Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Bahamas - Bimini to Allan's Cay

Crossing the Gulf Stream with "Warm Rain" from Toronto and "Secrets" from Montreal.
Mérengue's route from Florida to the British Virgin Islands.




Landfall in the Bahamas.




Frank (Warm Rain) and Jim at the beach bar in Bimini with a couple of cold Kalik beers.



Shipwrecked freighter on the beach.



It feels great to be in the Bahamas!



Pelican posing for a picture!


First leg in red crossing the Great Bahama Banks. Anchored for the night than continued on second leg marked in green to Chub Cay

Merengue following Warm Rain across the Great Bahamas Bank. This is not color enhanced.
The water is really this color and only 8-12 ft deep for 70 miles.


Water clear enough to see starfish on the sand.


Warm Rain and Frank crossing the banks. It's so shallow that you're seeing the boat's shadow on the bottom through the crystal clear water.



Anchoring overnight on the banks, rocking back........



... and forward...........



... and left and........! We didn't get any sleep this night


Church on Chub Cay.

Course from Chub Cay to Nassau.

The view of Nassau Harbor from the bridge. The entrance is in the distance and brings you past the cruise ships and commercial boats.



Merengue and Warm Rain in their slips at the Nassau Harbour Club.
We came for a few days but ended up weathered in for 2 weeks.



Sundowner anyone?


Being weathered in allowed us more time to tour Nassau......


......several forts,...........


....and visit the Governors House.



Our table for High Tea at the Governor's House.
Each table had a hostess. Ours was the wonderful lady to Jim's left, Shirley Rolle.


Frank & Jim, "Why did they put that barge there right when we're trying to leave?"

Course to Rose Island anchorage.

Wading through the shallows to beach the dinghy at Rose Island.



Paradise! The cay off of Rose Island.


On the way back to the boat we spotted this Osprey with his catch of the day.

Back to Nassau for a couple of days then on to Allen's Cay. That course is marked in green.

Sailing to Allen's Cay on a perfect day.


Merengue at anchor off Allen's Cay.


I'm waiting for my rum punch, please!


Nice weather over, we're watching this squall approach.


The storm hit with wind gusts up to 50 knots.
Luckily it hit in the morning when we could see the boats around us.


The storm caused Warm Rain to swing and run aground.
As soon as the squall passed it was dinghies to the rescue.


Storm passed and it was Lassie to the rescue with a sunset serenade on the bagpipes.


Jim feeding a banana to an iguana at Iguana Beach.
The iguanas come running when they hear a dinghy approaching!