Bahamas

 

Just after we made plans to leave Thursday night round about 1:00am, a couple stopped by our boat looking for people to cross with.  They happened to have an identical plan to ours with one small exception, they were leaving at 12:00am.  One hour earlier sounded like an easy change to our plan, so we agreed to go together.  After a few hours of sleep, we were up at 11:30pm, made radio contact with our buddy boats, Wind Dancer and Nido, pulled up the anchor and we were on our way.  Our trip across the gulf stream was calm and uneventful.  We would have preferred to sail the entire way but we didn't have any wind, so we were stuck with listening to the motor.  Once past the gulf stream, the wind picked up a little after sunrise and we had a few hours of nice sailing.  It was good to see those sails again! 

Our first night in the Bahamas we anchored at Great Sale Cay.  After anchoring, there was cocktail hour with our friends on Wind Dancer.  We relaxed in the cockpit, happy we all had a pleasant voyage, as we watched the sun set over the clear turquoise water.  The following day we woke up to look out on paradise.  Not a sound to be heard and beautiful water everywhere.  Saturday we headed over to Spanish Cay, so we could clear customs.  Customs was very painless and quick.  With a front moving in Monday we decided to stay until it passed.  Tied up at Spanish Cay Marina, we had access to the private island, the marina bar, restaurant, swimming pool and hot tub.  Our first night there, we had cocktails on the veranda with the other cruisers that came in that day, followed by dinner in the restaurant.  We made a lot of new friends, many of whom we recognized their boats from traveling down the intercoastal at the same time although we had never met. 

We took our bikes out one day and explored the island.  All 3 miles of it.  There were two little beaches, and we took our first swim in Bahamian waters.  We made good use the hot tub, spent a lot of time socializing, and IB surprised me with a proposal.  We are now engaged.