CODA BAHAMAS BOUND 2025 (18)

CODA :  2 day countdown for Bimini, Bahamas.

27 January 2025

No Name Harbor, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne , Florida  

From the Lens room of Cape Florida Lighthouse.

Marc-  My local Canadian family came down to visit us in Key Biscayne.  We spent the day doing things close to the water.  We started out with a tour of the Lighthouse and Lighthouse Keeper's home.  Next we went to the West side of the island to have a delicious picnic lunch made by Danyelle & Tante Monique.  Then we went back to No Name Harbor.  Then to the beach where we sat under a big umbrella, enjoying the sun, sand and water.  Sue and I did some trail exploration into the local woods.  No wildlife to speak of except a Raccoon at the Lighthouse Cafe.

Todays explorers/beachgoers.

Miami from the top of Cape Florida Lighthouse.

Looking west from Cape Florida.  Note darker water, near shore and further out, indicating coral reefs.

The entry channel is the pretty blue water in between.

We came back to show off No Name Harbor.  I cannot believe how many 500 horsepower outboards you can fit on the back of a center cockpit boat.

Entrance to the Cleat bar and grill.

I found some very strange looking fish swimming just outside the harbor:  Atlantic Needlefish (sort of resembles the long nose gar fish of Lake Champlain).

Beach friends.

Hanging out at Lighthouse Beach.

Florida Strangler Fig tree with its victim Palm tree.

This evening I met with a couple in a Power Cat who are planning on making the crossing to the Bahamas on Wednesday, like us, with light and variable winds.  The couple tell us that most of the boats here (quite a few Power Cats and sailboats) will be leaving tomorrow (with forecast 10 knots out of the north).  They, like us, feel that is too much wind and, in turn, waves to deal with in the Gulf Stream.   They will be traveling at 14 knots (we travel at 7) but we will keep in touch with each other and they will be able to give us advance notice of the conditions.  Tomorrow will be our final prep day for refueling, filling our water tanks, and provisioning.

Sue:  Finally we have weather that is worthy of Florida.  Sun and warmth!  We had a nice time with Tante Monique, Danyelle & Martin.  I'll leave it at that.