Our Return To Florida

Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas to Fort Pierce, Florida  |  24.7 Hours  |  177.4 Miles  

Our final hours in The Bahamas were much like the reset of our visit -- bright sunshine, blue sky, and a little breeze. We had routes loaded for three destinations (Fort Pierce and Fernandina Beach, Florida/Beaufort, South Carolina) and were prepared pick the winner at nightfall. I was on deck at 8:45 to raise the anchor one last time from a sandy bottom up through crystal clear water. Sensing my reservations about leaving, the anchor did not want to give up its hold on the islands. It came up with a large clump of sand, grass, and shells that took a while to wash off. We headed north past Royal Caribbean port where Icon of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas towered over the island. Once clear of the point and in open water we set our course and settled in with the gentle roll of a following sea. There were a few other vessels moving which was enough to break up the monotony, but not enough to be stressful. Around 4:30 we first made out the fuel tanks and cargo terminals of Freeport. The wind and waves diminished as the sun sank in the west. A large cloud bank moved out in time to allow for a colorful display to end of the day.

As the end of my watch approached at 9:00, the Disney Treasure provided some excitement as it wanted to occupy the same spot in the huge ocean we were claiming. This new cruise ship entered service on December 21, 2024 and can carry 5,555 passengers and 1,555 crew. We slowed down a bit and allowed it to zip past at 21 knots. No point arguing about who has right of way. At watch change we did a check of the latest weather report and made our decision to head to our nearest destination of Fort Pierce. Neither one of us wanted to endure five-foot, short period waves. I went downstairs for a three-hour break and Barry took over. He reported he had a busy time with multiple cruise ships and several bulk carriers. I returned to the helm at midnight and enjoyed an easy watch with no other ships around us. The light pollution from the US mainland defined a horizon. The stars above and the Jupiter Inlet lighthouse were all shining bright. I was able to finally get a little sleep from 3:00-6:00. Up again at dawn, I watched to our stern as the sun rose through a few breaks in the heavy cloud cover. On my walk around the deck, I found an unfortunate flying fish that came onboard to visit us overnight. I ceremoniously returned it to its watery grave. 

Barry submitted our check-in information online with Customs and Border Patrol. While we waited over an hour for approval, he lowered our slightly-tattered Bahamian courtesy flag and replaced it with our yellow quarantine flag. We then returned the flag and our cruising guides to the large drawer in the pilot house until next year. Our crossing was complete and we entered the Fort Pierce Inlet around 8:00. Multiple boats were outbound and the jetty was already packed with folks fishing. We pulled into the familiar anchorage, received our customs clearance, and quickly lowered the dinghy for a ride into the dinghy dock at Fort Pierce Marina. 

We lucked out to arrive on the day of the Farmer's Market. We walked around and compared the vendors present today vs. the ones we saw back in early February. New today were ... puppies! A litter of five fur balls were up for adoption. Colorful produce was plentiful as was seafood. The pricing issue on the grouper fingers had been resolved since our last visit. We did not buy anything, but enjoyed walking around the Farmer's Market, Aft Fair, and downtown district.

We sat on the seawall and just watched animals of all kinds ... people, birds, and fish. Bags of fish food were available for purchase at $1 each. The little kids and the fish had a great time.

We returned to Crossroads and relaxed for a few hours. At 3:15 we raised anchor and moved over to Harbortown Marina, refueled, and tied up for the night. I enjoyed a walk around the marina and looked at all the flowers. There were at least three varieties of hibiscus represented. Multiple large blooms filled the trees.

A few other specimens were less familiar. My best guess has them as bitter ginger, Christmas bush, and a not-quite-opened bird of paradise. Barry took a longer walk over to Publix to pick up a few things while I vacuumed. A little more Bahamas sand has been removed from Crossroads. I'm sure a few more cleanings will be required before I don't notice it in every corner. After dinner Barry did some maintenance on our generator and everything now tests OK. We will depart in the morning for another overnight run, taking us to Fernandina Beach. 

All Good Things

Great Harbour Cay  

Yesterday's long walk and a cool breeze blowing through the master ports were a perfect combination for a great night's sleep. The morning began overcast and chilly, but blue sky and sun appeared by mid-morning. By that time, I had finished the latest book. I later moved out to Fiberglass Beach with the next selection from the library and enjoyed several very pleasant few hours. Sunny, warm, nice breeze, calm anchorage -- all was good. Off and on during the day, Barry and I readied the boat for our crossing back to the United States. Loose items were stowed and systems were checked. Just before dinner time, we raised the dinghy back onto the upper deck and secured it for travel.

