Back in the USSA

Friday 5/1/09 & Saturday 5/2/09 Friday morning we woke up to find the cockpit floor had been used for target practice by the birds. Poop everywhere! While cleaning it up I came across the culprit. It wasn't a whole flock. Just one scared bird who had gotten himself in a corner and didn't know how to get out. I scooped him up with a towel and set him on the swim platform where he proceeded to take a couple of hops and flop into the water! Don't fret. He flapped his wings and after a couple of botched attempts made it into the air and flew away.

After the bird episode we pulled anchor and headed to Nassau to take our chances on finding a slip. We wanted to get to Nassau to stage for the better weather that was to come on Saturday and Sunday for crossing back to the states. When we got near I radioed the marina and much to our delight was told they had an opening. Next I called Harbor Control and didn't need an interpreter this time. We were granted permission to enter the harbor and proceed to the marina. The nice thing about this marina is that there is a shopping center directly across the street from it with a City Market grocery store and a KFC! we stocked up on needed items and later had cocktails on Jeanine, a 44' Gozzard sailboat with BJ and Karl from Marco Island, Fl. who we had met earlier in the trip at Highborne.

Saturday we were up early to check out and get underway. Our original plan was to head to Lucaya, overnight, then cross to Stuart, Fl. and from there cross Lake Okechobee to Ft. Myers. Those plans got dashed when I saw that the lake had fallen 5" overnight from 5'8" to 5'3" of navigable water depth. Tourist draws 4'. To make matters worse the lake bottom is rock not sand or mud. One bump and we got trouble! We decided to head back to Miami and retrace our path through the Keys and up the West coast of Florida.

On our way out of Nassau we met a Carnival cruise ship coming into port. We made it just in time. Several boats who called Harbor Control after us were told to wait until the ship got docked. Our trip from Nassau to Miami was 196 miles. We left at 8:10 am and arrived at Key Biscayne at 6:42 pm. A nice run topped off by a Cuban Cohiba after clearing in with Customs over the phone. On the way into Miami we played chicken with another Carnival ship on it's way out. Guess who won?