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April 2014 - PDQ Exumas Expedition - the Adventure Begins...
Heading out from North Miami into the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream.
Seeing a good weather window, we hurriedly departed Jensen
Beach Thursday morning and headed south with the hope of
joining JP & Diane on Moonstruck for a Friday crossing of the
Gulf Stream - a couple days ahead of our originally-planned date.
Beach Thursday morning and headed south with the hope of
joining JP & Diane on Moonstruck for a Friday crossing of the
Gulf Stream - a couple days ahead of our originally-planned date.
Apr 24 - 10:00 AM - Dep Nettles I. Marina, Jensen Beach, FL
10:45 AM - Out St Lucie Inlet into the Atlantic
4:15 PM - enter Baker's Haulover Inlet, North Miami
4:30 PM - Arr North Miami - Keystone Marina
Filled fuel tanks, 122 gallons ($4.10/gal)
Today: 83.2 nm - 6.7 eng hrs
10:45 AM - Out St Lucie Inlet into the Atlantic
4:15 PM - enter Baker's Haulover Inlet, North Miami
4:30 PM - Arr North Miami - Keystone Marina
Filled fuel tanks, 122 gallons ($4.10/gal)
Today: 83.2 nm - 6.7 eng hrs
The North Miami Beach skyline just before Baker's Haulover Inlet.
Paragliding off Palm Beach.
Sunrise departure from the Keystone Marina - auspicious
weather for a Gulf Stream crossing!
weather for a Gulf Stream crossing!
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Apr 25 - 7:40 AM - Dep Keystone Marina, N. Miami, FL
8:00 AM - Out Baker's Haulover Inlet into the Atlantic
12 noon - Arr Bimini, Brown's Marina
Excellent, easy crossing. Cleared Customs
Welcome to the Bahamas!
8:00 AM - Out Baker's Haulover Inlet into the Atlantic
12 noon - Arr Bimini, Brown's Marina
Excellent, easy crossing. Cleared Customs
Welcome to the Bahamas!
The scene that greeted us as we headed out Baker's Haulover Inlet Friday AM - just about perfect for a GS crossing!
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Land Ho! Bimini visible on the horizon, big thunderclouds above.
Entering the North Bimini channel - amazing color!
Arriving at Brown's Marina we spotted Improv who'd arrived just
ahead of us. They came straight across from Fort Lauderdale.
ahead of us. They came straight across from Fort Lauderdale.
JP and Diane in Moonstruck pulled in just behind us.
They came from Coconut Grove - via Cape Florida.
They came from Coconut Grove - via Cape Florida.
This looked pretty scary! Fortunately, we were safely docked in
Bimini when it appeared, and it didn't come any closer.
Bimini when it appeared, and it didn't come any closer.
Diane snapped this photo of us at Brown's Marina -
Sno' Dog in the background.
Sno' Dog in the background.
Three PDQ's lined up at Brown's Marina. The leading edge of the contingent to come!
Today: 47.0 nm - 4.4 hrs
Apr 26 - 7:30 AM - Dep Brown's Marina
Headed south around S. Bimini to
"Cat Cay" waypoint, then directly across
the banks to the "NW Channel" waypoint.
1:00 PM - psg Northwest Channel wpt
2:05 PM - psg Chub Cay
2:40 PM - Anchored at Frazer's Hog Cay
just past the Berry Island Club.
Today: 83.7 nm - 7.2 eng hrs
Incredibly SMOOTH run!
Headed south around S. Bimini to
"Cat Cay" waypoint, then directly across
the banks to the "NW Channel" waypoint.
1:00 PM - psg Northwest Channel wpt
2:05 PM - psg Chub Cay
2:40 PM - Anchored at Frazer's Hog Cay
just past the Berry Island Club.
Today: 83.7 nm - 7.2 eng hrs
Incredibly SMOOTH run!
Apr 27 - 8:30 AM - Anchor up - Dep Frazer's Hog Cay
11:30 AM - enter Nassau Harbour
11:45 AM - stopped at Bayshore Marina for fuel
Filled diesel tanks - 68.2 gal
12 noon - Arr: Nassau, Bay Street Marina
Glad to get in early before the wind picked up.
Today: 34.7 nm - 3.5 eng hrs
11:30 AM - enter Nassau Harbour
11:45 AM - stopped at Bayshore Marina for fuel
Filled diesel tanks - 68.2 gal
12 noon - Arr: Nassau, Bay Street Marina
Glad to get in early before the wind picked up.
Today: 34.7 nm - 3.5 eng hrs
"Nancy weather" all day long! If you enlarge the photo (by
clicking on it) you'll see Moonstruck & Improv behind us.
clicking on it) you'll see Moonstruck & Improv behind us.
Crossing the Bahama "banks". Hard to tell where the water
ends and the sky begins. Couldn't ask for a better day!
ends and the sky begins. Couldn't ask for a better day!
Like flying low!
The Berry Island Club. We could have stayed here for a mere
$25/night, but we continued on to an anchorage just beyond.
$25/night, but we continued on to an anchorage just beyond.
Sunset from our anchorage in Frazer's Hog Cay.
Improv & Moonstruck anchored in Frazer's Hog Cay.
Mouseover this photo (or click) to see another photo at dusk.
Mouseover this photo (or click) to see another photo at dusk.
Arriving at the entrance to Nassau harbor, cruise ships visible.
Later in the day, 7 more PDQ's arrived at the Bay Street Marina.
They came all the way from Bimini!
They came all the way from Bimini!
Apr 28 - Stayed in Nassau. Nancy & Diane bought
fresh red snapper from a boat on Potter's Cay. We
walked downtown and checked out the tourist sites.
With 7 cruise ships docked today, there were plenty of
tourists! Guacamole & drinks aboard Sno' Dog in PM.
fresh red snapper from a boat on Potter's Cay. We
walked downtown and checked out the tourist sites.
With 7 cruise ships docked today, there were plenty of
tourists! Guacamole & drinks aboard Sno' Dog in PM.
The old courthouse building in downtown Nassau - with an
exhibit touting "The Journey to Majority Rule".
exhibit touting "The Journey to Majority Rule".
Nassau seemed a bit more rundown than we remembered.
This is the Hotel Corona - such a lovely place! You can check
out any time you like, but you can never leave!
This is the Hotel Corona - such a lovely place! You can check
out any time you like, but you can never leave!
Fishing boats at Potter's Cay - where Nancy & Diane bought fish.
Apr 29 - 9:00 AM - Dep Bay St. Marina - headed east
passed Rose Island, then northeast toward Eleuthera.
Choppy at first with 15-kt ESE wind, calmer later as
wind turned SSE and we were in the lee of the islands.
Dave on Improv caught 3 fish, 2 Spanish mackerel and a tuna!
3:15 PM - dropped anchor in Royal Harbour, Eleuthera.
Today: 34.9 nm - 6.3 eng hrs
passed Rose Island, then northeast toward Eleuthera.
Choppy at first with 15-kt ESE wind, calmer later as
wind turned SSE and we were in the lee of the islands.
Dave on Improv caught 3 fish, 2 Spanish mackerel and a tuna!
3:15 PM - dropped anchor in Royal Harbour, Eleuthera.
Today: 34.9 nm - 6.3 eng hrs
Click on photos to view larger image.
Apr 30 - 10 AM - anchor up - Dep Royal Harbor. ESE 15 kts
11:00 AM - Arr: Spanish Wells - S. W. Ycht Haven
Today: 5.7 nm - 1.0 eng hr
11:00 AM - Arr: Spanish Wells - S. W. Ycht Haven
Today: 5.7 nm - 1.0 eng hr