While fixing dinner, I had a great view of the forming sunset through the saloon door. 

The sun was once again obscured as it approached the horizon, but it did illuminate all the clouds in the sky in a unifying hint of orange. The sun has now set on our time in The Bahamas. We have been fortunate to have great weather while experiencing old favorites and new adventures -- all good things. Tomorrow morning we will head west and see how far we can get in unsettled weather. I will report back once we've cleared customs, probably in two days. Our adventures have not come to an end, however, as we still have a few weeks of travel ahead of us before returning to Deltaville.  

A Final Walk In The Sand

Great Harbour Cay  

Low tide today was at 10:30 in the morning. We had to get an early start to make the timing work for us. We lowered the dinghy and headed towards the marina through the cut in the rock. We took a quick cruise through the property to check out the slips. Bright sun and calm water yielded interesting reflections. We tied up the dinghy, dropped off a bag of trash, and started our walk. The blossoms on a pink trumpet tree caught my eye.

One turn took us to the main road and alongside the airport where a jet was landing. On the opposite side of the road, waterfront houses were hidden in amongst a thick growth of pine trees. Occasionally we got a glimpse of the blue water. Beyond the airport property the scenery quickly changed. The trees had disappeared and a wide "road" had been scraped. New construction and fresh plantings were all we could see.

Lumber and hardscape materials were stacked on pallets alongside the road. For Sale signs sprouted from the sand. The remains of the clear-cut pines were piled up in three large mounds as a monument to development. After close to a three mile walk, we were relieved to see the sign for Shell Beach still standing, if a little faded. A short distance later we arrived at our destination ... at low tide. The beautiful sand bar was exposed.

Barry elected to stay at a picnic table in the woods while I walked around and around, up and down the soft, clean sand.

I always marvel at the brave little mangrove saplings trying to establish a claim to the sandbar -- even though there are no mature mangroves at all in the area. The sand dollars were not as plentiful as in previous visits, but there were many angel wings and even two juvenile conch. The main attraction was the massive expanse of the sandbar.

The incoming tide began to fill some of the low-lying areas and I worked my way back to shore along the output of the Snake River. The "footprint" of a moving sea star made for an interesting picture. It was time to head back to the marina. We walked along the beach instead of taking the road. Actually, Barry walked along the beach and I mostly walked in the shallow water.

I took a last look at one of my favorite beaches. I find this to be a perfect spot to remember as our final view of The Bahamas. As we moved north the character of the beach changed. Deep water replaced the sandbar shallows, and waves broke onshore.

We walked until we spotted the familiar twin posts in the sand and exited the beach. In the past, we would have enjoyed lunch and/or beverages at The Beach Club. Since our last visit, the restaurant has been razed and new construction is underway. We couldn't really tell what the plan is for the two small gazebos. 

When we reached the marina, we celebrated our long walk with ice cream from the onsite convenience store. Once safely back in the dinghy, we returned to Crossroads. I ended the day the same as yesterday by reading before preparing dinner and watching the sunset. Although plans are still subject to change, tomorrow looks to be our final day in The Bahamas.

Cruising To Our Final Bahamian Destination

Meeks Patch to Great Harbour Cay   |  10.5 Hours  |  74.3 Miles  

This morning was full of mixed emotions. I was super excited that we were moving to a spot where I'd be able to walk on a wonderful beach. This feeling was tempered with a bit of sadness, however, as we'd also be moving to our final stop in The Bahamas on our 2025 Winter Cruise. At the slightest brightening of the sky, I was on deck and raising the anchor. The Meeks Patch anchorage was already a good distance in our wake as the first hints of orange began to colorize the sky. I watched from the cockpit and later the upper deck as the sun made its dramatic rise over the horizon. 

To the north, the sky quickly turned blue. The low angled sunlight cast a warm glow on the clouds over Royal Island. We passed through the cut between Egg and Little Egg Islands into the deep open water of the Northeast Channel and set our course for the Berry Islands. For a while the seas were much lower than we expected and all was good. 

