Bimini to the Exumas

           

Our final days at Bimini were spent walking the beach, collecting sea glass and interesting shells.  We did go to the shark lab on South Bimini.  They have been studying shark behavior there for several years.  They capture sharks, weigh them and take DNA samples and tag them in order to trace their migrations. 

We waded out to the holding pens in shin deep water to see the infant lemon sharks they currently have in captivity.  Then we went back to the lab headquarters where we were introduced to a Bimini Python.

            After a final Bimini sunset, along with Barbara and George (s/v Providence), Tammy and Jerel (s/v Osprey) and a couple of other boats we struck out across the Great Bahama Bank toward the Northwest Channel.  Woohoo!  Not long after getting on the bank we hooked the first real fish of the season, a member of the tuna family!  Alas, he jumped off the hook as we pulled him aboard.  Boohoo!  Not to worry, though.  It wasn’t long before we hooked another and then another and then another—two really nice king mackerals and a nice jack.  “Too many fish,” said Kathleen, “bring the lines in.”  Well, she was right.  Even with refrigeration, we had no way to keep all that meat.  You’ve never had ceviche until you’ve had it with fish as fresh as this.  Then, we had a terrific almond encrusted pan fry with a sauce meunière.  Leftover, it made a great fish salad for sandwiches.  It doesn’t get any better.

            We got up and left our anchorage on the bank at 3 AM.  My greatest concern was the NW Channel light.  It hasn’t burned for years but I’ve heard its piling is still there and I didn’t want to run into it in the dark.  Well, actually, I don’t want to run into it in the daylight either.  At any rate, I was afraid I might not be able to see it in the dark.  We went through the channel without seeing any sign of a piling.  Crossing the Tongue of the Ocean was brutal.  The wind was very close and the seas were not what had been forecast.  In order to make any time and for a more comfortable ride, we had to sail several degrees off course then tack back toward our destination, West Bay on New Providence Island.  West Bay is a quiet anchorage on the West end of the island.  It was a terrific discovery.  In the first place, it allows you to by-pass Nassau.  Then you can sail past the South side of the island and completely avoid Yellow Bank which is liberally dotted with coral heads.

            We had a pleasant sail to Highbourne Cay where we ducked in to escape what was forecasted to be one of the worst blows of the season.  Highbourne is a privately owned island, frequented by sport fishers and mega yachts.  It is simply beautiful.  Even the stop signs are beautiful.The white sand beach on the East side stretches for 2 miles with hardly another person to be seen.  The views of the ocean are spectacular and the tropical vegetation is home to several varieties of birds, some of which seemed to be calling me.

            We met a French couple who have been in the Bahamas for 2 years, Paul and Cathline. They are travelling in a Sea Ray Sun Dancer, m/v Polkat.  The name of the boat is really a jeu de mots on their names, Paul-Cath and also another play on words; since the boat is a Dancer, it is appropriate that Polkat is similar to Polka.  Cath makes some of the most interesting candle holders from bits of coral she finds on the beach.

            It’s a small world.  The boat that docked next to ours, s/v R n R is Pearson 323 like Now or Never!  Unbelievably, her skipper/owner is also named Pete. He and his wife Cythia are from Saratoga Springs, NY.  This is their first trip to the Bahamas, their “retirement trip.”  They are traveling with a long time sailing buddy, Chuck who now lives in Puerto Rico (lucky guy!).