SAFE AND SOUND IN ALICE TOWN, BIMINI, BAHAMAS
29 October 2011 | Bimini, Bahamas
Cheryl
After a rough crossing we arrived this morning at around 10:00 am. We left Marathon at 9:00 as planned. We went out to the Hawk Channel, dodging crab pots the entire way. Bill sat on the bow pointing the way for me to go to avoid hitting one. Did manage to hit a couple but luckily didn’t get any wrapped around the prop. Thought we would be done with them in the Channel but no such luck. So, we decided to go outside the reef and pretty much hugged the reef up to Molasses Reef.
Just before heading outside the reef we saw a Coast Guard vessel coming up fast behind us. We slow down. They pull up along side us and announce that they are the US Coast Guard. We say hello. He said they want to do a safety inspection. We say fine. Then he asked if we had ever been boarded before. We say no. He then asks where we are going. We say Bahamas. He then asks if we are married. We say yes. He then tells us to have a good day and they leave. HUH????? Was saying we were married the deciding factor to not getting boarded?
So, we head out the reef and avoid the crab pots but now there is some type of small buoys floating that we need to avoid. Not sure what they were for. We headed towards Bimini from outside Molasses Reef at around 8:00 pm. Around midnight a thunder storm hit. From out of no where it goes from 6 knots to 25+ knots and we almost blew out our head sail. Bill managed to get it rolled up without it tearing. From that point on it was a very rough crossing. I did manage to fall trying to get into the head when a big wave hit. Think I might have a bruise from that one.
Just outside the channel between South and North Bimini we got out the yellow “Q” flag to fly then hailed Bimini Blue Water Resort and Marina to ask for some guidance into the channel. We went through the red and green buoys and headed for the mid channel marker. Need to stay just to the left of the marker, pretty much hugging it. It was close to high tide so we didn’t have any problems but it was very choppy and tide was very strong. Couldn’t figure out where Blue Water Marina was so we pulled up to Bimini Big Game Club dock and a guy “Cisco” came out to help us and we decided to stay. Only one other boat in the entire marina. All the marina’s are the same here, doesn’t start getting busy until January. Cisco brought us all the Customs and Immigration forms we needed to fill out. Filled out the forms then I walked to Customs and Immigration to turn in the forms and pay the $300.00. Then it was time to go get some breakfast and take a much needed nap.