We made it to Bimini safely, albeit a bumpy crossing. Winds were more that we would have liked so we ran the intercoastal to Miami and then across. Bimini is only 45 miles from Miami and Captain Morgan's theory is "you can stand anything for 45 miles!" After clearing customs, hosing off the boat, and getting situated we were able to FINALLY sit back and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment of another successful crossing day. We are on South Bimini so we all loaded up on our golf cart and drove down to the ferry and ferried over to North Bimini to look up Sherry for some fresh conch salad and to pound down a few rum drinks. We never found Sherry but Sherry's dad prepared us all a cracked conch appetizer. It was delish! And....we did manage to pound down MORE than a few rum drinks! Our cruising buddies, John and Lori on the Nanita arrived around 8:00 p.m. and were able to join us for a couple of rum drinks as well! We are going to FINALLY get to wet our hooks today! Will have a report later on as to what kind of fresh fish we are dining on! Catch you on the flip flop.....
CJM
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
As Promised...."Packing 101"
Thirty cases of beer and all of this plus more is now on Feeding Frenzy!!! A few more grocery items to be loaded, fuel, and finishing touches today and then will be awaiting the arrival of the Loopers and Kinscherffs tonight. Let the party begin!Planning on a Saturday crossing but the winds are not wanting to cooperate.....stay tuned!
CJM
Monday, April 19, 2010
Become a "Weather Watcher"
I find myself day dreaming about cruising the Bahamas every available moment now with the time drawing near. I have had a long list of things to get done prior to leaving and I am forming a list of things to remember to take with us when we leave Missouri next Sunday. My "leaving list" is starting to look pretty good. Just a few "must get done" things left. I am of course leaving the place in very capable hands of Matt and Jabet but I'm afraid they may be a little preoccupied with Baby Wade so I will probably leave them a list as well. My "taking list" is getting a little scary. I am quite sure we don't have a big enough car or boat to haul it all. Stay tuned as we plan on making a post with a picture of our car packing and you will see what I mean.
Along with day dreaming about cruising, I spend a lot of time thinking about and looking at the weather predictions. We need a small 5-6 hour window of good weather on May 1st to make the crossing. The weather forecasts are usually 10 days out and there are some NOAA weather stations we like to look at for real time wind and gulf stream reporting. If you would like to watch with us check out the following sites for Molasses Reef (not too far from us in Islamorada) and Grand Bahama for an idea what it is like near Bimini (our 1st stop). Molasses is http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=MLRF1 and Grand Bahama is the same except SPGF1 on the end. These sites also give a 4 or 5 day forecast.
The ideal wind would be 10 knots or less from the Southwest. 10-15 is doable. 15-20 would not be fun. Any wind out of the North is always worse as the gulf stream runs towards the North and a wind will just kick it up. The forecast right now is finally beginning to look good. The wind is waning about every day for the next few. Let's hope the trend continues.
Stay tuned for "Packing 101."
CTM
Along with day dreaming about cruising, I spend a lot of time thinking about and looking at the weather predictions. We need a small 5-6 hour window of good weather on May 1st to make the crossing. The weather forecasts are usually 10 days out and there are some NOAA weather stations we like to look at for real time wind and gulf stream reporting. If you would like to watch with us check out the following sites for Molasses Reef (not too far from us in Islamorada) and Grand Bahama for an idea what it is like near Bimini (our 1st stop). Molasses is http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=MLRF1 and Grand Bahama is the same except SPGF1 on the end. These sites also give a 4 or 5 day forecast.
The ideal wind would be 10 knots or less from the Southwest. 10-15 is doable. 15-20 would not be fun. Any wind out of the North is always worse as the gulf stream runs towards the North and a wind will just kick it up. The forecast right now is finally beginning to look good. The wind is waning about every day for the next few. Let's hope the trend continues.
Stay tuned for "Packing 101."
