QUARANTINE OVER

We are between a quarantine and hurricane season! It is time to leave the beautiful Bahamas. This country has done an excellent job at keeping the virus contained. Many boats head south to Grenada for hurricane season and many head to Florida and further north. We have our slip ready for us, now we have to get Time Out ready. We then drive home to Canada for the summer!

We did try to leave Bahamas a few days ago but after an hour out in five foot waves, it was just too much! We came back and anchored outside of Bimini. Unfortunately that night we had the worst night ever at anchor. The waves were on our beam and dinner dishes weren't done, cupboards not locked and we were not prepared for that "trip". Dishes flew off counters, cupboards/drawers opened and closed. A very sleepless night. In the morning I noticed that the furniture actually moved! Heavy couches!

We cannot stay here but with Bimini, an island under total lock down and the Bahamas National Defence guarding the entrance WHERE DO WE GO? We looked at the charts and maps and no where was safe. Bimini is an island with many marinas for this reason. We radioed the Defence Force and asked so nicely if we can come in to anchor. We will not go ashore ($20,000 fine). They not only said yes, they arranged with the dock master at Brown's Marina to get a slip ready for us. We did not realize but the Defense Boat was out at anchor a few nights earlier and had a similar experience. They know what it was like out there.

Pouring rain when we docked but all kinds of help to get us in. 

Our neighbour above, P301. 

We collected some sea biscuits in The Berry Islands, so grandkids will get some painted by me.

We head back to the United States soon so our reality will be very different than here. We are prepared and will continue our travels north via car. 

Our next post for Time Out will be the 2020 By The Numbers which will be VERY  different from previous years, stay tuned.

MAHI MAHI

We pulled anchor on the north side of Rose Island and on our way to Bonds Cay we put two lines in the water. Our freezer was getting empty, lets fish for a dinner! About halfway across, not one but both lines went zzzziiiipppppp! "put the boat in neutral" I yelled and grabbed the waist harness to put around Paul. He took the rod on the port side and I left the rod in the rod holder on starboard. We started to bring these fish in. At this point we are hoping for Mahi but who knows, barracuda, shark, wahoo? Who knows. After about ten minutes Paul said forget the other fish, we can see his is a Mahi Mahi and I grabbed the gaff. This fish was a doozy. We measured it at 59 inches! We had so much to deal with getting fish number one in and it being so huge, we cut the line on number two. 

We have never been in The Berry Islands, they are more secluded and quiet.  We knew we couldn't go to the famous Flo's for a lunch but we enjoyed going to Hoffman's Cay to the Blue Hole there. It looked a little marshy so did not actually swim in the hole. There were giant, I mean GIANT crabs on the trail to the Blue Hole. They are tan colour and move fast! But they are scary looking and I was surprised to see them in the "jungle" on our way to the Blue Hole. I associate crabs with beaches and oceans. 

One of  the hundreds of star fish we saw! Amazing

The Berry Islands was our pit stop on our way back to Florida. We say farewell to the Bahamas in just a few days. We appreciate Bahamas handling the Covid 19 so well and allowed all us boaters to stay.

This is one like we saw, 10 inch diameter
They walk sideways. 

TAKE ME TO NORMAN'S CAY

Norman's Cay is our favourite place to be in Exuma. We have our favourite anchorage (which we don't tell others where). There are so many sand bars, green turtles in the "pond", sand dollars, beautiful beaches and at the end of the day a sunset!

While collecting shells on the beach, we found this awesome fan with coral still attached. Usually these fans are dark and have lost all their colours and they smell! So we cleaned it up and soaked in baking soda. It seems not too bad. It is such a rare find but we don't need smelly items on Time Out. 

This above view of the flybridge is actually at Warderick Wells mooring field with us being the only boat there. The view is amazing but seems so surreal with us being the only ones!

This is one of about 20 boats just anchored at Staniel Cay area waiting for things to change. Many boats are trying to get to Grenada for hurricane season. You don't see this unique design every day and I took a photo as we were travelling by to share with you all. 

 
I need a hair cut so bad! I have boat hair. And not in the good sunkissed way!

PIPE CREEK BREATHTAKING VIEWS

We usually take our dinghy all the way to Pipe Creek sand bars from Big Major at Staniel Cay but this time we took Time Out much closer so the dinghy ride is a short one. Low tide being at an excellent time we journeyed over to take some drone footage. With not another soul around we felt we are not intruding. If there were others there then we would not have taken any footage. The two boats anchored had no one on board.

Paul and I down below next to our dinghy. I am holding an umbrella over Paul because it is so bright on the tablet to see where he is flying to. Our future guests next year will be stopping here! It is breathtaking!

This nurse shark was one of many under our boat at the Warderick Wells mooring field. There were numerous other types of sharks so Paul was not so eager to go into the water for a swim! We were the only boat there! It is hard to even get a reservation during peak times. We paid for the mooring ball online a few days later once we got internet. The office is closed. 


Be sure to check our post titled 2020 Time Line for our day to day diary of sorts down here. So much happening in the world during this time I am keeping a more detailed record for our future reference.

WE WALK INTO A BAR, NOT!

ONTO A SAND BAR! Not into. Actually two sand bars in the last week. Beautiful, fantastic and children and dogs love them as much as we do, who wouldn't? Bring your own drinks. 

Sampson Cay near Staniel Cay (Big Major Spot anchorage) is so special and not many know that this place is so spectacular at low tide. A free and easy "beach" to run on and throw balls for the dogs.

Dogs and children go together, throw in sand, blue skies, aqua waters and you get enough fun for the whole day!

A crab hole at Pipe Creek sand bar. This crab is large as the tiny hole beside it was small. The birds sometimes wait very patiently for that crab to show itself. These sand bars are a glorious buffet for birds and other creatures at low tide. 

Pipe Creek is so special at low tide, we brought our drone to capture some views. With no boaters about and no tourists coming in from Nassau, we are alone and not intruding on anyone's privacy. This could not happen next year as there are usually people around this unique sand bar during low tide. The only foot prints were mine as I walked the exterior to get some exercise.

We journey to Warderick Wells, Exuma Land and Sea Park tomorrow on our slow journey north to Florida.