Whoo Hoo...Veda L is happy as she is in the right color of water....Aqua swimming pool blue!
We left Bimini around 2:00, and could not believe the beauty below us as we went around the north end of the island, over the Bahama banks (typcial 12-15' of water I suppose), the "bank" is shallow and then you get to the Tongue of the Ocean which is the abyss! While cruising the banks it was light the whole way, you could see starfish on the bottom as we cruised over them, the water was like jello, unbelievable beauty. Then the sunset came which certainly equaled if not surpassed the sunrise that morning. Bimini has great beginnings and endings to days! I went to bed right after sunset so I could take the helm at 10pm.
I got up at 10:30, but Bob wanted to do the way points which had been previously set on his navagational system at Chubb Cay himself so I did not start my spell at the wheel until 12:00. Thank you Teddy for putting some great tunes on my Ipod which got me through the night, as we were passing Chubb Cay I saw a shooting star just as George Thoroughgood was having "one bourbon-one scotch-and one beer" quite the moment! My battery power went dead at 4:00 and I gave myself a goal that if I could stay awake while my Ipod charged (always have to set goals....ya know!) I would reward myself with a Kalik beer so when Bob got up I would be extra sleepy to go to bed, so battery got charged and I had a 4:30 Kalik while enjoying the peace of a dark pilot house looking out at a gazillion stars dotting the skies. Something very decadent about that.
Buddy is now sporting some new jewelry...after he jumped ship twice while coming south while docked, I bought him a safe collar when I was home, it has an auto release should he get hung up on something, it says "if I am out, I am lost" on the back I wrote "EMCY-life sustaining injections daily!" with our info. I wanted something that would deter anyone from keeping him if found. Hopefully the rascal will keep his furry feet on the boat and not be such an escape artist from now on, but he scared me to pieces as I saw his furry backside going down the dock at Venice Florida. Guess he had heard they had a great restaurant....
Anyway...we entered the channel coming into Nassau around 6:30am, had to radio the harbor in order to get in line with the cruise ships that were coming in, and got to the dock at 7am. We were both exhausted after the long night, and it really took both of us to concentrate on the markers and to make a safe landing at the dock, the same dock incidentally that we "bought" a light post for as we "took it out" upon leaving the last time....oooops. We have worked on that particular technique since and hopefully when we leave today we won't take the light post with us.
After taking a well deserved nap we took a walk to McKenzies conch shack under the bridge that takes you to Paradise Island, Atlantis. What disparity as you walk along the levee wall taking in the poverty of Nassau with Atlantis looming in the distance. Once back to Veda L another nap seemed like the thing to do, then a good boat cleaning and early to bed.
Bob's goal was to be in Exuma Land and Sea Park for his birthday, and "Today is his Birthday...we're going to have a Good time!!!" We should be in the Sea Park later this afternoon. Google the park and have a look at it, a very special place but you can only look at large groupers, lobsters and such...no taking!
As always....Life is Swell on Veda L!