Right up until it wasn't. We were in a building following sea and the wind was on our stern. The apparent wind was negligible and the pilothouse quickly became stuffy. Then there was my poor decision to have oatmeal for breakfast. All of those combined to put me out of commission for the next four hours. Once we neared land, the waves laid down. As we veered off to a more northerly course, a breeze returned. By the time we reached Great Stirrup Cay, a private island owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines, I was feeling much better. Work is underway on a new dock which will eliminate the need for tenders to transport guests to shore. We had to keep our eyes open for uncharted objects such as new pilings and a distinctive yellow weather buoy. There was no ship in port and all the blue chairs along the beach were empty. A short distance north was Little Stirrup Cay, better known as Perfect Day at CocoCay and owned by Royal Caribbean. The massive waterslide tower of Daredevil's Peak (North America's tallest) battled for prominence with the neighboring "lighthouse" zip line tower. Again, all of the beach chairs were empty.

The reason was soon revealed as we spotted all the passengers lined up on the dock returning to their ships. The 15-deck, 1,112- foot long Independence of the Seas can carry 4,515 guests and 1,440 crew members. The "smaller" Vision of the Seas only has 11 decks, checks in at 915-feet, and has a capacity of just 2,514 passengers and 742 crew. Barry and I joked that Crossroads was the perfect size to cruise The Bahamas. We made a U-turn around the island and enjoyed the resulting pleasant 15 knot breeze. Our eyes were still peeled as we scanned the water. We first came upon an uncharted overturned boat before passing safely by a wreck that has been here for several years.

The shallow water in the lee of the islands returned to my favorite color of blue. We followed our old tracks down to Great Harbour Cay and dropped anchor just north of the cut into Bullock Harbour. It was a long day on the water, but I still had an hour or so to read on the upper deck before dinner and the sunset to close the day. 

Growing Restless

Meeks Patch    

A mass exodus from our calm anchorage began this morning at first light. The sound of anchor chains being raised rang through the anchorage. By 9:00 the number of boats remaining had dropped to 10. Our plan was to wait to tomorrow so I tried to stay busy. After four days onboard, I desperately wanted (needed?) to go for a walk. With that not an option, I settled for an hour of hallway yoga. During my time on the mat I saw how dusty the floors were. Once the session was done, I pulled out a fresh Swiffer and cleaned all of the floors. I took my book to Fiberglass Beach for several hours and watched as the excursion boats took folks to see the pigs. A new wave of boats began arriving in the anchorage around 3:00. A large charter yacht anchored to our starboard and quickly deployed its inflatable slide and large tender. In late afternoon, friends Terry and Jack on their 53-foot Selene Shangri-La arrived. Barry and Jack chatted on the phone as neither of us had plans of dropping the dinghy. Our final night here at Meeks Patch came with a nice sunset. We will leave in the morning at first light and make the long run to Great Harbour.

 

Sunrise, Sunset

Meeks Patch    

The alarm was set this morning to get me out of bed in the dark. I made my way to the pilothouse and opened the doors. For a pleasant change the wind was low. I joined the livestream of the 253rd annual sunrise service from Old Salem in Winston-Salem, NC, and settled in for the next hour. In the dark, the preacher proclaimed, "The Lord Is Risen." Without need for an ode, I responded, "The Lord Is Risen, Indeed." That's just part of my Easter tradition. I watched as the dawn brightened simultaneously in North Carolina and through the windshield of Crossroads. The announcer on the livestream stated, "this is not a service you come to see, but come to experience." I agree and can apply that statement to many other events and sights.  

I mentioned last week that I had a little stash of items brought along for special occasions. I had pulled out the crinkle toys for when The Boyz came to visit. I also pulled out the plastic Easter eggs and my Snoopy Easter shirt. Although on most days it is "Better in the Bahamas," I do miss being home for Easter. Barry was a good sport and hid the eggs. I was sent out to collect them -- in my mesh shell bag. The wind increased throughout the afternoon and we again spent the day onboard. I finished another book (my 17th) and moved on to the next. The number of unread titles in my library is quickly dwindling and I pulled out one that I'd been putting off. The print is so small it requires me to wear alternate sunglasses complete with readers. Ugghh. The hours passed quickly and soon the day was down to the last few minutes of light. I sat on the flybridge and "experienced" the sunset to properly bookend a Happy Easter. 

