Saturday, December 20, 2008

FINALLY IN THE BAHAMAS -- the real Bahamas

Good Evening all from Green Turtle Cay Great Abacos Bahamas.. Ohh I love this place.

The water is gin clear off the settlement where we are anchored. There is a local bar blaring Bahamian music over the water front, the sky is clear, and the stars are bright and oh yes - the water is flat calm. I will sleep tonight!!!

Yesterday we left Lake Worth Inlet a little before 2pm and we arrived here at 3:45 pm today - NONSTOP. I slept an accumulation of maybe 1 hour.. I'm beat but so happy to be here in sheltered waters before another cold front roars in tomorrow night.

We arrived too late to make While Sound - need the high tide to get in. Tried to clear customs but the local agent was gone. We contacted her and she said it was fine if we cleared in Monday and in the meantime - we had the run of the town. Great folks here in GTC.

The crossing was SCARY!! We were mid stream in the gulf stream by dark and hit the Banks around midnight then ran the entire banks to Great Sale Cay in the DARK - a bit intimidating. Fortunately I used all the tools (Toys) available like my 24 mile Radar and my AIS receiver to track the boats around me and the commercial traffic traversing the gulf stream at night. All worked fine.

We had a nice flotilla and Diva and Rachel stayed close all night long. The most awe inspiring moment was when the ½ moon rose about 12:30am - what was it at first?? A cruise ship? A Christmas decoration?? A huge ship what?? It was just the moon. It made the water sparkle. It was great.

Overall the crossing was fine except for the dark parts. Gentle conditions and mild winds - it doesn't get better than this then to have these conditions over a 3 day daylight crossing. As it was - we did great.

Tonight Diva and Rachel and Temptations crews partied at PINEAPPLES (reason for late BLOG) in the Green Turtle Settlement to celebrate - we partied on a yellow table to appease the customs folks in that we had not yet officially cleared into the Bahamas.

Tomorrow we plan to use High Tide to enter White sound and stay a few days at the Bluff House marina -- At least Christmas -- then move to an anchorage and stay here through New Years for JUNKANOO!!!

You all have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year because we plan to here in Green Turtle Cay Abacos Bahamas. WE ARE FINALLY HERE!!!!

1 comment:

catsmeow said...

Congratulations. It sounds so perfect. I am so jealous. We only got 10 inches of snow instead of the 15 they were calling for on Friday. Now it is Sunday. The temp is minus 8 with a windchill of 35 below. Gotta love the Midwest.

It isn't snowing today but because of all the snow on the ground and the 35 mph winds, we have blizzard conditions with all the blowing.

As you kick back in what I can only assume is 80 degree sunshine, think of me as I sit and worry about the house, heat, electricity, etc.

Again, wish I was with you and not in this sub-zero freezer called the Midwest.

Rita