Saturday, June 16, 2012

Trip to Bimini, Bahamas

We left Marco Island for Key West on June 4th in perfect weather. Clearing out of the U.S. had to be done at KW airport. This took all morning of June 5th. There were 2 cruise ships in the harbor and all officers were busy. No one was available at the customs building so we took the bus to the airport and back.


Views from Wisteria Anchorage






Not our dinghy!




Our dinghy




Making dinner




Sunrise June 5th




June 5th 3 p.m. departure for Bimini, estimated to be a 24-26 hour trip for 177 nm.
June 6th arrival at Bimini after a comfortable 22 hour trip in the Gulfstream, averaging a speed over ground of almost 8 knots, but doing a mere 6 knots using very low rpm and saving lots of fuel. (3.7 mpG)

Formal entry was easy after docking at Weech's Dock, right next to the government building. Very friendly and helpful officers. The immigration lady even let us use her wireless internet!
Weech's Dock is convenient and inexpensive. We paid $ 75 per night including electric and water for a daily boat wash down.


Tricky entrance ... sandbar! Stay close to shore!



Bimini harbor entrance, once through the channel



Weech's Dock



docked



neighboring mainship 430



our neighbors Jan and Lou who went on to the Exumas



June 7:
Since the weather was unusually bad, cloudy, gloomy at times and did not promise to improve, we decided to return back to Florida after 2 nights in Bimini harbor. A trip to the northern Exumas would have meant 2 more days of traveling for 12 hours each day. It made no sense in this kind of weather. The Bahamas need to be travelled in sunny weather. Our boat "Sunny Days" is made for just this.

After a comfortable and slow Gulfstream crossing (average crab 25°) we anchored in the Marine Stadium Anchorage for a night. About half way across, we were hailed by a US coast guard cutter on channel 16 who wanted to know our details and itinerary. They stayed within about 500ft us for about 20 minutes and then left, allowing us to continue to the US. We really expected to be boarded, but then eventually they found we were safe enough to let us continue.
Formal entry at the CBP building ob Dodge Island was pretty easy the next morning, once we actually found the building...!
We used the City Marina Dinghy Dock for 3 hour ($16.00) and rode our folding bikes across the bridge. The uphill part was tough in full sun at 88° and at  85% humidity...! The Customs building is the very first building on the left as you come on the island. Easy enough, once you know this. We were misguided 3 times by staff working on Dodge Island! Apart from entering the US we also received our new US cruising license, valid for a year.

Afternoon departure for a leisurely trip down the Keys to key West, stopping and anchoring at various locations for snorkeling and relaxing. (Pumpkin Key / Marathon / Newfound Harbor / Saddlebunch Harbor / Key West)

Leaving Miami ... a thunderstorm followed us but didn't hit us




Christ of the Abyss, Key Largo













rocky, but securely tied to a mooring ball





The weather stayed windy but improved a bit every day until it was nothing but perfect when we got to Key West. The Bahamas weather stayed overcast and grey all the time, so the decision to return had been the right one.
Originally we intended to go back home to Marco Island after Key West, but as the weather was so nice and the winds were forecast to remain calm for the following 3 days, we decided to go out to the Dry Tortugas instead.

Saddlebunch Harbor



Arrival Key West




Anchored in front of Wisteria Island - lots of action





June 13:
Arrival Dry Tortugas after an extremely comfortable 10 hour trip, stopping at the old Rebecca Shoal Light for 30 minutes. We saw a bunch of Albatrosses on the abandoned light structure, but snorkeling was nothing.

The Dry Tortugas were wonderful, perfect hot summer weather, warm water, and clear, although not quite as clear as it should be. Spent 3 nights there, close to the Fort. There was no wind and the humidity was high, so the generators and A/C were used between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. every day. The master stateroom A/C quit working, but the forward stateroom A/C kept the entire lower accommodations cool and dry just fine. 