CTM
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
2010..........Eleuthera
Well, by now it will be about the end of May. We will have said goodbye to our second set of cruisers. Our beer cooler will most likely be near empty, our supplies will about be depleted but our freezer will be full of fresh fish fillets.
On to Eleuthera. It is about a 55 mile run from Hawk's Nest to Davis Harbour which is near the Southern tip of Eleuthera Island. We will be heading Northwest and passing many anchorages along the way, but not any marinas. We may anchor up a night or two depending on how much time we have.
The only marinas on Eleuthera are on the North and South ends. The North end is only accessible from the Atlantic. We will most likely just spend a few days at Davis Harbour and then at Cape Eleuthera, both on the South end and then move on to Nassau to pick up the last of our cruisers, Caldwell & Kate. Generally Southern Eleuthera is a slower-paced, less populated area with gorgeous scenery and excellent fishing.
The March, 2009 issue of Saltwater Sportsman has a great article on Cape Eleuthera. It was written by George Poveromo who also has a fishing show on ESPN occasionally. He stayed at Powell Pointe Marina at Cape Eleuthera when he was there. He fished an area called The Bridge while there. It is a reef system which divides the Atlantic and Exuma Sound for nine miles between Eleuthera and Little San Salvador. You can fish either side depending on which way the wind is blowing and expect to catch Blue Marlin, Dolphin and Tuna. Northwest of Powell Pointe is Tommy Pointe. It is a section of reef that extends out into Exuma Sound. It goes from 20-30 feet deep, them a narrow band of 40-50 feet deep before it drops to 1000 feet. The Yellowtail Snapper fishing is some of the best anywhere according to Poveromo. I can't wait.
A few days at Eleuthera and then on to Nassau and pick up Cal & Kate on June 5th. We will then fish the Fresh Creek area again and then head back to Bimini.
On to Eleuthera. It is about a 55 mile run from Hawk's Nest to Davis Harbour which is near the Southern tip of Eleuthera Island. We will be heading Northwest and passing many anchorages along the way, but not any marinas. We may anchor up a night or two depending on how much time we have.
The only marinas on Eleuthera are on the North and South ends. The North end is only accessible from the Atlantic. We will most likely just spend a few days at Davis Harbour and then at Cape Eleuthera, both on the South end and then move on to Nassau to pick up the last of our cruisers, Caldwell & Kate. Generally Southern Eleuthera is a slower-paced, less populated area with gorgeous scenery and excellent fishing.
The March, 2009 issue of Saltwater Sportsman has a great article on Cape Eleuthera. It was written by George Poveromo who also has a fishing show on ESPN occasionally. He stayed at Powell Pointe Marina at Cape Eleuthera when he was there. He fished an area called The Bridge while there. It is a reef system which divides the Atlantic and Exuma Sound for nine miles between Eleuthera and Little San Salvador. You can fish either side depending on which way the wind is blowing and expect to catch Blue Marlin, Dolphin and Tuna. Northwest of Powell Pointe is Tommy Pointe. It is a section of reef that extends out into Exuma Sound. It goes from 20-30 feet deep, them a narrow band of 40-50 feet deep before it drops to 1000 feet. The Yellowtail Snapper fishing is some of the best anywhere according to Poveromo. I can't wait.
A few days at Eleuthera and then on to Nassau and pick up Cal & Kate on June 5th. We will then fish the Fresh Creek area again and then head back to Bimini.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
2010..........George Town, Long Island, Cat Island And The Turn Back West Toward Home :(
Elizabeth Harbour is said to be a beautiful and spacious sheltered basin attracting lots of cruising boats. The harbor lies between Stocking Island and Great Exuma Island. The Exuma Sound is just outside Stocking Island. George Town settlement is located just off the harbor on Great Exuma. It has everything, providing more concentrated facilities than anywhere else in the Exumas. We should arrive in Georgetown about Tuesday, May 18th. We hope to pick up a couple more victims, a.k.a. cruising companions, here and stay about 4 nights. There should be lots to do here and also a good spot to pick up provisions. Hopefully we can work in a couple days fishing here also.
