phones.  Our phones won’t work over here so we got a cheapy phone and a sim card from BTC.  At least now we have a phone where we can call and receive calls if necessary.  It went pretty smoothly considering when we got to the BTC office – there was a huge line -  all boaters wanting phones.  We stopped at “The Taste of Heaven” bakery for some wonderful Bahamian bread! And had lunch at the Island House.  Now that’s a funky place!  Margery and Mike (Brave Turtle) from Marathon met us there.  They had crossed over on Saturday too and had stayed at the Beach Club.  They had moved over to Bluewater Marina in North Bimini this morning.  It’s such a small boating community!  Even Hugh – Mike’s barber from Marathon -  came walking in! 

When we got back to the boat we sat and visited with our new neighbors – Pete and Cheryl (Blue Moon).  They are on a sailboat and it turns out they spent the winter in Boot Key Harbor.  They’re on their way south and know Shenanigans who are traveling with the other group that is leaving Sombrero Dockside soon.

Mike and Cheri (Pura Vida) – our friends we met a couple years ago in Cocoa Village came in to North Bimini this evening.  They have been over here since January and are heading back to the US.  We took the dinghy over to see them.  It was great visiting with them and hearing about all their fun times.  They are headed up the west coast of Florida once they get cross back over.  They plan to leave Tuesday morning.

April 14, Tuesday   We spent most of the day just getting things ready to leave again.  I did laundry and Mike tied up loose ends.  We’ve been here now four days and the weather is going to be good for traveling tomorrow.  So Rambler will be heading south and Rho-Jo is heading the same direction as we are.  We are going to Lacaya where we’ll spend a few weeks.  That is -  if it’s the way we remember it!  We really enjoyed it there three years ago.  Let’s hope things haven’t changed.  We’ll be leaving about 7:30 and traveling about 65 miles.  It will be a long day.  Hoping and praying the water is our friend tomorrow.

April 15, Wednesday   We left Bimini about 7:30 – again not the best travel day but it was okay.  Rho-Jo traveled with us.  It was about a 72 mile trip to Grand Bahama Island where Ocean Reef Resort is located – near Port Lacaya.  Rambler headed south toward the Exumas.  We saw several big container ships and deep blue water.  It was a seven hour trip – we made it to Ocean Reef about 2:30.  What a cluster that was!  They had planned for us to share a big slip – only it wasn’t big enough!  Rho-Jo went to different slip and we tied up there.  BUT Mike managed to negotiate us a different slip which was over to the other side of the resort.  It was where we had been before – we really had requested that area earlier.  SO another cluster!  It took quite some doing to get us tied up for some reason – but “Cowboy Joey” came to the rescue and lassoed the elusive piling!  We had a cocktail with them and it was back to the boat for dinner.  An early night for all after fighting that wheel all day with the waves and wind.  But we’re here!

The next few days we’ve been lazy – spending some time at the pool and of course, Mike has been fishing.  Hasn’t caught much yet – but he will!  There are a few couples here that we had met three years ago.  The place doesn’t seem to have changed much.  That’s good!

April 18, Saturday   We caught the bus to the First Annual Junkanoo Carnival that was being held this weekend at Taino Beach.  It was pretty nice!  Lots of music, colors and food!  We really didn’t know what to expect.  We knew it’d be different! 

The rest of the week April 19, Sunday through Wednesday April 22 again has been pretty much just taking it easy so I’ll just hit the highlights.    Rho-Jo left Sunday morning.  It has been fun traveling with them and we wish them safe travels.  Who knows – we may see them again while we’re over here! And we plan to see them again when we make our trek up the east coast this summer to Norfolk.  We went on a dinghy ride.  It was too wavy outside so we spent the time checking out the canals. 

Mike has been out in the dinghy fishing again several times.   That’s pretty much a routine for him.  The Resort held its Monday Madness – meet and greet.  So we went to that – it’s free food and free Bahama Mamas!  Can’t miss that!    Mike played Bingo!  Won a T-shirt!  Wow!  We’re on a roll now!  There was a pool tournament going on but Mike passed.  After all, he was already a winner.  Ha!  Then there is Karaoke.  We, of course, were able to hear it from the back of our boat.  We had dinner and drinks on NautiNell while we heard the “Stars of Karaoke”.  That’s such a funny concept!  Everyone wants to be a star and here you can be!  Today we wanted to go to the straw market but it was a bit rainy.  We had planned to go over there by dinghy.  However, since the weather wasn’t cooperating, we decided to check out the local hangout “ The Two Dollar Bar”.  Pretty much a dive even by Bahamian standards. I do  love the name – but believe me, I don’t think there’s anything there for two dollars!  You can get beer for 2 for $5!  Now that’s not bad!  We had a few beers and a good lunch.  We had taken a taxi there because we weren’t sure where it was.  SO in our infinite wisdom – we decided it wasn’t so far and we could walk home.  What we won’t do to save a buck!  That wouldn’t have been a problem but we walked way passed our road where we should have turned.  We kept walking though pretty much knowing we’d gone too far.  Finally we flagged down some heavy equipment guys who told us we had gone way too far.  We needed to ”go back up that hill way back up there and turn left”!  They flagged someone down for us who was good to give us a ride back.  That was really nice of all of them.  The guy took us right up to the gate.  Next time we’ll either take a taxi, our bicycles or we can even get there by dinghy.  I guarantee we won’t walk and we won’t miss our road!  It was an adventure though!

We also took the dinghy over to the Lacaya Marketplace.  There are several shops and restaurants along with the Straw Market over there.  It's where the Cruise Ships bring their passengers.  It was a good day for a dinghy ride.  We managed to have lunch and a few beers.  We also shopped a bit - finding our favorite Bahamian rum!  "Fire in the Hole"!  Cheap and tasty!  We also brought home some conch salad.  The skies started looking a bit threatening so we decided to make a run for it.  It started to sprinkle just as we were tying up Lil' Nauti to NautiNell.   Then it poured!  Good timing!

A bit of trivia on the Bahamas:  I read this the other day -  The Bahama Islands consist of over 100,000 square miles, however only 5,000 square miles are covered by land.  That is about the size of the state of Connecticut!  Bimini is the smallest named island and Andros is the largest.   There you’ve learned something today!

Till next time!

Admiral "C"

BTW-we ended the day having fresh fish for dinner that Mike caught this afternoon.  Yum!  Life is good!