Cruising to the Exumas in the Bahamas

Bill and I waited patiently for nearly a month before the winds off the Florida Keys and the Bahamas slowed down to what we will tolerate for crossing large bodies of water.

Eagle Ray that visited our boat frequently in Marathon

Marathon friend's second pineapple from a top cutting

Finally near the end of March we set out from Marathon to go to South Bimini, the Berries, Nassau, and then on to the Exumas. These are the islands in the Bahamas which we enjoy stopping at when cruising the Bahamas.  Our original plan was to go as far south as possible in the Bahamas and then to move slowly north until we had to return to the US.  However, since our time was already shortened by a month of waiting in Marathon for good weather, we decided to stay in the Northern Exumas for the entire time.  Life on a boat has to be flexible and easily adjusted to make life pleasant when cruising.



 1  Marathon               4  Berry Islands
 2  Rodriquez Key       5   Highbourne 
             3  Bimini                       6  Exumas                    

The two places that we use as stopping off places when headed to the Bahamas are Key Biscayne near Miami and Rodriquez Key south of Key Largo.  Last year we went on to Key Biscayne to enjoy some of the sites in the Keys before leaving Florida.  On the way out we went through Stiltsville, FL which, as the name implies, is a group of houses that are built on stilts and situated right in the middle of the shallow water in Biscayne National Park. The village originated or was at least planned during Prohibition Days when it was legal to gamble in any site that was a mile offshore.   In 1933 there were at least twenty houses in Stiltsville.  Being staid Rhode Islanders, it boggles our minds that people will actually build houses in the water in an area that is prone to hurricanes.  However, it is interesting to see these structures.

Stiltsville home

This year we opted to leave from Rodriquez Key and ride the Gulf Stream as far as possible.  Friends on two other boats departed from Marathon at the same time and we all spent the first night anchored off Rodriquez Key.



Sunset at Rodriquez Key

We each took slightly different routes from there, but arrived at South Bimini about the same time.  From the ocean side of Bimini Sands Marina in South Bimini, the entrance looked very tight because a large fuel barge was tied up in the passage.



Bimini Sands Marina Entrance way

However, our friends had gone through and their boats were at least four feet wider than ours, so we took their advice and went on through.  

Bimini Sands entrance from in the marina

Their view of our entering was more intimidating, but we got through and enjoyed the sight of many slips in a very desirable marina. 

 Having spent a full day at sea, we all decided to take the ferry to North Bimini and to celebrate our crossing at a well known Bahamian restaurant.  What a good ending to a perfect day on the water!



Three buddy boats and crew



Friendship, food, and relaxation after a long day at sea

The next day one boat went on to the Berry Islands and the other two boats stayed so the passengers could enjoy the sights of Bimini.



Sea Urchin

Bimini Sands Marina has a narrow area between the docks and the land where fish quite often swim.  There were two nurse sharks and many other fish swimming by and a sea urchin had settled on the bottom.

Two nurse sharks near middle of picture

We enjoyed looking in this area on our way to and from the beach.  Since I am addicted to shelling, I naturally had to look for shells on the beach by the marina.  We found some unusual ones to add to our collection.

We went to the Shark Lab on South Bimini where graduate students and professionals do research on lemon sharks. 

Entrance to The Shark Lab

 It was interesting to hear about their research and to visit the shark pens in the Bay.  When I was in graduate school I worked for Joe Casey, a well known shark researcher in Rhode Island who travelled all along the east coast to tag and study sharks.  One of the tags they still use today is called the “Casey Tag”.  That brought back many fond thoughts of my job at Marine Fisheries in Narragansett, RI.

There were three large shark pens in the Bay where the sharks lived while being studied.  One of the researchers caught a shark so we could see what they looked like and to learn their characteristics.

Lemon shark in captivity

The other researcher caught one and turned it upside down.  When lemon sharks are turned upside down the shark goes into a state of tonic immobility, leaving them insensitive to their environment, or as if they are sleeping.   During this time we all petted it; they are so smooth underneath.

Docile upside down lemon shark

Mary holding a Bimini Boa

After learning about the sharks, we were shown one of the harmless snakes of the Bahamas, a Bimini Boa.  It likes to curl around people’s arms when handled and in the wild they like to stay undercover. 

Near the Shark Lab is a well laid out nature trail.  It has wide trails, identifying signs, and a caged iguana.  The trail leads to the beach.





Bill at entrance to nature trail

Poison wood information and a warning that it causes an itchy rash

An iguana



Morning glories are common near the beaches

North Bimini

has several resorts and is developing more.  When biking on the island I entered one of the existing gate controlled resorts.  There was an elaborate gate, several fountains, a well equipped playground, a beautiful beach as well as a hotel, a marina, restaurants and shops.

Resort entrance, across the main road

The town on North Bimini is small and has the “small town feel” with interesting buildings, shops, and views of the coastline.



A church on North Bimini

North Bimini view of the ocean

After the second night’s stay we set the alarm for a 6:30 wake up call and were ready to leave the dock within fifteen minutes.  It was another all day cruise to Frazer Hog Cay in the Berry Islands.  All three of the original “buddy boats”, spent the night there and left the next day for the Exumas.  We arrived at Highbourne Cay just about sunset.  After spending a very rocky-rolly night, we awoke to a weather forecast of winds gusting to sixty knots that evening.  All three boats pulled anchor and headed south to a more protected anchorage.  We went to a different anchorage for the storm, but got together with the others several days later.

