Bimini

March 19-23, 2013

We are in Bimini’s Big Game Resort and Marina, contemplating leaving this afternoon and making a run for Nassau Harbor.  We originally thought we might make Chubb Cay, 85nm east of here over the Grand Bahama Banks.  However there is some sort of Cold Front coming across Monday, or Sunday Night, and we would kinda like to be in the shelter of a harbor by then.  We will listen to Chris Parker this morning at 0630 to get a better feeling for that.

We left Boca Chica on Tuesday morning, March 19, at 0715 headed to Bimini as a formation of three vessels.  JonNe’; Ed and Claudia Davis, aboard Door Into Summer; and Shane ___ , aboard Lestrella. We crossed the reef off the Hawk Channel at Marker 26 basically for two reasons: to pick up some Gulf Stream Current and to avoid the crab traps that always seem to clog up Hawk Channel and make watching maneuvering to avoid catching one on the prop a real challenge sometimes.

It was a romping sail!!  It turns out my wind instruments are reading a bit high, and while Door Into Summer was reading 15-18 kts of wind from the Southeast, we were reading 25-30 kts.  Not a real problem, but it makes me feel a bit strange thinking 15 kts was pretty easy to sail in when in fact, it was a romping sail!  Most of the seas were about 3-4’ swells, with decent periods between waves, but we saw an occasional 6 out there.  Renne’ and I were braced in the cockpit and getting a lot of exercise just sitting there.

The amazing thing was at sunset, we shortened the main sail to the first reef.  That is a cardinal rule for us, and has only been violated a few times since Renne’ and I began cruising together.  So in keeping with that, we reefed, and it still amazes me that you keep on going at the same speed, with less heel, when the winds are at 15 or better.  So on into the night, we were seeing as high as 9 knots (5.2 kts is our usual planned speed).  As we were closing on Bimini, we were talking about slowing down!  Yeah, Right!!  We furled the jib completely and we were running under staysail and reefed main at 8.2 kts and wondering how we were going to handle the growing westerly winds and southwesterly seas as we approached the Western entrance to Bimini.  We were also struggling to keep on the rhumbline into Bimini.  The current was moving about 2.5 kts north, we were moving northeast, so we were crabbing as much as 30-35 degrees to the east to keep on course.  The problem was the winds.  They were in the southeast and if we got the bow too far into the crab, we would get behind the power curve and the boat would slow dramatically (3.4 kts).  We would add the engine to gain back some of the way we had lost, and repeat the whole procedure again!

As we gained on Bimini, it was evident we would make it in less than the 30 hours we had budgeted for the crossing.  We actually arrived in position to enter the channel by sunrise, but the last 10nm, the winds had finally clocked around to the west.  Our concern was making the entrance to the channel. 

We had become separated from Listrella early in the crossing.  Shane chose to go up the coast of the Keys, and made the direct crossing farther east than we did.  Interestingly, Shane made Bimini right a sunrise and was sitting in a slip by the time we arrived.  So Renne’ was in contact with him for the latest instructions for entering the harbor.  He confirmed nothing had changed since our visit there last May.

We worked hard at slowing the boats, and reduced our speed to 4.5-5.6 kts as the sun rose higher in the sky. We were obviously exiting the Gulf Stream.  By 0900, we were at the entrance to Bimini and both winds and waves settled down completely.  We pulled into the wind, dropped our sails and entered the channel and harbor with no difficulties under power.  We landed at Bimini Big Game Resort and Marina by 0945.

Tuesday was mostly a resting day. We slept hard once in the marina, and work on getting things put away and cleaned up were delayed until Wednesday.  Our only loss on the crossing was 2-1/2 dozen of our 7 dozen eggs stored in a plastic container in the V-berth that ended up on the floor.  Guess I will secure that a bit better before we leave!  I can't wait to smell the results if I missed cleaning up anything!!

Renne’, on Wednesday, called on the Bimini High School and Primary Elementary School, and met with both Principals.  She arranged for presentations on be made on “Being an Author”, and spent most of Wednesday night preparing for Thursday.  We were over at the Elementary School by 0830 for her 0900 presentation, and gave three presentations, one each for the 3^rd, 2^nd, and 1^st graders.  They all enjoyed the reading of the books especially, and it really is heartwarming to hear the kids talk about how much they enjoyed the pictures.  By the time they were done, they all knew who Juni was.  The High Schoolers were great.  They actually are jr. high here, and were 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th graders as well as the Language Arts teachers high school class.  That was an hour presentation, and afterwards, she was asked for her card, as one of the students was very interested in her poetry book.  This was a group of about 120 students.  She did an excellent job.

Wednesday afternoon, one of the boats donated about 5 pounds of shushi grade Wahoo to our boats, and dinner was Wahoo Sashimi and grilled Wahoo steaks Ed and Claudia.  Thursday dinner was stone crab freshly caught but purchased, more fresh Wahoo, shrimp, and lobster dip (from Boca Chica), with Ed, Claudia, and Shane.

We ate some appetizers at a beach bar and restaurant on South Bimini last night and ran up an $45 bill!  That was two beers, two coconut rums and an appetizer of Mozzerella Cheese!  Wholly Shiite Muslem!!

Meanwhile, Renne’ is preparing breakfast with fresh blueberry pancakes.  WaHOO!

We won’t be on the docks tonite for sundowners, so have one for us! 

JonNe’

March 23 (Update)

Looks like we will be here in Bimini for another couple of days.  The winds are very brisk (20+ kts) and will be so for the next 72 hours at least.  We don't have a problem with getting caught in winds or seas, but we would rather not set ourselves up for a less than comfortable ride for two days if we don't have to do that.  So it looks like we will settle in and enjoy the great weather here.  If you are interested in looking at the winds and waves we are seeing, we invite you to look at: www.passageweather.com, go to the North Atlantic, and choose the area for South Florida - you will see the Bahamas.

JonNe'