Ready for Departure

Great Harbour Cay   

Yay! A blue sky set the tone for the morning. Maybe this front was finally moving off of us after all. Energized by the view out the windows, I jumped right in to preparations for departure. First was a bit of meal prep with pumpkin bread going in the oven. While that baked, I mixed up the Mexi-chicken salad and divided it into single serving containers. The last of the lasagna that I prepared back in December was thawed and repackaged as well. We will have a long passage and expect periods of rolly seas. It is important to have meals readily available which only require reheating. I made one more trip into the commissary to resupply some depleted items in the pantry. Nearing the end of our trip, there is so much room in there that only a little Boat Yoga is required to reach the far corner. After lunch we headed into the marina for a final trash run and walk. We met Paradigm Shift at the very full dinghy dock and they helped us get access to the ladder by using their boat as a bridge. The wind was still blowing today and wreaking havoc with my hair. I'm going on five months without a haircut and it definitely shows. Jaxon, on the other has had his Groome(r) onboard and always looks dapper.       

We stopped for a final round of beverages (strawberry slushies, no alcohol) and compared notes on our preparations and the weather. Before leaving, Glenda took me to the abandoned swimming pool at the marina. Even though we have stayed in this area for almost a combined month over our last two trips, I had no idea this existed. Through all of the overgrowth and murky water, its once-grand elegance could still be imagined.

With our onshore mission accomplished, we loaded back in the dinghies. A quick detour was made through a nearby harbor to see what had changed in two years. More construction has been completed and more was underway. The funky little tree I remembered from 2020 was still standing strong and tall.

We exited the cut for one last time and zipped across the open water. It was a pretty afternoon.

Around the bend, Paradigm Shift and Crossroads came into view. I enjoyed the final few hours of strong Bahamian sun to read and top off my tan before we put the dinghy back on the upper deck. By the time dinner was done and cleaned up, the sun was giving off the evening's best show of color. Our plan is to have the anchor up tomorrow morning at 7:30 with an ideal destination of Charleston, three days away. We will not have cell service for the great majority of this time. I'll check back in when we return to the grid. Thank you, Bahamas, for a great stay.