So, after almost five fun-filled weeks, we bid farewell to Marathon. Bill had joined us a few days earlier, we had loaded up on provisions, water, and fuel, and were ready to go.
Once again, our plans had changed (imagine that!). Originally, we had planned to work our way up the Keys to Key Largo, take a slip there and provision. This plan met an abrupt end when we discovered that slips in Key Largo were going for around $4/ft!! And there are few good anchorages on the ocean side, and they are too far out to dinghy ashore for provisions. So, we stayed in Marathon and provisioned there. Our new plan was to go directly to Bimini from Marathon, a trip that would take about 25 hours nonstop. With a crew of 3, we could sail in shifts, with two always up and one sleeping. This worked out to 6 hrs on and 3 hrs sleeping for each person.
So, we left Marathon just before 8 am so as to get to Bimini early in the morning and have plenty of sun to read the shallows as we entered the channel.
After we got out of the harbor, the wind was a light but favorable 8 1/2 kts, so we were able to motorsail.
We were hoping to go East out into the Gulf Stream and then ride its current North, but we never did find it before finally having to turn Northward. We later found out that that day, the Gulf stream was particularly far out, almost 80 miles outside of Marathon!
Joanie started resting up early.
Along the way, we encountered numerous freighters in the daytime, and freighters and cruise ships in the night, often having to change course to give them, and their large wakes, a wide berth.
At night, the cruise ships are lit up like small cities, and show a glow over the horizon before you can even see them!
Fortunately, our AIS receiver shows us each ship, and their course, speed, closest approach, and time of closest approach. This makes it much easier to keep things sorted out when you're trying to keep track of four ships at the same time!
Eventually, the wind petered out during the night, and we rolled in the jib. The overnight portion was pretty uneventful.
We made such good time that we were going to get into Bimini too early, before dawn! I slowed the engine and reduced our speed in order to time our arrival well after dawn. The entrance channel was a little confusing, as other (power) boats were not honoring all the marks! But we made it in without mishap. Along the way, we saw the large, high-speed ferry that makes the trip back and forth to Florida.
Soon we were tied up at a slip in Bimini Blue Water Marina and I made the trek up to Customs and Immigration to check-in and pay our fees.
At first glance, little had changed in Bimini since we were last here two years ago, although my favorite bakery had closed. But Sister Jen's lunch wagon still served huge lunches out the back of her van, and the bull sharks still cruised through the crystal clear waters of the marina.
And CJ's still was the best lunch shack on the beach!
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| Joan Enjoying her first Kalik of the Trip |
Life is good.
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