Bimini

We arrived in Bimini - Browns Marina on North Bimini - an hour ago.  We had a wonderful but exhausting 2-day transit from Nassau.

Yesterday: Rough leaving Nassau for a few hours, then it settled down and we were in Force-1 flat water, as we left the Tongue of the Ocean and got onto the Great Bahama Banks.  Stopped before sunset, anchored in absolutely the middle of nowhere - no land in sight - in 17 feet of water and calm winds and no waves or swells.  Slept like a bobby ...  Buddy Boated with Jon & Marilyn of sv-Escapade.

Wind came up overnight; up to 5 knots or so - nothing serious; no chance of dragging anchor even thought the light winds went from south to north overnight.  Slept throught it. no way was the Rocna anchor going to drag in these light winds - 100 feet of chain, and bridle. This was the anchorage I was most worried about this trip, and it turned out to be the best and calmest.

Today: Woke up to some light waves and 5 knot winds.  No problem.  Another 60 miles & 10 hours today. I took a nap, midday (Ilona at the helm). Woke up to some small waves on the banks, wind up to 5-10 knots. So after i had some coffee, we threw out the full genoa and motored at 7 knots for a couple of hours - all the way to Bimini. 

Tomorrow, etc: sitting tight here. Supposed to be another cold front (norther) on Thursday-Friday, but we are safe in port and there are lots of restaurants (& BARS) here on the island, or Cay, or whatever this place is. Looking forward to getting off the boat after 2 days, and eating out.

Chris Parker says *maybe* next Sunday-Monday will be a very mild crossing day for the Gulf Stream to Florida, if we don't mind motoring (we don't!).  So we may be in Florida by early next week.  After what we have been through, a 50-75 mile crossing of the Gulf Stream sounds like easy - especially after a good sleep and time on-land. We can wait for a really smooth weather window; no rush at all; it's still winter back home.

No way (NO WAY!) are we going back to MInnesnowta until we are sure it is over up there. (May?) Might cruise around Florida in our van - have friends and family in Dania, Naples, Sebring, Cape Coral; and the cruising community in St. Augustine. And would be nice to spend a day or 2 in Savannah and/or Charleston again before heading north.  No rush!  And imagine shopping without having to haul stuff home in the dinghy!

Dont know where we will park the boat for the coming summer.  Probably Indiantown again, although I would like a place with a mechanic we can trust.  People suggest St. Marys (GA), St. Augustine or Jacksonville (FL), or whatever.  Something to deal with when we get back across the Gulf Stream (next week?).  Not now.

We (finally!) have free internet and can Skype!  Civilization at last (sort of).