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
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.
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!
