Bimini
We’re off to North Bimini today via the water taxi. (For $2, you can ride across the channel on a pontoon boat!) We wanted to see the town, beach, & marinas here, and try to purchase some fresh bread; we’re not too sure about the selection at our marina store. There’s much more activity on North Bimini – tourists in golf carts, bicycle traffic, and walkers like us. We locate “A Taste of Heaven” bakery but are told there’s no bread until around noon. So exploring we go! Found the Bimini Blue Water Marina where Brian & Susan stayed, but no luck finding Oopsea or their buddy boat Cirrus Lee. We enjoy a visit with the couple on Edelweiss and add $$ to our Bahamas telephone & data plan at the marina office before walking on, past Bimini Big Game Marina (not impressed), the local laundry (hmmm) and an outdoor “restaurant” that’s apparently very popular with the locals. It does smell wonderful, but too early for lunch for us! On to the beach which is beautiful, but the surf is pounding. Came upon an elderly local craftsman working in his front yard; such interesting handmade items & such a nice gentleman! Can’t imagine wearing a brown, 1970’s era leisure suit in this heat, but he was… Picked up souvenirs for C&S; no idea how to ship or mail stuff from here, so guess we’ll hold onto these until March. See pic of the local church.

Back to the bakery – no coconut bread, only white, but couldn’t resist! Met another cruising couple in the bakery parking lot (what a place to meet people, right?) & really enjoyed visiting with Paul & Jenny on Pelican. The women discussed the mosquito & no-see-um problems, while the guys talked boats, sailing, & routes. Exchanged boat cards & hope to travel with them very soon!
A trick getting back down the road, especially after the gambling boat brought loads of patrons into town; most are taking in the craft “mall” & souvenir shops. We meet Buck, Angie & Grant who came over with their bikes to explore. They made it to the restaurant at Bimini Beach for a $31 pizza the night before; yikes! Their mission for today is to check out local grocery stores; almost anything has to be less expensive than that pizza, or $7 bags of potato chips, or …

Welcome to food costs in the Bahamas!