Caravan to the Bahamas

In May, 2015, four boats set sail for the Bahamas, Lou and Nancy on Black Pearl, Jose and Char, on Atlantica, Rich and Mary Jim, on Emerald City and Rick and Cookie on Wind Dancer. Emerald City and Black Pearl, left Boca Chicac on the 2nd, with Wind Dancer leading the way, and stopped first at Marathon, behind Boot Key, and secondly on the east side of Rodriguez Island. The sail to Marathon was perfect, with nice SSE breezes  at 10 to 12 knots to speed us on our way.  A wind shift to the east became a motor slog into the wind as the wind direction shifted to the east on our way to Rodriguez.  Timing was perfect and the Gulf Stream was benign as we motor-sailed for 10 hours to Bimini. The easiest place to stay in Bimini is Bimini Sands. Bimini is one of the few well marked harbors in the Bahamas, and Bimini Sands is almost straight ahead  from the entry markers. Our one concern was the autopilot, which mysteriously lost way 4 times on the way to Marathon, and twice, while crossing the Gulf Stream. Never bothered us again during the trip.

We left Bimini at 7am to motor sail 13 hours across the bank to reach Great Harbor and anchor at sunset, another beautiful day on the water.