Mesmerized by the Enchanting Blue Waters of Bimini, Bahamas

We did it!  We have officially arrived in the Bahamas!  Wow, we are a happy, exhilarated, and exhausted crew of three.  It has been quite the week getting ready for our crossing but we are thrilled to be in Bimini and staring at the bluest water we have ever seen.
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But let’s back up a tad.

No filter has been applied here people. The water is actually this blue!

Looking south to the entrance to Bimini

We left West Palm Beach, and Sensai, last Friday.  We loved Fort Worth and how accessible it was for getting groceries and boat supplies.  Fort Worth is also where Ted and Evelyn on Sensai were anchored, waiting for their weather window on Saturday to cross to the Bahamas.  They had decided to leave the US from Forth Worth and go to West End, Grand Bahama.  The crew of Wild Horses, however, still had plans to cross using the southern route to the Bahamas, from Miami to Bimini, Bahamas.  Since we still needed to go another 70 or so nautical miles south to get to Miami, we wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the same weather window as Sensai but we did see another window opening up later that same week.
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And on we went!  This last part of the ICW in Florida is all about bridges and lots of boat traffic.  Mike was stellar at the helm though and I held my own with setting up our timing for the bridges, which was no small task.  In just a few days we went through 21 bridges, all timed openings.  This involved a lot of precision to get right…well, okay…I am lying a bit.  We actually lucked in by getting behind a gigantic motor yacht that the bridges seemed to stay open for.  We just rode his coat tails all the way through several bridges, with no waiting or rushing to time the bridges.  Hmmm, maybe it is all about who you know 😉.

The big boat that helped us get through so many bridges!

Big boats are the name of the game in Miami

While Sensai was successfully crossing over to the Bahamas on New Years Eve, we were in Fort Lauderdale.  Holy Todelo!  What a madhouse!  After our very cold Christmas, 34 degree heat decided to settle itself firmly in southern Florida and everyone was taking advantage.  Holidays + heat = General Craziness!  The beaches were packed.  The bars and restaurants were packed.  The streets were packed.  And the evening festivities did not disappoint.  From the boat, we had a 360 degree view of fireworks.  It was incredible!  We celebrated the New Years with just our small crew, some take out and an awesome Georgia vs. Ohio college football playoff game that actually ended exactly as the clock struck midnight.  Wild game, amazing night!

Fort Lauderdale on New Years Eve

A packed beach at Fort Lauderdale

The bars and restaurant were also packed!

A New Years Eve skyline view of Fort Lauderdale, taken from the cockpit of Wild Horses

​New Years Day we were on the move again but this time it was outside the ICW.  We left Port Everglades and the ICW and headed out into the ocean and down to Miami.  After navigating the inlet into Miami (past cruise ships and other big boats) we found our way into the anchorage at Marine Stadium.  For us, this was a “get ready” anchorage.  We knew we wanted to cross over to the Bahamas on Thursday and we had a long list of “must dos” including topping off our diesel and water tanks, getting Ocean certified by a US veterinarian (required by Bahamas customs) and buying our last bit of provisioning done.  We got a rental car and set off into the city of Miami to get it all done.

Our last opening bridge on the ICW

Approaching the Government Cut inlet into Miami

A big yacht crosses in front of Wild Horses as we traverse the Government Cut

Miami at night, taken from the cockpit of Wild Horses at our anchorage in Marine Stadium

​By Wednesday, all our “get ready” items were done and it was time to move to our staging anchorage.  No Name Harbor is in Key Biscayne and immediately beside the Stiltsville channel.  This is the channel that would take us out into the Straits of Florida and across the Gulf Stream to Bimini, Bahamas.  With all of our work done, we decided to go to shore and treat ourselves to some beers and Ceviche at the local restaurant.  Delicious!

Mike attaching some extra safety equipment for our trip across the Gulf Stream

Yummy ceviche, mozzarella sticks and a couple of Stellas make for a nice afternoon snack on a hot Florida afternoon

​Thursday morning we woke at 0400 and got the boat ready for departure (after coffees of course – we aren’t animals!).  The anchor was weighed at 0515 and we made our way out the channel and into the ocean in the darkness but under a clear sky and bright (almost full) moon.  Once the sun was up, we started to relax and found the trip very easy.  The sea state was a gentle 1 to 2 feet with about 7 seconds in between waves, making the boat rock gently instead of pounding.  This was the first time in our sailing lives that we were truly in the ocean, with no land in sight.  It was beautiful and serene, with just a bunch of flying fish to entertain us.

The moon lit our path as we weighed anchor at 0515 in the morning from No Name Harbor

First light appeared just about when Wild Horses was first feeling the effects of the Gulf Stream 3 knot current

This was our day. A beautiful sky and a fairly calm sea.

Mike chilling at the helm (note: our autopilot was doing all the work)

​By 1115 in the morning we could see Bimini start to pop up from the horizon.  As we got closer, we were treated to the vibrant blues of the Bahamian water and an easy entrance into Bimini.  It had been a glorious 8 hour journey.  We made our way to Bimini Blue Water Marina and hoisted our quarantine flag.  This yellow flag is required until we are all checked in with Customs and Immigration.  Mike, being the captain, was the only one allowed off the boat to do the check in process but the staff at the marina made it a super easy process.  By 1415, we were all checked in and walking through Alice Town.

Navigating through the Bimini entrance channel

Mike looking slick as he left Wild Horses, me and Ocean to check us all into the Bahamas

Our Bahamian courtesy flag flying off our spreaders once we got our 3 month cruising permit approved

Exploring Bimini on foot

Our first sunset in Bimini

​Like I said, we are in awe.  Bimini has been incredible and we will stay here for a few days to rest and wait for good weather to go further east in the Bahamas.  Truly, there is no where that we would rather be right now.  We are one happy crew, excited about all of our adventures on the horizon!

Victoria and Ocean enjoying the beach

A slice of Bimini

A nurse shark swims alongside our boat

Wild Horses at dock at Bimini Blue Water Marina