Day 165 - For Whom the Bell Tolls — Captain Father John

Miles cruised 76, fuel purchased $0, slip fee $87, Daily high temperature 73°f

The Great Harbour Marina could only accommodate us for one night. They have a 90′ yacht coming to take our dock space today. The sailboat in front of us has to move also.

The marina held a BBQ and sold lobster, steak, ribs and chicken last night. The cost for a lobster and steak dinner was $27.00 for both combined. This was our center piece on our picnic table. A golden conch shell.

Our choices were to anchor out at Great Harbour Cay or head to Nassau. From Nasau it is only 40 miles to the Exumas. Marv’s Buoy Report gave us confidence to make the run on the Tonge of the Ocean in waters over 11,500 feet deep. However, Marv was wrong this time. He had forecast waves 1.5 to 2′ but they were more like 3 – 4′ with occasional 5 footers. Fortunately we took them on the beam most of the time. By cruising at a higher speed 20 – 25 mph we can get up on top of the waves and minimize the rock and roll. In those conditions a trawler would roll from gunnel to gunnel.

When we departed the harbor and had to head north around the top of Great Harbour Cay before we could turn south and head directly to Nassau. That put the waves on our bow for a while. The waves were high enough to rock our boat and ring our ships bell. That’s when we know conditions are getting interesting.

When we arrived at Nassau Harbor we had to contact harbor control to get permission to enter the main harbor. When we arrived at the Nassau Harbour Club Hotel and Marina it was pouring rain. We have not had many rainy days on this trip. We called them on the radio to get out slip assignment. The Dockmaster advised there was another boat ahead of us and to stand by. That 65′ boat pulled into their slip bow first then pulled and backed in. Perhaps his power cable was too short to reach the power box when he was bow in.

We docked in a torrential downpour that helped wash the salt off our boat. We took several waves over the top. As I said, Marv was a little off his game today.

We checked into the marina and found that their claim to have a swimming pool was true except for the fact that pool is under construction. You can see CL bow in on the end of the dock on the left side.

When we were in Bimini Dale and Andy took some photos. Here are piles of conch shells on the beach.

Andy is waiting for her ship to come in.

Bonus photo – sign in the window of a shop in Nassau.

Carl ( Chef ) Wooden – quote for the day.

“For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.”

Christopher Columbus