Go

Left Cape Florida at dawn, powered in very light winds.  Looked back at the lighthouse and distant buildings just once.  From then we were looking ahead.  After a couple of  hours, we were discussing the fact that there was quite a bit more wind than predicted.  It was E SE and about 15 knots.  We looked at each other and said "Hey we can sail. " We hadn't actually been able to sail on the ICW for a long time.  Since predictions were for 5 -10 we had planned to power in order to get across before dark.  What a joy.  Sails up,  making almost 7knots motor sailing, we killed the engine and had a blissful sail for the last 4 hours of our run to Bimini.  What a  beautiful day; warm, blue skies. great breeze- never more than 15 but not much less either. The blue of the Gulf stream is so intense, it just added to the scenery.  Flying fish were keeping up company.  Not quite as good as dolphins but fun to watch.  Got to Bimini, legendary fishing town and haunt of Hemingway, about 3PM and powered up to enter a quiet, harbor.  This entry  is interesting.  There is a sandbar with waves breaking parallel to the beach.  You cut between this and the beach just quite close to shore after you line up the range marking the harbor entrance.  I didn't even think it looked like an entrance from a ways away.    But at least 7 to 9 feet of water are there as long as you watch yourself.  My impulse is not to go too close to the beach but with that sandbar the beach was on both sides!  Hundreds if not thousands of much bigger boats enter this harbor all the time so no worries.   Once inside the channel is well marked.  We called a couple of marinas on the radio but no answer.  Finally Tom saw a boat docking, yelled to the dock hand "Have room for one more?" and we tied up.  Clearing customs was quick , organized and easy.  We put the yellow Q flag up once we could see land and were happy to switch it for the Bahamian marine flag.   We had time to walk up the hill have a celebratory rum drink and watch sunset.  It doesn't get much better than this.