About 20 miles East of George Town is Long Island. At the Northern end of Long Island is Cape Santa Maria. A few miles South of the Cape is Stella Maris Marina. Stella is the farthest point from home on our trip. It will give us access to the Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Hopefully we can get protection from the wind for one or the other and should also provide some excellent reef fishing. Probably just stay a couple nights here and move on to Cat Island.
Slightly Northwest of Long Island about 30 miles is Cat Island. The Southern tip of Cat Island is Hawk's Nest Point. There is a resort and marina there and the chart looks like a wonderland for fishing. Lots of reefs and easy access to the Sound and the Atlantic. This could be the spot for the big haul. We will probably stay 3 nights or so at Hawk's Nest Point. This is where we will say goodbye to our second set of cruisers for their return home. CJM and I will then head north toward Eleuthera for a few days before heading back toward Nassau.
Stay tuned....
CTM
About 20 miles East of George Town is Long Island. At the Northern end of Long Island is Cape Santa Maria. A few miles South of the Cape is Stella Maris Marina. Stella is the farthest point from home on our trip. It will give us access to the Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Hopefully we can get protection from the wind for one or the other and should also provide some excellent reef fishing. Probably just stay a couple nights here and move on to Cat Island.
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| From 2010 2nd 3rd 4th Leg |
Slightly Northwest of Long Island about 30 miles is Cat Island. The Southern tip of Cat Island is Hawk's Nest Point. There is a resort and marina there and the chart looks like a wonderland for fishing. Lots of reefs and easy access to the Sound and the Atlantic. This could be the spot for the big haul. We will probably stay 3 nights or so at Hawk's Nest Point. This is where we will say goodbye to our second set of cruisers for their return home. CJM and I will then head north toward Eleuthera for a few days before heading back toward Nassau.
Stay tuned....
CTM
2010..........Second Leg (Amended)
We plan on pulling out of Nassau around Sunday, May 9th. There is a cut that runs between Nassau and Paradise Island that allows you to head toward the Exumas without going around Paradise Island. The first waypoint outside New Providence is Porgee Rock. The course across the Great Bahama Bank is 136 degrees and about 30 miles to Highborne Cay. The marina at Highborne Cay is the first marina in the Exumas and the only one for several more miles. We will probably stay about three nights there allowing us some time to look around and fish the Northern end of Exuma Sound. Exuma Sound is the large body of water between the Exumas and Eleuthera. It should be protected from those prevailing winds from the East that time of year by Eleuthera. Hoping we can fill our fish boxes we will likely move on about Wednesday, May 12th.
Next stop is Warderick Wells. This should be an easy cruise...about 21 miles, so CJM might even let me fish our way there since we will be running in the deep water, providing the winds aren't too much. If so, we can always run on the inside along the Bank. There are only moorings at Warderick Wells. No marina, restaurant, or lodging, but some great scenery. There is a park headquarters with trail maps, etc. for the visiting cruisers and I understand they have an afternoon "Happy Hour" which we will hopefully make. Maybe we can even have a big fish cookout for all the cruisers if our supplies are good. A couple nights on the hook and CJM and I will be ready for some electricity and running water so will likely pull out on Friday, May 14th for Staniel Cay.
Staniel Cay is a very easy run, about 16 miles down the Sound. Since we will have eaten most of our fresh fish supply at the park, CJM will likely let me fish our way to the next stop. Staniel Cay has 2 marinas, 3 stores, 2 restaurants and 3 bars where we can swill cold Kaliks while watching the cruisers come and go. Probably will want to stay 4 nights here to mostly sight see and chill. Staniel Cay is one of the most visited cays in the Exumas. Thunderball Cave is a favorite snorkeling site where the James Bond movie, Thunderball, was filmed. There is also a mooring available for our cruising partners, John & Lori, and maybe for us if we don't feel a need to stay at the marina every night. Will probably pull out on Tuesday, May 18th for Georgetown. This will be a longer run, about 50 miles, so not likely any fishing going on that day.