When we reached the Exumas Land and Sea National Park, Bill and I volunteered to be harbor hosts again at their Cambridge Cay mooring ball area.  We had done it for six weeks last year and since that was all the time we had this year, it seemed like a good idea.  They definitely needed us and were very excited for our offer to stay.  Our next blog posting will describe our six week stay with our boat tied to a mooring ball in a mooring field located in the beautiful turquoise waters of Cambridge Cay, our favorite part of the Exumas National Land and Sea Park.

Pilot ship for a large tanker

On our way back to Florida, we decided to stop at Nassau, one of the major tourist stops in the Bahamas.  We like to stop here either coming or going to the Exumas.  Nassau is a busy harbor with lots of commercial cruise boats, personal cruise boats, fishing boats, sightseeing boats, tankers, pilot boats, etc.  Entering from the north we have always seen large passenger cruise boats entering when we wanted.





Cruise ship





Boats have to radio Harbor Control and ask for permission to enter (or leave).  Usually the larger commercial boats get preference.  Everything is very orderly and everybody is eventually granted permission to enter.







Lighthouse at harbor entrance viewed from land

We arrived near dinner time and weren’t as hungry for food as we were for ice cream, so our dinner was at Dairy Queen and consisted of sandwiches and ice cream Blizzards.  The next day we walked over the bridge to go to Atlantis on Paradise Island.

Atlantis on Paradise Island

Marina at Atlantis - a bit pricey for us at $8 per foot

We wanted  to visit the aquarium which many people rave about.  It resembles a large ocean reef with all the fish swimming around.

People watching fish at the aquarium

It is on the bottom level of the spectacular Atlantis Resort and displays over 50,000 sea animals representing over 200 species.  The size and number of fish is amazing.  People walk through tunnels going in and out of sight of the large reef.



Manta ray coming towards us

There are manta rays, eagle rays, sting rays, several varieties of sharks, grouper, snappers of several varieties, lobster, colorful reef fish, plus many other varieties.  Many of the smaller varieties of sea life live in smaller displays built into the walls of the tunnel.

Lion fish

Several seahorse

It is amazing to see so many of the different kinds of sea life that live in southern waters!

Spotted drum

Jackknife fish

Statue at The Cloisters

Paradise

Island is also well-known for The Cloister and Versailles Garden.  The Cloister was built in the twelfth and thirteenth century in Montrejan, France.

 It was a French Monastery and was bought in 1920 by Huntington Hartford and transferred stone by stone to Paradise Island.  In 1960 The Cloister was rebuilt on Paradise Island by William Randolph Hearst.  Today it stands on a hill overlooking Nassau Harbour.  There is an intricately designed gazebo by the waters edge.

   

The Cloisters

Gazebo at The Cloisters

 Across the road from The Cloister is the spectacular Versailles Garden containing many famous statues, colorful bougainvillea hedges, ponds, and many stonewalls and walkways.  This section of Paradise Island is one of our favorite sites of Nassau.  

One day we took a walking tour of the city.  We climbed the sixty-five steps of Queen’s Staircase to get to Fort Fincastle.

Fort Fincastle

Lord Dunmore had Fort Fincastle built in 1793 on the high point of Nassau.  It is shaped like a ship’s bow and has seven large canons protecting it.  It never was used in battle.  Today the outside of the fort is home to several open markets selling souvenirs.

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We passed many government buildings and a horse-drawn carriage on our walking tour.  The buildings are very colorful, often painted in pastel colors or decorated with elaborate statues.



Queen Victoria's statue at Parliament

 





Nassau

is famous for its rum and rum cakes.  In 2008 Bacardi Rum built its first store ever.  It contains rum and lots of Bacardi souvenirs.  There are several rum cake stores throughout the city, all giving samples of their product.  On Feb. 14, 2011 there was a major fire in downtown Nassau that destroyed part of the store.  It has reopened.

Bacardi Rum Store

One more sightseeing stop that I really enjoyed was a trip to the Ardastra Gardens, Zoo, and Conservation Center.  We didn’t have much time left, so I opted to visit the zoo and to see the “marching flamingos” while Bill stayed on the boat to get us ready for leaving the next day.  The zoo had many different birds and just a few animals.  There was one bird I’ve never seen before, the Trumpeter Horn bill, some beautiful black swans and many different types of parrots.

Trumpeter Horn bill



Black Swan

Visitors were allowed to feed the Lory parrots.  I actually fed one and took his picture at the same time.

The Marching Flamingos” was the main attraction for me.  They were led from their area by a uniformed Bahamian man, marched to the performance area and then marched on the performing grounds.  They could go left, go right, go forward, turn around, march in place, and bow. 

 They are beautiful birds and I thought about how much time we women would have to spend to get that very beautiful and precise coloring on our mouths, noses, and faces.

While walking near the boats in the harbor, we passed by the bridge to Paradise Island.  The open markets there are very busy, some selling fish to eat and some selling produce.

We even bought lunch from a Bahamian lady named Irene who sells hot meals out of her car trunk.  Her menu had few entries, but the food was quite good.  We could order fish or chicken served with coleslaw, corn, rice and beans, and macaroni and cheese.  Local people recommended her food saying they had been buying from her for fifteen years.  We bought from her twice and carried it back to the boat for a very filling meal.

We returned back to the states on May 21^st.  After having spent three winters/springs in the Bahamas, we’ve decided it makes for an enjoyable “cold weather home”.