Two days after Christmas we decided it was time to say goodbye to Florida and hello to the Bahamas. We departed mid-morning from Biscayne Bay into bouncy seas and winds just forward of the beam. We wanted to make a daytime crossing because we planned to fish and waited until 10:30 for the winds to clock from the southeast. After a few hours at-it the winds did indeed clock and we were beam reaching into glorious weather with high hopes for our favorite cruising grounds. Just then it happened! Our fishing rod went off with a tuna on the other end. Thus setting the tone for the entire passage. We arrived just north of the Bimini islands at dusk and pushed on through the night across the Great Bahama Banks reaching the Northwest Providence Channel Light at dawn. Our nighttime excitement topped off with a non-event frontal passage. We sailed the entire way only adjusting the sails and wind vane as the wind changed directions.

The trip totaled a fast 26 hours ending in Frazers Hog Cay, Berry Islands. The next day we jumped over to Chub Cay to clear customs receiving a 6-month visa. We had heard that some other cruisers have had trouble this season with only getting 90 days. Not sure what the problem is, we asked for 6 and 6 is what we got.

Let me back up and say that we LOVE the Berry Islands and would still be there if we did not run out of gasoline for our dinghy. We anchored in Little Harbour for 4 or 5 days. The fishing is incredible, the beaches are remote and beautiful and we cannot figure out why more people are not there. I guess everyone is so geared up for the Exumas that they pass this lovely chain by without a thought. Not us. We will definitely hit them again on the way back up.

For now, we are anchored in Nassau Harbour. This was something that we were a little leary about but has proven to be no big deal at all. We are in the small anchorage just north of Nassau Harbour Club. There is a free dinghy dock across the narrow harbour where we can safely leave our dinghy with no issues. Even free internet there. On the topic of internet…our Nanostation (wi-fi antenna) decided not to join us for this leg of the journey. Early on the morning we left Florida it jumped overboard in the water and died instantly. So, from here on out we are back to the old way of internet hunting ashore. No big deal, it just means that we can’t email in our underwear anymore.

From here we will move southeast down the Exuma chain and beyond. Our fishing total so far: 1 tuna, 1 mahi, 2 lobster, 2 grouper and 4 conch.