Yesterday we left Chub Cay just before daybreak – following not too far behind John and Jane on Explorer ll – as well as a couple of other boats who headed off in the opposite direction. I have to admit it was kind of cool to be heading off with our navigation lights blazing the way but having said that I don’t think I’d want to be doing an overnighter (so don’t get any ideas Skipper!)
Our short 13 nautical mile deep water stretch from Chub Cay to the Bahama Banks was a real doddle compared to our trip on the same stretch in December. The journey across the banks wasn’t too bad either - Lance did most of the driving from inside and he found that much easier. We only went up to the flybridge when VPR (visual piloting rules) were required to wend our way through some coral heads. It was a long way from Chub Cay to Bimini and we did consider anchoring at Cat Cay again, but with daylight saving now it is still light at 7.30pm so we soldiered on and arrived here at around 6pm.
Of course this was our first stop after Miami in December so we knew exactly where we were going and which marina we wanted to tie up in. John and Jane arrived shortly after us but they’ve already left for Lake Worth tonight. They are in a very large 58ft sailboat – so the conditions out there would not be too bad for them I guess.
We’re focusing more on leaving towards the end of the week when the winds have dropped and the seas have flattened! We’ll be up at 6.30am tomorrow listening to Chris Parker’s weather on the SSB.
We had not even finished docking when a local fisherman apparoached from the water selling lobster tails – that’s all they seem to bother with here. (I’m not sure what they do with the rest of them.) So we bought a bag of 12 for $30 and then later another guy came round the docks offering us more – after some negotiating Lance also got him down to the same deal. He didn’t have them with him though so he said he’d be back. We’d pretty much given up on him returning but eventually there was a knock at the door with a bag of – this time frozen – tails. So our freezer is pretty full and we still have some mahi mahi to eat. 
So here we are at Bimini Blue Waters Resort – it was really empty when we arrived but this morning two large catamarans arrived and they were loaded with teenagers. Lance counted 17 on one of them and probably as many on the other! Apparently this is “mid term break” and the kids love to come over from Florida to Bimini to party. (The guide book does mention this occurance in mid March – but heh there’s not much choice about where we cruisers can stage [wait for a weather window] before heading back to the US.)
So it’s party time! Just like Australia in November when the school leavers flood into Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast for a week of boozing and partying. A week to be avoided at all costs.
Fortunately the marina we’re in has two docks and the party boats are next to each other on the other one. There was some music earlier in the day and then it went fairly quiet, they all had a bbq dinner and then headed off to the local haunts. It’s just gone 11.15pm and the first wave have arrived back and the party has started in earnest. Loud music, lots of singing and I guess just generally having a fun time. (I keep reminding myself that we were young once too.)
And yes they’re here for the week – just like us.
One amusing episode that I didn’t witness but that had Lance in hysterics goes something like this – at the back of the catamaran facing our way, there is a dinghy suspended on davits and swinging freely on two ropes. Well Lance watched one of the young girls climb onto the dinghy, I imagine with the intention of sitting in it, but as she stood on the one side of it it of course tipped up and deposited her into the water between the dinghy and the boat! Rather embarrassing I’m sure!
As I’m writing this a squall has just come over and I’ve had to run and shut all the hatches – I guess this might put a damper on the party.
We had a quiet day in and around the marina today – all the shops except one were shut being Sunday and we had a lovely lunch at the Bimini Bay Game Club next door. Tomorrow might be a day for the beach – I have to reinforce my tan before heading home!
Don’t know what it was but it was huge. John thinks it may have been a marlin but I think it may have been a large wahoo. We’ll never know sadly.Nothing took the next lure 
20 March 2012 – The Fountain of Youth
Well we were all smiles yesterday morning as the two catamarans of teenagers cast off their lines and headed out. Last night there were only a couple of boats left in the marina and no one at all on our dock. It was all very peaceful.
But not for long……. the two party boats arrived back this afternoon and yes, you guessed it, they’re having a party! But it’s not really all that bad – in fact I have to say that we’re quite enjoying their music.
Yesterday morning Lance and I went off to extend our visitors visas which were due to expire on 23 March. As we’re waiting for a weather window we knew we wouldn’t get away before then. At this stage Saturday still looks like the best day to cross back to the US.
We also filled Amanzi’s diesel tanks so we’re now ready to leave as soon as all the weather boxes are ticked.
We spent the afternoon at the beach, catching some more sun – the weather back home sounds pretty mis so we’re making the most of the sunshine.
Alice Town, where we’re at, is on North Bimini island and today we took the 5 minute ferry ride across the water to South Bimini. Here we visited the Fountain of Youth. Lance pulled a bucket of water up from the murky depths of the fountain but couldn’t quite get that long, deep drink he was after – the bucket was old and rusty and the magical water leaked out as fast as he could raise it! However, we’re hoping that just by going there and peering in, that some of the eternal youth properties floated our way. Wishful thinking perhaps?
We had lunch at Bimini Sands Resort – another marina that has condominiums attached. It’s very nice and protected there but there is really nothing else. So we’re happy to be located here in Alice Town.
And I know that some of you will really be drooling when I say we bought another 12 small lobster tails tonight. We have 4 weeks left before we return home and who knows when we’ll ever have lobsters again. So we’re making the most of them. :-)
Oh yes I forgot to mention that an Australian boat also arrived in our marina this afternoon so we’ll make a point of trying to catch up with them tomorrow.