Settled In For The Blow

Meeks Patch    

After a busy few days in Spanish Wells, it was nice to have a slow day courtesy of the latest wind event. All 30 boats in the anchorage settled in and I did not see a single dinghy launched all day. The Bo Hengy III maintained its schedule and there were a few excursion boats zipping in to view the pigs. For most of the day the star attractions stayed up on the beach. Only in the late afternoon did they venture down to the water. In the morning I consolidated our remaining provisions from the commissary to the storage area under the settee. The wind picked up in the early afternoon with gusts exceeding 30 knots. After it waned a bit, I read on the upper deck in the lee of the pilot house until I finished my latest book. As the sun fell, so did the temperature. We closed most of our open ports and windows to combat the chill. The sunset was dramatic up to the point where the heavy cloud cover put an early end to the show.

It Is Friday And The Weather Has Turned

Spanish Wells to Meeks Patch   |  .6 Hours  |  2.9 Miles  

"The weather always turns before Easter" -- that is a common folk belief to which I fully subscribe. The weather forecasters have also been telling us this turn was eminent ... but thankfully not quite yet this morning. It was a beautiful start to the day. The gulls gathered on the finger pier for an impromptu cheerful concert. Good news arrived early as Katie and Jerold were on their way over to say hello. We enjoyed a great visit on the deck at Wreckers. By the time we said farewells and had our photo taken, the wind was picking up. We needed to get underway, but I insisted on one last walk around the marina to prolong our stay in Spanish Wells. I took one last look at the pool and palms, the cute lizards sunbathing on the rock wall ...      

... the sea grapes loaded with immature fruit, the pink desert roses, and the bright fuchsia bougainvillea. Lastly, there was one last extended look at Crossroads in her slip at the Yacht Haven.  

We brought our lines onboard and eased out of the slip into a building breeze. Farewell and thank you, Spanish Wells. We had another wonderful visit and look forward to seeing you again next year. We had a quick run over to Meeks Patch. As we pulled into the lee of the small island the wind was blowing consistently over 25 knots. We opened all the ports to air out the boat. I brought my chair and book to the upper deck. Even with the pilothouse blocking some of the wind, I felt it necessary to secure my chair with a line to make sure it didn't go flying. The excursion boats from Spanish Wells were undeterred by the wind and brought loads of holiday visitors over to experience the swimming pigs. 

Several kite surfers were out enjoying perfect conditions -- for them. The passenger ferry Bo Hengy III came in from Nassau, departed for Harbor Island then retraced its path. Cloud cover increased to hide most of the sunset. We closed all the ports to quiet the sound of the wind blowing through the boat and because there was a chill in the air. The weather had indeed changed again on Good Friday. I tuned into the livestream and joined the family for the traditional service at Home Church. It is Friday ... but Sunday's a coming. Fittingly, that is when the wind and waves are supposed to calm down. We will stay here at Meeks Patch through the weekend.

Walking On Sunshine

Spanish Wells    

There were quite a few items on the To Do List for our last full day in Spanish Wells. We gathered up our bags and set out on Round 1 around 9:00. The sight of two hummingbirds surprised us as we exited the marina. We made our way back to the Islander Shop to get Barry a new ball cap which was posted on their Facebook page yesterday. From there we walked down Main Street to the Food Fair to pick up fruits, veggies, and a few other staples. Along the way my eyes were scanning both sides of the road, taking in all the pretty flowers.   

It was a successful trip as we found almost everything on our grocery list. After loading our purchases in the refrigerator I had time to take my book to the pool for a few hours. Gulls swooped in and out to drink out of the pool. I sat in the sun initially, but soon moved over to the shady side under the palms. The trunk of palms is as interesting as their overhead fronds. Palms are not actually trees, but grasses -- they lack bark and do not develop growth rings. For Round 2, we went for a late lunch at Budda's where we were entertained by a small lizard clinging to table-side branch. Out front bright red hibiscus blooms filled a tree against the building.

From Budda's we walked over for a visit with Demetria (Deidre's sister). It was a pleasant surprise to find Darcie-Grace, Jurni, Euleta, and Shae also gathered. After a nice time chatting, Jurni joined in with Demetria for a photo. The walk back to the marina keeps getting shorter and more enjoyable -- like walking on sunshine. The scenery occupies my mind and we've learned the best route to avoid the big hill and traffic. 

The bougainvillea hedges were stunning in the bright sunlight and set against the deep blue sky.

I unpacked from that outing and readied myself for the Round 3. At 4:00 it was time to head back to Northside Beach for my low tide sandbar walk. A northerly wind blew in some water and the sand was not exposed as much as on my previous trips. No doubt about it though, it was still gorgeous.

My favorite area is always as far out as I can go. The sand ripples and white shells were again plentiful. 

