MV Big Smile

The Berries are everything beautiful about the Bahamas and Nassau, well it’s not the same. Our 38 mile ride from Little Harbor in the Berry Islands to Nassau on New Providence Island was uneventful. We were approaching Nassau Harbor from the West, the same entrance used by all the cruise ships. Nassau Harbor Control keeps tabs on all comings and goings and it is required to hail them to obtain permission to enter the harbor. The entrance cut is not big and Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Disney,  etc have the right of way. No ships were entering or leaving and permission was easily granted after supplying Harbor Control with our ship and destination information. It was noon on a Friday, one of the three busiest days each week.

Nassau Harbor entrance with Atlantis in background

Unlike main passenger ship harbors in the states Nassau Harbor lets everyone make there way. We saw no Bahamas Defence Force boats around the cruise ships and we were able to get as close as we dared.

Norwegian Getaway

Our destination was Nassau Harbor Club and Marina. Located on the east side of the harbor we had to pass under two high bridges. These bridges service Paradise Island and in particular Atlantis Resort. Atlantis officially opened in 1997 but was further developed and expanded over the ensuing ten years. During our week in Nassau we visited Atlantis twice. It is huge. “The Dig” is a series of aquariums located beneath the lobby of the Royal Towers and is the world’s largest open air marine habitat. It is fascinating as is the entire resort. Many parts are closed to the public unless you buy a day pass which we did not. However we found out The Dig is open to all at night so we got to visit it and the casino of course.

Atlantis Resort

Our marina was perfectly situated across from the best supermarket in the Bahamas. While it was named “Fresh Market” it was not to our knowledge related to Fresh Markets found in the states. It did carry a large selection of food and we stocked up. Our departure from Nassau was delayed as we waited for a part for our watermaker to be flown in. We took full advantage of the delay and did quite a lot of wandering about both on foot and by local bus. The bus (jitney) rides were fun as the bus route layout is a large circle. Your route into town depended on which bus number you chose. We had three choices on the one way road (all heading away from town) outside the marina and all took about an hour to get to the main downtown where the cruise ships are tied. The bus drivers are all characters and play whatever station they want on the radio system. They also take shortcuts as they decide. To get off just shout “bus stop”.

Downtown Nassau is a typical cruise ship venue. Duty free shops abound and overweight tourists line the streets. Shops close up around 6 and the buses actually stop at 7PM. We had read about a foodie tour, Tru Bahamian Food Tours and signed up for a three hour walk and food tasting. It was a great time and we lucked out by having the owner, Alanna, do our tour. In her 20′s and full of energy she provided running commentary and history. She is a Bahamian native who went to college in the states and loves her country. 

Our guide “Alanna”

Docked next to us was a sailboat named “Serenity” owned by Mike and Mary Jo. They graciously asked us to join them snorkeling off their boat on a reef outside the harbor. It was loaded with Bahamian reef fish and one shark. Lots of fun.

Cath and Mary Jo

Nassau has a small zoo with gardens named Ardastra. We decided to walk there one afternoon and arrived in time to catch two late afternoon events. The first was Parrot feeding. After cleansing our hands we were let into a large Parrot cage and given sliced apples to feed to the birds. Hungry and tame they were.

The best event was the trained Flamingos. A zoo trainer paraded and marched them around a ring in near precision timing. He allowed a couple of guests to join and Cath jumped right in.

Cath and the Flamingos

Of course Nassau has a lot more Bahamas culture to enjoy and Potters Cay is not to be missed. It is a huge, noisy and vibrant fish and vegetable market under the exiting Paradis Island bridge. You can buy meals to go or sit and eat at any of the stands. A constant parade of cars cruises thru to look and buy.  A great place to experience and eat wonderful food and drink the local beer, Kalik.

Conch salad at Potters Cay

Potters Cay

Our watermaker part finally arrived and I got it installed. The watermaker now works but now there is a seal leak meaning we lose a gallon for every 15 gallons we make. A problem we can live with. March 29 had us clearing out of Nassau Harbor to the east and on to the Exumas.

A month of skiing in Vermont was wonderful. The conditions were near perfect and from what I have read more snow has arrived. However we have left the cold behind and are now in the Bahamas.

Our flight from Newark to West Palm was easy as usual and after several days of intense provisioning in Stuart we fueled up and headed out of the St Lucie inlet for a full day run down to Ft Lauderdale. Perfect FL weather had us anchored in Lauderdale by dinner time. The Lauderdale inlet was busy with three cruise ships departing within an hour of each other. We slipped in behind the second and just made it thru the turning basin when cruise ship number three headed out. We were politely moved along by a well armed Coast Guard tender.

Ft Lauderdale Inlet

Anchored in Lake Sylvia Ft Lauderdale

A gorgeous early morning departure out the inlet started our two and a half month Bahamas cruise. We had been to the Bahamas the prior two springs but only to the Abacos and only for a couple of weeks each. Our first destination was Bimini. It is an easy 56 mile crossing when the weather is right. And this day was perfect. The Atlantic and more importantly the gulf stream was glass smooth. Numerous boats chose this day to cross as it was the only perfect day in over a week of testy weather. We were accompanied by loads of flying fish.

Leaving Ft Lauderdale inlet at sunrise

Bimini is one of the many ports of entry into the Bahamas. Our destination was Browns Marina and we made the crossing in 8 1/2 hours. After filling out customs, immigration, and vessel paperwork provided at Browns a quick trip to the customs office and a $300 dollar payment gave us permission to enter and stay for 90 days. Bimini is a popular fishing destination and hosts several large tournaments each year from the Bimini Big Game Club.

