After our Christmas furlough in California, we returned to St Augustine where we prepared to journey south to Ft Lauderdale. A new battery charger and fresh water pump were vital additions to Fantasea’s inventory, investments that were to prove essential to the crew’s comfort. On January 15th we embarked on the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW) to Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Ft Pierce, and Stuart, Florida. We passed gorgeous homes on the ICW and long stretches of wilderness as we motored south.
We purchased the Bahamas cruising guide and Explorer charts in Stuart to study for the upcoming Bahamas crossing. Moving on from Stuart we cruised down to Palm Beach and finally Ft Lauderdale, where after an exhilerating romp down the Florida coast, we anchored in cozy Lake Sylvia after refueling and waiting for the 17th Street Bascule Bridge to open.
Here we prepared to cross the Gulf Stream to Bimini, Gateway to the Bahamas. No more ICW, this was serious cruising as we motor sailed for 9 hours to reach this tiny island. Then, two days later, as we surveyed the “weather window”, our boat buddies, Doug and Suzy aboard their Manta 42 catamaran, Carina, encouraged us to do our first overnighter. The next 28 hours would be a real test of endurance as we crossed the shallow but wide Grand Bahama Bank to reach Nassau at 2 AM and pressed on for another 8 hours to Allan Cay (pronounced key), the entrance to the Exuma Islands. We were so thankful for their knowledge of the Exumas as they led the way across this totally unfamiliar region.
This part of the journey reminded me of the covered wagon caravans that led settlers across the Great Plains to the West Coast in the 19th century. Go west, young man, said Horace Greeley. And they did. The wise ones engaged the services of the navigator who had successfully crossed the plains and the Rocky Mountains. So did we.
By 10 AM the next morning, we had crossed the Exuma Bank and were now in the beautiful Exuma Islands! Part of the Bahamas nation, the Exumas exemplify those white sandy beaches that adorn picture post cards. Miles of secluded beaches at crystal clear torquoise water were irresistable.
Staniel Cay was a favorite. We watched the Super Bowl there. There were strong winds from the North so we remained at anchor until the weather window opened for our sail down to Georgetown, Exumas.
We reached Georgetown, Exumas in the mid afternoon and found a fine place to anchor. There were more than 275 boats in the marinas and anchorages in this area. Georgetown was the destination of many cruisers. Each morning at 8 AM, there was a cruisers net on channel 72 of the VHF radio. Listening in, we would learn about events for the day and upcoming week, find out what cruisers had just arrived and which were departing the area. Every day there were parties and impromptu gatherings at the various beaches or in town.
As February drew to a close, our idyllic time in the Exumas was at an end. We resolved to motor/sail back to Ft Lauderdale in 5 days from Georgetown. We left the anchorage at dawn and out into the Exuma Sound bound for Staniel Cay
We get up before dawn. It’s still dark. Making preparations for today’s voyage. We don our personal flotation ddevices and have the tether line ready in case I need to go forward to the bow or the mast when it is rocky . Hatches closed. Nav and steaming lights on. And they will be for two more hours. We leave the anchorage at Sand Dollar Beach at Georgetown, Exumas and start making our way up the Exuma chain for several hundred miles.
We made Staniel Cay in good time, refueled and anchored off Big Majors where the pigs like to swim. We rested for the next day’s trip and set off in the morning to Allen Cay. We anchored in Allen Cay’s small anchorage by late afternoon.
Then we sail across the Yellow bank to Nassau’s east entrance. Through the harbor where 5 enormous cruise ships are berthed. We are microscopic in size compared to these behemoths. But they don’t look as sleek as our 46’ Beneteau appropriately named Fantasea. Exiting the west entrance to the harbor enormous waves hit us just off the starboard quarter. The forecast did not prepare us for this. About an our later, the seas settled down to 4-5 feet and we could breathe a sigh of relief.
On to Chubb Cay where we anchored in 8’ feet of water but the swells were hitting us broadside making a very uncomfortable anchorage. So, as its getting dark, we pull up anchor and cross over to another spot about 300 yards away and after several tries, found a spot, dropped the hook and and fashioned a bridle to reduce drag on the chain. So tired, we cooked a dinner in the microwave and fell asleep. We had traveled about 72 miles that day. And the next day would likely be even further.
The next morning while still dark, we weighed anchor at 0545 and made our way carefully to the open water and headed for the Northwest Channel’s western entrance. From there we entered the wide but shallow Grand Bahama Bank for 58 miles. Sunny day. We were headed for the Gun Cay Cut but were not certain we would anchor on the east or west side. As it was getting dark, we opted for the west side. Bad choice. It was rolly as ever but Cindy said she was “over it” and took a Bonine to quell her sea sickness.
Back in the USA!
The one good thing about anchoring on the west side of Cat Cay was that were closer to our destination-Fort Lauderdale. The Gulf Stream added 2 knots to our speed as we crossed her to reach Fort Lauderdale in the USA. Back again through the 17th Street Bascule bridge and this time we grabbed a slip at the Las Olas Marina. We had a joyous celebration as we completed the trip from the Exumas to Florida in the 5 days we had hoped to accomplish. There is something exciting and reassuring as we entered the port and realized that we were now back in America.
Unlike the Bahamas and other Caribbean nations, our clearing in at Customs and Immigration was accomplished online! Back in Bimini, the immigration authorities still used carbon paper on official documents.
Ron and Cindy's Odyssea 