What an adventure back. A 55 hour passage followed by a 36 hour passage and then 3 day cruises for a total of 106 hours in 7 days. The only time we were questioned was entering Bimini going to the anchorage. We had to fax over our passport info and a copy of our Bahamian passage approval and boat documentation to convince them we couldn’t dock and check in with customs and immigration. We were flying under a quarantine flag the entire way which means we cannot leave our boat except for an emergency.
Along the way we were treated to a fantastic lightening storm just east of us in the Exumas which lasted all night. Quite the show with continuous lightening on one side of us and a full moon on the other!
We also found a cache of cruise ships NW of Great Stirrup Cay. Seven Carnival boats, a Harmony of the Seas boat, six cargo ships and an unknown vessel all anchored in about thirty feet of water. We found more cruise ships and cargo ships milling around the entrance to Fort Lauderdale.
It was obvious we were entering US waters when about twenty miles offshore we ran into fishing boats everywhere and then closer in all the pleasure boats out and about because they can. Things are certainly different in the US. All the islands are still on full lockdown and here in Florida boats are everywhere. They are supposed to keep fifty feet between anchored boats and only a certain number of people on board based on size but it is obviously not being strictly enforced. And of course it didn’t take any time at all to get into a pissing contest on the radio with a fishing boat that decided to stop in the channel right in front of us. Welcome to boating in the US. We are definitely due for a mental reset now that we’re here.
About twenty miles offshore coming into Ft Lauderdale we picked up a hitchhiker. This little bird flew into our flybridge helm to take a rest. He stayed with us for about ten minutes and hopped all over the instrument console checking it put. At one point he sat next to the compass to make sure we were going in the correct direction. After awhile he took off but stayed with the boat all the way in.
We are anchored in Sunrise Bay, Ft Lauderdale until Monday morning when we meet up with the fuel barge and fill up before heading to Gillen Diesel for some routine maintenance and just maybe a new washer/dryer!
We’ll be here a week and then head north to Brunswick GA to complete our insurance craziness before moving on to Wilmington, NC and our summer berth.