Cruising South in the Bahamas

December 9^th, 2010

We woke up at dock Wednesday morning at Lake Park Harbour Marina to prepare to leave dock and go out to Lake Worth to anchor till our planned departure on Saturday.  We made two precise turns to carefully manoeuvre the boat out of the marina. Once at anchor Ted started to work on replacing some of the strainers on the boat and I sat down to  plan our crossing to the Bahamas.   After a few hours of studying all the forecast models I came to the realization that the calm weather on Saturday was simply the dreaded  calm before the storm.  With a strong front coming through on Sunday, I couldn’t find a shelter place to wait out the front in the Bahamas in the timeframe that we had.  I turned on the VHF radio to see what others were planning on doing and discovered that a few boats were just leaving to do an overnight cross. I looked at the forecast in the Bahamas again and realized  that if we left now we had a window to cross.  The winds were from the North but they would be very  light overnight and until Sunday.  So within an hour we were preparing to leave for an overnight crossing. We hadn’t planned to cross the Gulf Stream on Wednesday night  to the Bahamas but those that know us well would not be surprised by the spontaneous change in plans. We called Paul and made arrangements to pick him up a dock at 17:00 and prepared to depart once the dinghy was lifted and everything was stowed safely away. At  19:30 we were lifting anchor and leaving the safety of our anchorage to   enter the darkness and north swells of the Gulf Stream. With a new moon we had no moonlight to guide our way this time. We were prepared to turn back if the seas were too rough. It certainly wasn’t the smoothest crossing of the Gulf Stream but it tolerable and we were headed to the Islands!  The winds were not as light as they had predicated in fact they increased during the night. At that point we had no choice but to continue and pray that things did not get worse.  We took turns trying to sleep but we didn’t get much quality sleep time.  We kept a close watch on all the big ship traffic during the night.  At daybreak we were relieved to see islands and the swells of the ocean decrease. We had made the crossing safely once again.

By 14:30 the following day we were prepared to anchor in the middle of the Great Bahamas Bank. We could not make it to our destination before night fall so we planned to anchor and get some rest before continuing our journey to Nassau. Coming into anchor I spotted a dolphin in the distance and shouted for joy as the dolphin came to great us. She took a couple of turns around the boat to check us out and came up to smile at us beside the boat.  What a great welcome committee to the Bahamas.  The water temperature was only 78 degrees but it felt so good to go for a swim off the back of the boat. Here we sat at anchor surrounded by 360 degrees by aquamarine water with no land in sight and  one other boat off in the distance at anchor.  

Before first light we were up and ready to lift anchor. We watched the sun rise as we enjoyed breakfast at the helm. What a breathtaking view to look out over the vast expanse of swimming pool blue shallow waters. The Great Bahamas Bank separates the deeper waters of the Gulf Stream and the Tongue of the Ocean. Average depths are 10-12 feet giving the waters their light blue colors because of the sun refracting through the water and bouncing off the white sand bottom. The rule is - the deeper the depths the darker the color of the waters.  Browns or black colors are warnings of either turtle grass or coral.  You need the sun overhead to read the colors of the waters. We needed to plan our crossing of the North West Channel Light which is a narrow reef covered passage with a light that may or may not be lit. It happens to be lit this time however when it burned out it sometimes takes time for the Bahamians to replace the light. With the protection of Chub Cay and the Berry Islands to our North we start the final leg of our passage to Nassau. After a few miles we start to loose the protection of the islands and the waves continue to increase. We still have a few hours to cruise and the direction of the waves were not favourable so we opt to turn back to the Berry Islands and wait for tomorrow to cross.  We head to an anchorage  between  Whale Cay and Bird Cay for lunch and plan our revised route. This time rather than a dolphin greeting us at our new anchorage it is a small nurse shark to passes by our boat. Paul quickly decides that he is not going to jump in for a swim. Whale and Bird are small privately owned islands so we do not go ashore. We winds and waves are settled here in this little protected anchorage however we know from a previous visit that the surge from the current running between the islands can make this anchorage very uncomfortable at night.  

