Bimimi Made

Departing Key Biscayne off Bill Baggs State Park....

We took a flyer and went against our weather router's advice and decided to make the run from Miami to Bimini where we could then wait out this upcoming high wind forecast. If we did not go today, then we would have been waiting for the next window, possibly Sunday or next week. This way, we hope to wait out the winds here at Browns Marina for $1/foot or $35/night until we can sail on.

Today we awoke at 4 am and began to work on the weather information. What are the winds at Fowey Rock? what are the waves? what does NOAA say for the high seas forecast, what is our weather router saying?

IP32 Morning Grace raising the Main Sail

By 7 am we were about nuts and overloaded on information that we all decided to just go. If it is that bad out there, then we can always turn around. Four Island Packet Yachts took off for Bimini at 0730 and made landfall at 1700-1800 hours! We had squalls, rain, winds up to 24 knots, seas of 2-3, then the swells that built to 4 feet later in the day. We had many rainbows and some beautiful rain to wash off the salt spray. Overall, it was a nice day at sea, but we sure would have liked to sail all the way. This  motor sail in 10-15 30 degrees off the starboard bow was OK.

Radeen raises the Q flag, we need to check into the Bahamas

Now we are here, we can check into the Bahamas and get our cruising and fishing permits and our passports stamped. We are running with IP37 EOS, Wendy; IP38 Moondance Nina and Bob; IP32 Morning Grace Julie and Dixey, and our Island Spirit IP35. We are a fleet of four and we plan to explore the Exumas and then sail up to the Abacos for April.






Here are more Gulf Stream photos...

Squall #1 with winds and rain

Just rain and a beautiful rainbow

The seas get so calm in a rain storm

Salt spray all over the windshield and boat

The course from Miami to Bimini is 50 miles due east

Hook in and latch on

Working the mast and the halyard

Course 115 to 120 degrees magnetic...but you make 90 degrees! see next

Here is our COG, Course Over Ground, at 092 degrees. We are actually making 30 degrees of side slip
The northward flowing gulf stream sets the boat this much!

We fish.....we do not catch any ...yet!

If we do catch something, it will be LARGE, this is the rig

Water depth, check this: 2000 to 3000 feet deep!

Typical thermal cloud formation over the gulf stream

The most beautiful BLUE WATER you will ever see

One tough inlet at Bimini with 2-3 knots of current running.
Docking in this was also no easy feat, many boats wreck and crash when docking in this!!!

Now we are in "da Bajamas" as we say and we can slow down and take it easy. We will stay here a few days and let the winds blow through. Then we will sail on over the Bahama Banks and into the Tongue of the Ocean and onto the Exumas. Thanks again for sailing along...........