More later....
CTM
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| From 2010 2nd 3rd 4th Leg |
Next stop is Warderick Wells. This should be an easy cruise...about 21 miles, so CJM might even let me fish our way there since we will be running in the deep water, providing the winds aren't too much. If so, we can always run on the inside along the Bank. There are only moorings at Warderick Wells. No marina, restaurant, or lodging, but some great scenery. There is a park headquarters with trail maps, etc. for the visiting cruisers and I understand they have an afternoon "Happy Hour" which we will hopefully make. Maybe we can even have a big fish cookout for all the cruisers if our supplies are good. A couple nights on the hook and CJM and I will be ready for some electricity and running water so will likely pull out on Friday, May 14th for Staniel Cay.
Staniel Cay is a very easy run, about 16 miles down the Sound. Since we will have eaten most of our fresh fish supply at the park, CJM will likely let me fish our way to the next stop. Staniel Cay has 2 marinas, 3 stores, 2 restaurants and 3 bars where we can swill cold Kaliks while watching the cruisers come and go. Probably will want to stay 4 nights here to mostly sight see and chill. Staniel Cay is one of the most visited cays in the Exumas. Thunderball Cave is a favorite snorkeling site where the James Bond movie, Thunderball, was filmed. There is also a mooring available for our cruising partners, John & Lori, and maybe for us if we don't feel a need to stay at the marina every night. Will probably pull out on Tuesday, May 18th for Georgetown. This will be a longer run, about 50 miles, so not likely any fishing going on that day.
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| From 2010 2nd 3rd 4th Leg |
More later....
CTM
2010..........First Leg (Amended)
(Had some problems with the chart photos on the previous post and CTM has been studying studying and studying the charts and books and wanted to amend his 2010 Exuma/Eluthera adventure itinerary. So here goes..... CJM)
Can't think of much else except cruising these days. Now that I have done it, nothing else seems to be enough. The real appeal of cruising is about provisioning the boat and shoving off in our "home" and moving to a new port when we feel like it. The unappealing part is coming home when you are out of money! Since we still have to work occasionally to support our cruising habit we must do a little planning ahead. None of these places or times are set in stone and we will make adjustments as we go. We do plan on picking up some deck hands along the way so therefore we need a few time lines.
We hope to leave a couple days after the "Blessing of the Fleet". The "Blessing" should be on April 24th next year and we will probably leave on Tuesday, April 27th. Should arrive in Islamorada on Wednesday afternoon. We will spend Thursday and Friday provisioning the boat and I'm thinking we will try to head out for the Bahamas on Saturday, May 1st. Leaving on Saturday this year will take the bad omen of beginning a cruise on Friday (per "An Embarrassment of Mangoes") off our backs.
First leg of the trip will again begin in Bimini. It's a 100 mile run there and should take about 5 hours. Can kick the trip off with a big Saturday night out at "Big John's". Maybe Stevie S will be out of the pen and playing music there again. This year I would like to stay 4 nights in Bimini and pull out on Wednesday for Chub Cay. This will allow us to fish our two "sure thing" reef spots and do a little off shore as well. We would also have a day to just hang out, see our favorite bar owner, Sherry, eat some conch salad, drink a few cold Kaliks at the "End of the World Bar" and do a little touring. Still think we need to buy the property the "Compleat Angler" was built on and rebuild it just as it was, only concrete this time. Either that or buy the "Bimini Big Game Club". May want to reread "Don't Stop the Carnival" first.
