WELCOME TO BIMINI!

Our last day in Ft Lauderdale was spent marathon shopping.  First, there was Publix for meat and veggies and a few cans of staples.  Then, a requisite stop at Total Wine for some beer and a case of rum. Sure, rum is cheap in the Bahamas, but no cheaper than my usual swill and not quite as good.  We had to go across town to Whole Foods where we stocked up on cheese and olives, our usual supper fare.  The day wasn’t entirely wasted in stores; I managed to get a nice photo of a door for my collection.

           

           

            About the meat—this is a treat!  A couple of days before leaving Ft Lauderdale, I installed a refrigeration system on the boat.  Right now, it simply functions as a refrigerator.  I plan to turn it into a freezer/refrigerator as soon as I can lay my hands on the necessary materials.  Even using it as a refrigerator, we can keep ice for several days.  We still have a block of ice that we bought 5 or 6 days ago.  I hope the solar panels will keep the batteries charged.

            Crossing the Gulf Stream was quiet.  We took advantage of a northerly land breeze until about 10 AM.  Then, the wind shifted, as predicted, to the SE.  The seas were very calm and the motor trip was uneventful.  We pulled into Nixon’s Harbor about an hour after sunset and dropped the hook.  Turning off the motor presented us with a glorious silence that was amplified by the pitch dark, moonless night.  The gentle sway of the boat rocked us to sleep. 

Morning greeted us with the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Bahamas.  The water was so clear that you could nearly read a newspaper on the bottom 12 feet below!

             

They must have known we were coming because there was a party at Sherri’s on the beach.  Rum punches, live music, tropical breezes and a great view of the sunset over Atlantic Ocean.  Then, my birthday!  How many of us can boast that a Junkanoo Band was on hand for the celebration?  It simply doesn’t get any better.