From Bimini to Nassau y

We departed Bimini at 8:45, motoring North to North Rock and beared east for an easy and wonderful sail in North winds of 13-15 knots doing over 5 knots boat speed.  Chiheb kept quoting SOG - I guess it sounded more impressive. 

I filed our float plan with Norm and Jason, letting them know there would be no cellular connection for a while. 

The autopilot starting to make nose so we minimized the use of it. 

We anchored in the middle of the ocean around Mackie Shoal. Nice evening, but the night was very rocky and we did not sleep much. The cockpit light was left in the cockpit and fell and rolled forcing Chiheb to get up and bring the broken cockpit light back in. 

The next morning we weighed anchor at 8:30 and had another wonderful 8 hour sail to Chub Cay

We regained cellular connection as we approached Chub Cay and I reported out position to Norm and Jason and Marie. 

Chiheb intensely argued again with me about how much scope to put out.  It was very nasty - no respect for the captain’s decision to put out 75 foot of rode in 8 foot of water at low tide.  This time we were pretty heated.  I’ve just completed 100 days mostly single handed, over 20 years as Captain and Chiheb has lots of courses but I don’t think he has ever captained annything but an Tanzer 22 on Lake St Louis that he rented or sailed in the Caribbean with a captain and yet he knows better. 

He has Sail Canada intermmediate sailing and he should have known his position as CREW.

He said he would never sail with me again. I’m not sure if I would ever invite him again. 

There was free wifi from the Chub cay club but very marginal. 

Friday morning I got up at 8 and opened the wheel pilot to find it dirty but the belt looked good but one of the plastic tabs holding the tensioner mechanism had broken.   I epoxied it and reassembled and drained the engine sump and tightened and WD40 the inline auto reset fuse of the engine panel hoping for no more engine starting problems

We agreed to stay at Chub Cay for another night since there was not much in Nassau and the winds would be better on Saturday. Chiheb wanted to swim in the green Bahamean waters 

I cleaned the water line and bottom of BELLUM 

Quiet Friday at Chub Cay 

Saturday morning we departed with one reef with 18 knots wind abeam.  It soon declined to below 15 knots broad from the port.  Easy run.   

Entered Nassau Harbour just before 3pm. Got permission from Harbour Patrol to enter the harbour.  Fueled and 20 Gallons water at Rubes at Harbour Central. Nassau Harbour was a little tense for me. 

Anchor and we dinghy ashore but did not go ashore since it was late and we were not willing to pay $20 for the dingy dock. 

Sunday we toured the city and we went out separate ways.  

I took the 12 B bus to Airport to check it out for Natalia’s arrival. 

I spent Monday cleaning and tidy boat, studied Exuma navigation and opened up the autopilot wheel again.  The epoxy did not hold up.  Will need to retest on way to exumas. 

Crossing the Gulf Stream

We weighted anchor at 6am in the dark and motored out into the North Atlantic and then motor sailed for almost 8 hours in closed haul occasionally heading upwind to get a better sail shape. 

Chiheb did not seem to understand my tactic, complaining we were off track. But we were making good headway. 

All port tack with a southerly wind

Most of the other sailboat were to our port side ahead and they were all bigger and thus faster. 

First time out of view of land

The last 40 minutes we turned off the motor because we could. 

Slowly we motored into Alicetown, staying clear of the shallows.  Arriving at Big Game Club. They quoted us 3.75 a foot but the bill came out to 160. 

I cleared immigration and customs and got out fishing license.  The click 2 clear was troublesome - especially on the iPad but it worked. But I never got my drone license which I had paid for and had the receipt. 

Chiheb really wanted to take a shower so we did, had supper and walked the town at night

Next morning we walked the entire North Bimini from the marina to the south cut and north to the Hilton resort.  

We picked up a loaf of Coconut bread at Nate’s for $10. Don’t know if that was expensive or not but I fulfilled the ritual. 

Chiheb wanted to go to the New Year’s party at the resort and I wasn’t interested. The Eventbrite site said it was sold out anyways. 

We got back to the mariana I went for a swim, tried to fly my drone but we were in restricted air space.  

I noted the bilge pump ran about 8 times and realized I had to tighten the shaft packing again.  Chiheb was at the marina using the final wifi. 

I decided to anchor just north of the marina instead of going further north and I got us deeply stuck in the mud.  A local worker on a wreck came and towed us out and suggested a place near the shore and it was tight. 

I had never intended to use less than 50 foot of chain and Chiheb argued that I had too much scope.  I took my time before agreeing to less scope and used a line to make a snubber with a bowline.  

I still preferred to take my time to change my mind and I still would have preferred to set the anchor with more scope. 

It was only then I realized how clear the water was that I could see the whole chain and where the anchor was.  Spectacular!