The Crossing, Day Two, The Bahamian Banks

It is three days of travel for us to get where we're going in the Bahamas. Day one across the deep Atlantic water of the Gulf Stream.  Day two across the very shallow Bahamian Banks.  Day three further across the Banks and into the Abacos Sea to the outlying cays.

Faster boats make the trip in much less time, but we're trawlers.  We only travel at 6.5 knots, which is about 7 miles per hour.  Why, oh why, would we do this you ask?  Because it is the economical way to do it.  The big fast boats have astronomical fuel bills.  We are cheap to run, but take longer.  We watch them zoom by, leaving a big wake which can spill our lunch onto our laps, and will say:  "10$, 20$, 30$, 40$...  as they go by.  Which is the fuel bill they're spending to go that fast.  Don't get me wrong.  It's all good.  Some of our best friends have fast boats.  Some have even slower sail boats.  It's all  about getting out on the water and enjoying.  There are lots of ways to do that.

Blue.  As far as the eye can see in every direction.

Day two, we got going at 7 a.m. and set out across the Bahamian banks.  

The Bahamian banks are shallow and so, so clear.  We were lucky to hit them on such a wonderful day.

The water was calm and so velvety smooth, about ten or so feet deep, and it went on like that for hours.  Out of sight of land.  Just an endless, dreamy watery blue heaven.  You could see every detail on the bottom.  It was often hard to tell where water and sky met. 

We travelled for eight or so hours through this sameness.  To alleviate  the boredom we took turns on the helm, played games and listened to music --  but never for a moment throughout the day did we lose that sense of awe, looking around us and marveling at the absolutely magical corner of the planet we were lucky enough to be gliding through.  In our own little boat.  How grateful we were.

We dropped the hook at Little Sale Cay, a small uninhabited island conveniently situated to provide shelter from the Southerly winds.  Lucky me came down with another bladder infection.  Lucky, I say, because I keep antibiotics on board and was able to treat myself.  Very lucky, as we were two days from the nearest medical clinic, staffed only on Thursdays with a nurse.  A well stocked medicine cabinet/first aid kit is a must on such a trip.

Exhausted, we threw a simple dinner together by barbecuing some meat and opening a can then called it for the night, in preparation for the next day. On to the Abacos.