Heading for Nassau

May 11, 2009

        Continuing May 9, 2009 events.  We did get checked in.  we took the dingy off the deck of the boat, put the engine on and went to North Bimini to explore for several hours and to find some lunch.  The first problem was to find a dingy dock.  None were apparent.  We also noticed that several of the marinas were closed.  We stopped to tie us at the vacant and closed Big Game Marina and Hotel, but discovered that it was locked up and we couldn't get out.  A guard said that it was in bankruptcy and we couldn't tie up there.  Charlie took the dingy to a small

beach next door where two dogs objected to his beaching the dingy.  The owner was nice enough top allow us to keep it there.  We noticed that many establishments had closed.  We needed a grocery store for sandwich meat and a place to get lunch.

      A young man named "Bossie " told us of a place on the beach and said to tell owner "Bossie sent us".  We expected a nice deck but it was merely a building with a serving window open to the beach with a table and an umbrella.  We met a man who was sitting wanting for his wife and grown daughters to finish wading at the beach.  His wife flew them over to Bimini for the day.  He was an amateur photographer and also owns a 44 ft. ketch which recently came off anchor and went aground where it was stripped by scavengers.  We enjoyed talking to them while we waited for conch salad and conch fritters to be made.  We enjoyed delicious frozen Pina Coladas while waiting.  It was sunny and hot walking around N. Bimini.  Marilyn and I finally found a grocery with some sliceable ham.   Hemingway's favorite bar, The Complete Angler"  burned down several years ago.  The Bar at the End of the World wasn't open yet when we left N Bimini.  

     Back at our marina  We also got some water which we are drinking up quickly due to the hot weather.   We had cocktails and dinner on the boat.  It seemed a better idea due to the lack of viable restaurants.

     May 10, 2009;  we got up about 6:30 to try to leave early.  The dingy was back on top of the boat; we bought ice, paid our bill and left about 8:15 (0815).  We took a southern route  going through a cut between Gun Cay and N Cat Cay.  We had to motorsail since the wind was under 10 knots.  Later in the day a breeze came up but it was on our nose.   We stopped west of the Russell Beacon ( which did not light up at night)  just south off the recommended

 course in 14.5 ft of water.  We were about 2 and a half hours from the NW Channel light.  The anchor held well through the night but we were rocking up and down a lot. The picture shows what it looks like all around the boat. No land in sight.

     May 11, 2009:   We had the anchor up and were on our way by 0700 proceeding to NW Channel light and Nassau.  We are currently in route having just gone by Chub Cay.  I think I am using their cell phone tower to get online.  We tried to get online last night at anchor but no site was found.  We plan to go into the Atlantis Marina on Paradise IS where we will rest for a day, do laundry, get groceries again and explore.  Wed. we will go to the Exumas.  We are still planning our route.