After lunch we decided to pick up anchor and move a few miles to Chub Cay Marina to clear in to customs and use the internet at the marina to check the weather forecast. We arrived at dock at the same time as another boat coming from the US.  After filling in the appropriate customs forms I board a small bus to the local airport with the other boat to clear into the Bahamas. The other two “gentlemen” from the other boat barge ahead of me and clear in first. I look at my watch 1 minute after 5:00 on a Friday afternoon and I pray that they do not tell me that I have to come back Monday morning because they are closed. But as luck would have it the two gentlemen quickly and extremely efficiently process my application. No guns, no weapons...no problem. I thank them and head out to find that my bus driver is gone back to the marina without me! Not to worry another Bahamian tells me “he’ll be back”. I hope so otherwise I am walking back and I didn’t even pay attention which direction we came from.  Shortly afterward I see his little bus coming back for me. He tells me afterwards that the other gentlemen rudely requested that return to the marina right away rather than wait for me.  He tells me they were not gentlemen.  I learn that there are no children living on Chub Cay which I find very usual. My driver said that all the people on the island are “workers” and that they come from Andros Island where all of their families are. They just come to Chub to work and go back on whenever they get time off.  Later we meet the bartender and he tells me he is from Nassau.  Back at the boat we can now buy fuel since we have cleared in. Let check out the menu at the restaurant and decided we do not want to spend $200 for dinner which probably explains why the restaurant is empty. We enjoy dinner on board in our second night in the Bahamas. The internet goes down as soon as the staff leaves so we have no internet access to check the weather reports.

We fuel up at $4.80 per US gallon (ouch) compared to $2.95 a gallon in Fernandina Beach, Florida.  The marina is almost empty and we have heard that the US recession is greatly affecting the Bahamas as well but it also has to do with their ridicules rates. Their $2.75 per foot rate(which is suppose to include wifi internet access) plus water plus hydro (both based on consumption) are high even by Florida standards. Chub Cay Marina would do well to reduce their rates during the off season and fill their marina.  At a $179 per night (without water and hydro) we move on!  

Saturday December 11^th

At first light we depart from dock at Chub Cay Marina headed 34 nautical miles to Nassau.  The wind direction has shifted slightly so the waves are from a slightly different direction. Once past the safety of the Berry Islands we decide to proceed and tolerate the bumpy ride to Nassau.  ETE is 4 hours and 15 minutes.  We adjust our heading to take the waves now 6 to 8 feet more on the bow, however this takes us off our course, so every few miles we would adjust course to compensate and then head back into the large swells so as not to take them broadside. The seas are confused with waves on top of sea swells. We listened as the cruise ships and the freighters cleared in with Nassau Harbour control and were given a number to come into the harbour. Paul & I both watch the wave patterns off our port side and when a large wave builds then we advise Ted in time to turn into the waves. We bide our time and wait our turn to enter the harbour after the commercial traffic as we battle the wind and waves. We receive clearance from Nassau Harbour Control and make our entrance into the harbour. Once inside we can relax because we have calm protected waters from the inner harbour. Captain Ted has once again done an amazing job steering the boat through some difficult waters.  

We proceed slowly in the harbour take in the sights and sounds. It feels like coming home again. We do not drop anchor but proceed all the way through the harbour and exit at the other end to head south down the Exuma chain. Not many boats are anchored in our usual anchorage which is not surprising because it is still early in the season and with the front coming alot of boats have likely moved on. We are thrill to spot some old friends aboard the trawler Margaret Lee.  We first met Ed & Marge in 2005 and have kept in contact with them over the years.  They are in their 20^th year of cruising to the Bahamas and you would think they were still newlyweds traveling for the first time with the enthusiasm that they exude.  At 65 and 70 I hope to still be cruising like our friends Marge & Ed. We hail then on the VHF radio and with promises to get together soon we press on.  Atlantis Resort is still impressive as ever and we notice a few more new pink and yellow homes along the harbour, otherwise everything feels the same as if we haven`t been away for long.

We spot a fishing boat coming out of the harbour behind us but he slows down as a smaller boat approaches and boards the boat. Then another boat approaches and does the same thing. Next thing we look back and the large fishing trawler is towing three smaller fishing boats.  Guess that is one way to on fuel!

After a hectic morning we can now we can sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the days cruise. The seas are now on 2- 3 foot waves we approach the protection of the Bahama Bank as opposed to the 6-8 foot waves from this morning`s trip from Chub Cay. We exit the hustle and bustle of Nassau harbour and start our cruise south along the 365 islands that make up the Exuma chain of family islands. Our stop for the night is Normans Cay having now travelled 2014 nautical miles from Toronto.  The  Bahamas are made up of more than 750 islands that are grouped as Family Islands.  The largest group of family islands are the Exuma island chain, 365 of them, one for each day of the year. The islands start just south of  Nassau and run 150 miles south to the Tropic of Cancer where they separate  the shallow Bahama Bank and the deep blue Bahamas Sound.  For the most part the travels are easily done on the ``banks`` except for a few exceptions where prudent watch is necessary.  Our first obstacle is the Yellow Bank, a land mind of coral heads. You must travel this area during the day and with the sun clearly overhead to highlight the many coral heads that cover this area.  Paul quickly masters the eyeball navigation technique and is able to pick up the dangerous coral heads which we manually steer around.  Within an hour we are across the Yellow Bank and clear of obstructions. We anchor at Normans and relax after a long days cruise.