On your mark...get set...
After three nights anchored near the Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami doing taxes and finalizing insurance the afternoon of the 23rd found us at the local marina filling our diesel tanks and two extra 5 gallon tanks. We had already showered, washed clothes (in our Lowe’s bucket) and filled our coffee pots for the next morning. Now we filled our water tanks, two extra 5 gallon tanks and an extra 5 gallon bucket to flush with. We docked our clean boat along the wall in a harbor called “No Name” at the southern tip of Key Biscayne. Here will be our stage for the trip across the gulf. Carl and I reviewed weather plans and routing while Sheri and Debi went to the supermarket for last minute items. We originally planned to go to Bimini and leave At 1 AM Saturday but overnight Thursday that plan looked less appealing so we decided to follow River Rat (Carl & Debi) on their overnight to the Berry islands. We will leave today, the 24th, at noon and travel the 125 miles to great harbor in the Berry islands. We should arrive around 10 AM on Saturday, clear customs and sleep.
We have traveled with Carl & Debi on an overnight to Nova Scotia so we are comfortable making this passage with them. The wind looks mostly below 10 kts though not fully from the south and the waves start around 2 feet and drop down to a half a foot by the time we get to Great Harbor Cay. Even if Sheri lets me sleep an hour it’ll be four times more than the overnight to Nova Scotia.
This trip has been on the radar for a very long time. Each addition and improvement to the boat was done with the goal of traveling to the Bahamas someday. Now some day here!
There is an interesting energy surrounding this anchorage. Boaters gathering is impromptu meetings where they look for insights into how and why people are making their decisions on going or not going, when they are leaving and where they are headed. The language used to be foreign to me but the island names and the different passages makes sense now… Thankfully. There’s a stream of people heading to the supermarket and others like us putting away the bits and pieces that could fly around the cabin if we encounter more waves than we would like.
Soon we will toss the lines and 20 hours later we’ll tie them in the Great Harbor Cay marina while we wait to clear customs. Yes we are a little nervous and very excited.
Remember that you can see our location
https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/16194776
We only needed a few things...Missing from the photo is a handcart load of soda beer and wine
The forward bunk doubles as a clothes dryer and provision storage
Coconut harvest in Miami worked out well
Steadfast at rest
We have traveled with Carl & Debi on an overnight to Nova Scotia so we are comfortable making this passage with them. The wind looks mostly below 10 kts though not fully from the south and the waves start around 2 feet and drop down to a half a foot by the time we get to Great Harbor Cay. Even if Sheri lets me sleep an hour it’ll be four times more than the overnight to Nova Scotia.
This trip has been on the radar for a very long time. Each addition and improvement to the boat was done with the goal of traveling to the Bahamas someday. Now some day here!
There is an interesting energy surrounding this anchorage. Boaters gathering is impromptu meetings where they look for insights into how and why people are making their decisions on going or not going, when they are leaving and where they are headed. The language used to be foreign to me but the island names and the different passages makes sense now… Thankfully. There’s a stream of people heading to the supermarket and others like us putting away the bits and pieces that could fly around the cabin if we encounter more waves than we would like.
Soon we will toss the lines and 20 hours later we’ll tie them in the Great Harbor Cay marina while we wait to clear customs. Yes we are a little nervous and very excited.
Remember that you can see our location
https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/16194776
We only needed a few things...Missing from the photo is a handcart load of soda beer and wine
The forward bunk doubles as a clothes dryer and provision storage
Did I forget to mention how cold it was in Miami 
Coconut harvest in Miami worked out well
Meeting time 
Steadfast at rest
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