Exploring North Bimini

Day 286  |  South Bimini

We started up the watermaker this morning and topped off our tank. Once that was finished, we got the dinghy down and quickly put Crossroads in our wake. The ocean was again flat and we didn't have to face any swells while exiting the channel. It was a nice easy passage out and around to the entrance to North Bimini. We once again marveled at the color and clarity of the water. We passed by the supply boat as it was being unloaded at the Government Dock. There were many large boats coming and going and we almost made it to our destination dry. Within sight of the finish line, we caught a wake that decided it would like to ride along with us. We received a good splash and I spent the next few minutes removing the unwanted water from the dinghy. We made our way to the Bimini Big Game Club where we met up with Melissa and Jeff (Flip Flop), tied up our dinghies, and made our way to shore.

From the Big Game Club we walked north up the road which was busy with both the expected golf carts and then with a surprising number of cars and trucks. Melissa and Jeff had wanted to resupply at the grocery store, but the fresh fruits and veggies had not yet made their way to the shelves. We decided we'd walk a little further (through Bailey Town and Porgy Bay) and grab some lunch at My 3 Daughters, hoping to hit the restocked grocery on the way back. We had a great lunch and the ladies there were so pleasant and delightful. I enjoyed my first Sands Pink Radler along with a conch wrap. What a treat! We had a gorgeous view of the harbor and afterwards I walked out on the small beach to find it littered with conch shells. They seem to be as common as scallop shells were on Cayo Costa. Most of the homes and businesses along the way showed signs of stress from age and weather, but all the folks we met were pleasant and the abundance of bougainvillea helped to cheer things up.

Small conch shacks popped up every quarter mile or so. All had folks milling about enjoying freshly made conch salad and more. I often spotted the huge piles of empty shells before spotting the shack -- thousands and thousands of shells. We stopped by the grocery, but still no new inventory, so we hopped back in the dinghies and returned to our marina in South Bimini. It was another smooth and picturesque ride along the shore. We even stayed dry this time. Back onboard Crossroads, I changed for a trip to the infinity pool while Barry prepared to head to the airport to pick up a package. The water between the dock and seawall is teaming with marine life. It was fun to watch this little guy, but I'm still waiting to see my first shark.

With our afternoon missions accomplished, we returned to Crossroads to change clothes before heading back to the beach to watch another great sunset. We narrowly missed an opportunity to get some fresh lobster. We'll definitely keep our eyes open in the coming days.

Tomorrow we'll head back to North Bimini to explore the southern end's beaches and stores.