Chub is about a 75 mile run from Bimini. Probably only stay one night in Chub as it is very expensive. However, CJM says the infinity pool is awesome and worth the stop. We will then pull out early Thursday morning and fish our way down to Andros Lighthouse Marina at Fresh Creek. This should be a perfect time to fish the Tongue of the Ocean. The US Navy has a submarine base/test area there. There is supposed to be some fabulous Yellowfin Tuna fishing around the buoys. Probably stay three nights to allow for some kick ass fishing and maybe a day of touring. Our favorite Bimini guide, Freddy, also has a home on Andros. So...might hook up with Freddy there. Will pull out on Sunday and fish our way to Nassau. The run to Nassau is only 30 or 40 miles. This will be the logical place for our first cruising companions to catch a flight back to reality. Will probably only stay one night in Nassau. Can replenish supplies there before embarking into new territory of Eleuthera and the Exumas. Will begin the second leg of the cruise from there about May 9th.
Here's a picture of the chart showing where we're goin' and where we've been. However, a good navigator never says where he's goin' 'til he gets there. Indecision may or may not be my problem.....
Stay tuned for "2010 Second Leg."
CTM
Can't think of much else except cruising these days. Now that I have done it, nothing else seems to be enough. The real appeal of cruising is about provisioning the boat and shoving off in our "home" and moving to a new port when we feel like it. The unappealing part is coming home when you are out of money! Since we still have to work occasionally to support our cruising habit we must do a little planning ahead. None of these places or times are set in stone and we will make adjustments as we go. We do plan on picking up some deck hands along the way so therefore we need a few time lines.
We hope to leave a couple days after the "Blessing of the Fleet". The "Blessing" should be on April 24th next year and we will probably leave on Tuesday, April 27th. Should arrive in Islamorada on Wednesday afternoon. We will spend Thursday and Friday provisioning the boat and I'm thinking we will try to head out for the Bahamas on Saturday, May 1st. Leaving on Saturday this year will take the bad omen of beginning a cruise on Friday (per "An Embarrassment of Mangoes") off our backs.
First leg of the trip will again begin in Bimini. It's a 100 mile run there and should take about 5 hours. Can kick the trip off with a big Saturday night out at "Big John's". Maybe Stevie S will be out of the pen and playing music there again. This year I would like to stay 4 nights in Bimini and pull out on Wednesday for Chub Cay. This will allow us to fish our two "sure thing" reef spots and do a little off shore as well. We would also have a day to just hang out, see our favorite bar owner, Sherry, eat some conch salad, drink a few cold Kaliks at the "End of the World Bar" and do a little touring. Still think we need to buy the property the "Compleat Angler" was built on and rebuild it just as it was, only concrete this time. Either that or buy the "Bimini Big Game Club". May want to reread "Don't Stop the Carnival" first.
Chub is about a 75 mile run from Bimini. Probably only stay one night in Chub as it is very expensive. However, CJM says the infinity pool is awesome and worth the stop. We will then pull out early Thursday morning and fish our way down to Andros Lighthouse Marina at Fresh Creek. This should be a perfect time to fish the Tongue of the Ocean. The US Navy has a submarine base/test area there. There is supposed to be some fabulous Yellowfin Tuna fishing around the buoys. Probably stay three nights to allow for some kick ass fishing and maybe a day of touring. Our favorite Bimini guide, Freddy, also has a home on Andros. So...might hook up with Freddy there. Will pull out on Sunday and fish our way to Nassau. The run to Nassau is only 30 or 40 miles. This will be the logical place for our first cruising companions to catch a flight back to reality. Will probably only stay one night in Nassau. Can replenish supplies there before embarking into new territory of Eleuthera and the Exumas. Will begin the second leg of the cruise from there about May 9th.
Here's a picture of the chart showing where we're goin' and where we've been. However, a good navigator never says where he's goin' 'til he gets there. Indecision may or may not be my problem.....
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| From 2010 1st Leg |
Stay tuned for "2010 Second Leg."
CTM
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