Monday 13 January 2020
Isn't it interesting how there is always a serpent of some sort in every Eden? Here is Alice Town in North Bimini, it's the garbage in the streets resulting, we have surmised, from the residents lack of hope for anything better. South Bimini, which in previous posts we had gone on and on about how much nicer it was as evidenced by quieter communities and far less garbage, well, their serpent is bugs. Apparently we didn't experience them because it was a windy day, but according to the waiter who served us our self-indulgent lunch yesterday, they will chase you down the road as you try to escape them in your golf cart. Mosquitos are the worst and I did have a small sample of them as I was bit by one on the way back to the ferry after the shark lab. A little more research on Active Captain and insects were one of the complaints about Bimini Sands Marina.

This morning I was approached by the first panhandler ever here in Bimini. I hadn't given them much thought except to note that they weren't here. This fellow was clearly messed up from some sort of addiction and was working the old line that he needed money for food. Yeah. Right. Oh well. If he is the only one this community is doing well.

Our stay in the Bahamas has been abbreviated by two things. First, the weather. We had been warned by friends of ours that climate change is having a negative effect on the weather patterns down here but we didn't listen. Other cruisers that we have spoken to have echoed their thoughts that more and more there are wind systems rolling through that keep you bound to one area and you are either at an anchorage that you are hoping that your anchor holds and that the other cruisers around you have set theirs well too. And, second, the cost to get into the country. $300 for three months or $600 for over three months! And in many places south Florida prices for marinas plus power plus water! Too much, in my humble opinion.

Nope. I am starting to think that Nelleke will go back to being a Nova Scotian summer cruiser once we get her safely home.

At five thirty this morning the PredictWind download shows a good day for crossing westward today through to Thursday so it looks like we are going to head out today around noon. As the weather isn't a factor I am back to worrying about the engine and hope that we have done the necessaries to make that right. I will post this prior to our departure and if you don't see another post later today we will be underway across the Gulf Stream and back to Florida.

Aw crap! In the excitement of departure I forgot to post this from Bahamas. I will leave all of the above as a stream of consciousness and post it from the US once we get within cell range.

I am writing this part just after dark from the cockpit. In spite of all the forecasts both from Predict Wind and Chris Parker that westward across the Gulf Stream would be a good trip all I can say is, whaaaat? The wind that was forecast to be SE was NE and the waves were not too bad except the seas were very confused and the predominant swell was on the beam which let to a very uncomfortable corkscrew motion for most of the trip so far. This is when you want Velcro on your butt to keep from sliding around on the cockpit seats. Barb is more sensitive to motion than I am so she really was not having a good time.

We were making really good time all day in spite of the movement of the boat and the trip that was supposed to take 19 hours as of seven thirty in the evening now looks like we will be getting to St Lucie's Inlet by midnight.

At a little after eight I had a little doubt about the wisdom of trying to get in the St Lucie Inlet in the dark. It's quite narrow but we have done it before. It has a reputation for shoaling but it was OK at the end of November. Decisions decisions! In the end we called TowBoatUS and got them to escort us in.