Hi,
(if this gets to the Liveaboard list I must have hit a WiFi
somewhere that is open)
Angel Louise has successfully crossed the Gulf Stream!
Thanks to all at that shared advice and experiences about
crossing the Gulf Stream (this is first time for us). Angel Louise
benefited from my reading each and every post on the Liveaboard
and Island Packet lists covering the topic.
Sue and I crossed The Gulf Stream from No Name Harbor at
Key Biscayne w/ anchor up before 5 am Tuesday morning,
Dec 16th. Our winds were consistent from the E at about 14
and seas 2' - 4'. We are a heavy 41 foot cat and took water
on the deck regularly running down the port side. We got a
terrific salt bath... More than once per hour we would get a swell
running larger than the normal sea that the bow would shoot
up the front of the boat over the cabin to the roof of Angel Louise.
From Key Biscayne we held a steady 110 degree course
heading all the way across. At about 4.75 miles from FL, I
thought my Auto Pilot had broken, because although the course
heading was the same, my projected course on the chartplotter
showed my course projection line taking a 30+ degree sharp
turn way to the left of where we wanted to go!
Then it dawned on me we had the Gulf Stream near the FL
shore. We held a steady course of 110 degrees and ignored
the GPS aiming, as that keeps a slower vessels in the Gulf
Stream longer, per what I read. Unless you are in a power boat,
it is best to go at 90 degrees to the stream when in it, then adjust
after the crossing. (I analogized crossing the Gulf Stream to
pushing a baby carriage over the interstate, where you wanted
to go a couple blocks further up the opposing traffic lane -
a truck could run you down while you are there and we did not
want to be in the steam any longer than necessary if Wx worsened... )
We entered Bimini at the traditional entrance along the S Bimini
shore via two and went to N Bimini to Weeches Dock. Weeches is 85 cents
a foot as of now. Concrete block shower and bath are clean
and adequate. Nicer places a buck a foot are further down the
line, where WiFi would have been available. <Sound of self-
administered DOPE SLAP>. They have Brackish water at dock
for wash downs and have power if you need it but we have our own.
They meet you at the dock with the customs and immigration forms.
Customs is in the next building North and a 1 yr Cruising Permit
and fishing license costs $300. Only captain goes ashore, and
after you go to customs you have to walk a ways down street
to the North where the regular Immigration office is located in
the administration office which also houses the police station,
if there is no one in the temporary office next to customs. We
were given a 90 day permit and told it could be extended on
application.
TWO BITS OF MY EXPERIENCE TO SHARE:
(1)This was my first time outside US in a long time.
I wanted to get extra cash to carry while cruising. The
DEBIT card at Royal Bank of Canada gave me $500, all in
Bahama dollars (duh?). I wanted US to carry. The bank
will only give you US dollars with the ATM receipt and limits
you to purchase back $300, then only upon leaving the Bahamas.
Otherwise you have a bit of hassle on your hands.
We got $300 of $ changed upon advising them we were
leaving the Bahamas that day... we changed our minds
a little later and decided to stay longer!
(2) The current coming into N Bimini can be ripping.
The three foot of tide piling up over the banks rushes off
them at low tide on the ocean, then back again at high tide.
Next time I will arrive or depart at slack tide. I ended up getting
on the dock in 2+ knots of current but it was definitely not pretty.
Next time I will be wiser.
Thanks again for help & advice from everyone that gave it.
Such advice from friends is a great resource.
We will stay through Friday afternoon and then travel across the
Bahamas Banks (6' deep) overnight for a 60* mile trip to the
Northwest light, then will go across the Tongue of the Ocean to
Nassau for a
Saturday arrival. We will meet my little brother's plane on Tuesday
for a shared 18 days trip among some of the 750 islands. Lets
see, that would be under 35 minutes per Island (excluding travel
time). Hmmmm, I guess we will have to skip a few. We are going to
stay at the Atlantis Marina in Nassau for Sunday and Monday
nights.
Ed & Sue
Ed Kelly (& Sue Kelly)
USSV Angel Louise - a Catalac catamaran - Lying Bimini & headed out
Friday
Our Skype Phone (202) 657-6357
Email: EdKelly ("at" symbol) netins.net
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