Low tide was late in the day (at 5:00) so I didn't have too much time to wander around the bars and tidal pools. At 6:00 it was time to head back to Crossroads. After climbing the makeshift steps over the dune, I took in one last long look. 

The walk back to the marina took me by my favorite plumeria tree loaded with yellow blossoms. The flowers' light scent wafted on the breeze. I unloaded my daily harvest of shells and emptied the sand out of my backpack. Soon a golden glow was filtering through the windows of Crossroads. I went out on the dock and watched the sunset along with two gulls. Once the sun dropped below the trees it was time for Round 4. Barry and I walked down the street one more time to enjoy some frozen goodness from Papa's Scoops. I wish I'd had a pedometer to see how far I walked today. My feet told me that I easily hit my step goal. 

A Busy Day In Paradise

Spanish Wells    

It was a busy day and I hope pictures will speak more than words. We started with some chores. Barry tended to a load of laundry in the marina's machines as I tried to clean Crossroads just a little. It was imperative that I remove at least the top layer of dust that had recently accumulated. In some spots I joked that if it was snow, Richmond would have closed schools. The refrigerator was cleaned and organized. Trash was gathered and disposed of at the marina. We were done with all of that by 10:00 and decided we'd lower the dinghy and take a cruise up and down the harbor creek. We first headed east where the town was on our left and a lush mangrove forest to the right. Multiple ferries were loaded with people coming from and going to North Eleuthera (presumably to the airport). We did not go as far as Gene's Bay Dock, but turned north and rounded Gun Point. The iconic namesake gun was still perched atop the red box at the corner of the waterfront building. If interested, the luxury 80-acre property is being offered by Sotheby's for $19.7 million.    

We reversed course and went back along the Spanish Wells waterfront. Dozens of turtles made brief appearances around the dinghy, but I managed only a couple of headshots. The major visual attraction were all the fishing boats recently back in port after lobster season ended on March 31. Before we passed under the Higgs Bridge which crosses to Russell Island, we stopped and chatted with the 53-foot Selene Atlantic Attitude which was tied up to a private dock. After making our way to the Northside Beach, we returned to Crossroads. 

Right after lunch we took an hour-long walk around the marina and up and down the nearby streets. The brilliant colors of all the flowers were on full display. Plumeria was well represented in yellow (my favorite), pink, and white. Palm-sized hibiscus blooms opened wide to soak up the day's strong sunshine. A salmon-hued bougainvillea stood out amongst the more popular colored varieties. 

By far, pink blooms were the most common. Dusty rose blooms on bare stems. The clumpy-bloomed paperflower bougainvillea was an interesting find. Regular bougainvillea seemed to be thriving in every yard. Subtle shade differences in the blooms were common, but I saw only one vine with variegated leaves.

Then there were the many coconut palms on the marina property. Barry scooped him up a fallen coconut and proceeded to remove the husk while I read by the pool. To celebrate his successful extraction of the coconut without bloodshed, he took a dip in the pool. Spanish Wells Yacht Haven is a beautiful place and a nice break from being on anchor for two months.

Around 3:30 I headed over to the Northside Beach for another walk on the sandbar at low tide. When timed properly, the clean sand extends for half a mile (or more?) from the high tide mark. As shown yesterday, the ripples in the sand are a work of art. The water is so clear that it is difficult to determine where the shallows actually begin. 

An unexpected find was a conch nursery close to shore. An even more unexpected find were mature conch walking across the sand carrying their large shells. 

Good-sized fish darted through the tidal pools. Their translucent bodies often went unnoticed, but their shadow gave away their presence. Schools of small dark fish were more easily spotted. A few larger and more interesting shells were found further out. Today's top find were hundreds of shiny, smooth white shells. I filled up my pockets with the perfect specimens. The rivulets that drained/filled the tidal pools were quite interesting, but not as interesting as the waves in the sand. 

Pictures do not convey the massive scale of this sandbar. The dark spot in the first photo below is a man. After close to three hours in the sun and with my pockets full of shells, I worked my way back to the access point. Foot-high sand "cliffs" surrounded the largest tidal pool which remained close and formed the traditional shore line. 

I took one last look out at this slice of paradise before climbing back over the dunes at the blue "Life's A Beach And Then You Live" sign. Back on Crossroads, it was only a short time before the sun set a the end of the creek, over the transient yachts in the marina and with the iconic rigging of a fishing boat in the distance.