CODA HERE IN THE BAHAMAS 2025 (22)

 CODA : exploring "the Bank", Bahamas.

31 January 2025 

Mackie Shoal, Great Bahama Bank, Bahamas 

The water of the Great Bahama Bank is extraordinary.  This shallow shelf is a carbonate platform about 20 feet deep and covers hundreds of square miles.  

Marc-  We delayed our departure three times today due to gusty winds of 20-25 knots that were diminishing.  It took until 13:00 hours before we felt safe to go with 10-12 knots of southeast winds.  We literally could not leave earlier since Coda was pinned to the dock by a combination of the wind and a 3 knot current caused by the outgoing tide.  Sue and I explored some more of Bimini on foot in the morning visiting some outdoor markets at the Government Pier and visiting a Vermont boat owned by a member of our DIYC boat club moored at Brown's Marina, a busy loud place.

We had no difficulties leaving the marina when we did although some fellow boaters came over to lend a hand.  The trip out to Mackie Shoal, a spot in the middle of the Banks, was fine even with some light headwinds.  We anchored in about 20 feet of water.  It is a waypoint on an east-west boat route over the Banks.  Two sailing catamarans anchored in the area.  The diminished wind had calmed the waves but the swells persisted all night long.  These swells ran at an odd angle to the currents causing Coda to roll. It was a very poor sleep!

Beer ad at our marina.

Narrow streets for narrow cars driving on the wrong side of the road.

North Hero, Vermont boat.

About time that I raised the Bahamian courtesy flag.

This marina in Bimini did not rebuild after the last hurricane.

Sun going down.  Note the swells!

Sunset and Moon rising on the Banks.

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 CODA : exploring "the Bank", Bahamas.

1 February 2025 

Bullocks Harbour, Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas 

Sunrise on the Banks (finally the seas are quiet when we are ready to leave).

Marc-  Beautiful sunrise after a mostly sleepless night on a rolly boat.  We raised the anchor and off we went for a quieter destination:  Great Harbour Cay.  We motor sailed about six hours on perfectly clear waters (looking over the side of the boat you would guess maybe 5 feet when it is actually 20 feet deep).

There were very few boats out on the Banks today, but quite a few boats on our arrival to Great Harbour Cay.  The first sighting was of the Cruise Ships anchored just north of Great Harbour at Little Stirrup Cay and Great Stirrup Cay.  The Cruise lines offer their guests watersport entertainment and beautiful beaches here.

Coda needed to refill one diesel tank so the village fuel dock was our first stop.  We arrived when it was closing but the very nice attendant lady took care of us.  I asked her about anchorages nearby and she recommended going around the corner to the inner harbor.  We found a very secure spot for the night.

Sue's sunrise this morning.

Sue:  Last night was miserable.  We rocked and rolled out in the middle of nowhere.  Sometimes it felt like we were being slammed and thrown around.  There is a reason people go places on big cruise ships and airplanes.   I will not be doing this again.  I was exhausted yesterday on the way to Mackie Shoal - I guess from doing very little plus my diet of Bahamian bread and American gorp (heavy on the M&Ms), and snoozed some.  So the combination of daytime sleep plus the horrible conditions made for barely any sleep all night.

Today was just a long day of motor sailing and some reading.  By the time we made our lunch/dinner, it was too late to go out and explore.  So we are trapped on the boat until the morning.

Those eggs we bought in Key Biscayne and I wondered if they'd be good or "anemic?"  They're good!