Snorkeling at Loggerhead Key, the Windjammer Wreck and Little Africa was excellent.



Fort Jefferson








First evening in Garden Key Anchorage



waiting for the green flash....



...here it is! ... look closely!


Loggerhead Key













Snorkeling in Little Africa















June 16th at 3 a.m.:
Departure to Marco Island after 3 nights in the Dt.T.
It started out and promised to be a smooth ride, but the Gulf of Mexico became rough after leaving the National Park, although there was not much wind. Very strange. East wind of 10-15 kn max. But seas and swells from N and NE of 6-8 ft with occasional 10 footers spaced just right so the boat would immediately hit the wall of every new one after coming down from the last. There was no break in this until about 20 miles out from Marco Island, when it got comfortable. What a relief! We got 2 good complete boat washes going through 2 nice showers about 1-2 hours before arrival at Marco. Perfect.
We docked behind our house at 7 p.m., 16 hours after we had left the Dry Tortugas.
All in all this was an interesting trip with lots of new experiences. We travelled 634 miles burning 357 Gallons of Diesel, including generator fuel. The average fuel burn (engines only) was 2 mpG.

Our next big trip is planned for March - June 2013 after we re retire from our jobs. It will be a 3 month trip to the Bahamas, but this time as far south as we can go!


Sunday, November 20, 2011

Marco - Miami - Key West - Marco

November 4 to 15.
Another trip to Miami to pick up friends for a 10 day cruise along the Keys and up to Marco Island. Strong east winds kept us busy for almost the entire trip. Snorkeling on the reefs was better than in September. Most of the jellyfish were gone.
The highlight of the trip however was the World Speedboat Championship in Key West, into which we stumbled without even knowing! We anchored east of Wisteria Island rather than west of Fleming key, because the anchor wouldn't grab.  Good holding east of  Wisteria, but weird wind and current influence. The next morning we found ourselves right at the edge of the safety zone of the races, being marked by the USCG with red buoys. Some of the race boats passed 150ft in front of us, coming out of the north turn. Actually, we were told by the CG to move back 50 yards, but eventually we couldn't comply because our anchor was buried underneath some 10 other anchored boats. We "held" Sunny Days away from the danger line by bow thruster and an engine in reverse during one of the races, so the CG wouldn't complain. We could NOT have been any closer to all the action (and noise)! Crazy!




Watch a video of one of the winners and make sure your sound is on and up!




So we spent three interesting days at Key West Harbor and City in perfect weather (except for the constant strong east wind) and then cruised home on a very calm Gulf of Mexico for the first time on this trip, when the wind ceased to 5 knots from the south.

Itinerary:
Marco Island - Little Shark River - Fiesta Key - Pumpkin Key - Miami - Pumpkin Key - Rodriguez Key - Marathon - Key West - Marco Island with several stops in-between for snorkeling and sightseeing.

Over all a very good trip in spite of the constant strong wind, having covered 412 miles in 11 days with an average cruising speed of 6 knots. Diesel used: about 207 gallons.


Dinner at Little Shark River anchorage


A hungry seagull on the way to the Keys....


 30 knots of east wind in Hawk Channel


arrival at Miami


anchored at Marine Stadium


pretty sight at twilight


Ragged Keys


Boca Chita Harbor


exploring the harbor


perfect protection


Sunny Days anchored in a distance


lots of cleats all the way around the seawall


Rudy, Rahel, Walter, Barbara


Angelfish Creek 


Christ of the Abyss


the photographer 


happy hour after arriving in Key West


anchored east of Wisteria Island 


pole position for the races


Key West style dinghy



turbine speedboat


amazing dash


speedboats in front of restaurants



cool props


pretty awesome engine room


B R W R


hot boys enjoying Key West


north turn of race - 200 yds from Sunny Days


the noisiest bastard is going round the turn


anchored at the edge...
see the red buoy and the Coast Guard?