Bimini Big Game Club

Since the 1920′s many celebrities have ventured to Bimini for it’s world class fishing. Zane Grey and Ernest Hemmingway are two of them and apparently Ernest liked drinking and brawling along with the fishing.

Today there is a large casino and housing/condo development under construction by the Malaysian firm, Resorts World. Not all are on board with this change to the low key Bimini life style. We ended up staying four nights on Bimini due to a weather front that brought strong east winds and small craft advisories. We agreed four days was plenty on this island.

Browns Marina

Tied up at Browns

South Bimini

We finished our month at Sunset Bay and are heading back north. In fact we currently sit in our room at the Best Western in Santee, SC waiting for the start of the Super Bowl. New Jersey is our next stop for a couple of days then on to Vermont for a month of skiing.

But it’s Stuart FL that this entry is about and it was a great, albeit quick month. It also was cooler than last year with temps in the 60′s many days and dipping into the high 30′s several nights. We also had plenty of rain including one deluge that dropped over 10 inches in less than a day. We did get the good weather often enough and thoroughly enjoyed the month.

Most people would not think of Florida as a hot bed of good and entertaining theater activity. Stuart has a renovated historic theater and just north of us is the Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce. Early in the month we visited the Sunrise Theater and had the pleasure of seeing Garrison Keillor. We knew he was a great story-teller but had no idea what a live show would present. For over two hours he talked about life in Minnesota comparing it often (tongue in cheek)  to life in Florida. He talked non-stop, without any notes, and without ever taking a sip of water. A packed house had a very enjoyable evening.

The following Wednesday we got together with our long time college friends Sandy and Rick and another couple for dinner and a show at the Lyric Theater in Stuart. This time it was an Irish band, Gaelic Storm, whose high-octane lead singer and accompanying musicians got the theater on its feet. Both theaters offer a varied menu of shows and the Lyric is just a five minute walk from our boat.

Gaelic Storm at the Lyric Theater

We met a couple down the dock who told us how good the Ft Pierce farmers market was. We were surprised to hear that as we have spent quite a lot of time in Ft Pierce tied up at Harbor Isle. We had never been to the Saturday market and drove up to see it. Well it was huge, crowded and full of vendors of all styles and qualities. As bread lovers we look for vendors selling fresh specialty breads. Importico’s filled that wish. Their Kalamata Olive and Rosemary, and Asiago Cheese Bread was superb. As good as the bakeries we know at the farmers market in Dorset VT and Dogwood Bread in Wadhams NY.

We also found a vendor who is a painter. Lisa P. Young is based in Stuart but exhibits every Saturday at the farmers market. We had been looking for some art to liven the walls of Big Smile and thought we found a piece or two. We asked if we could meet with her at her studio in Stuart, which we did, and ended up purchasing one from her studio. We also commissioned her to paint another which was actually a copy of one should had done but that was too big for our space. She agreed and two weeks later Lisa and her husband Bob delivered “Tropical Diva”. A perfect compliment to the one we purchased from her studio.

Tropical Diva

Ft Pierce farmers market

We really like getting together with cousins and January didn’t disappoint. My cousin Deb and her husband Mark visited and spent a Saturday night with us. Coincidently Sandy and Rick and Ricks brother Rob came to Sunset Bay by boat and joined us for beer and wine on the bow. Later that evening we walked to town for dinner and ended up closing the bar at Sailors Retreat, the restaurant attached to our marina. It was fun to have Deb and Mark on board as we don’t get to see them very often.

On the bow at Sunset Bay

Cath, me and Deb

Sunset Bay is named that for a reason. The beautiful sunsets attract mariners from all over and provide gorgeous views and lively crowds

College roomies on the bow

They call it Sunset Bay for a reason

January was a fun month and it was tough to leave. It’s halftime now and Seattle is leading 22-0. Peyton Manning is on his way to another super bowl loss. We don’t have a horse in this race but really enjoyed the National Anthem sung by Renee Fleming. She nailed it.

Time to upload this post. A few more views of our January home and Cath in her new immersion suit.

Sunset Bay Marina

Early morning fog

Cath in her new immersion suit

We are now securely tied up at Harbor Isle Marina in Fort Pierce after a beautiful, twenty-eight hour run down the coast from Fernandina Beach. The weather was perfect, with north winds and three foot rollers on the stern. This combined to get us here three hours earlier than anticipated. It also got a lot warmer and by the time we motored into the Ft Pierce channel it was shorts and T-shirt weather. The entire trip took exactly two weeks with nearly 500 miles of it offshore.

Sunset over Cape Canaveral

Moonrise over the Atlantic

Cath keeping watch?

A beautiful night

Sunrise

We fly back tomorrow for a couple of weeks in the snow. While we had some cold weather coming down we did not see a single snowflake. Our place in Vermont however received about 20″ this week so it will be a white Christmas.

We left Big Smile at Washburns Boat Yard this week and headed north to NJ. I had driven her down from Herrington Harbor while Cath brought the car down. It was a chilly day to motor with 15+ north winds and temps in the 50′s. Made it in less than five hours however and was greeted by the Washburn staff. She will remain at Washburns for 3-4 weeks while maintenance work is done and new Garmin electronics are installed.

Our last two weeks at Herrington Harbor were busy. The weather all summer was great and these two weeks were no exception with warm days and no rain. We managed to fit in two boat shows and a Navy-Air Force football game with guests in between. We spent a full day at the Trawlerfest show in Baltimore where we saw the boat about which a book was written that led to the naming of Big Smile. The show was fun but there were not many land exhibitors.

A book about this boat provided the basis for the name of “Big Smile”

Andrew and Nicole visited for a quick weekend and on Sunday we took the opportunity to try out the best brunch stop in Annapolis. Miss Shirley’s, which we found on Tripadvisor, was packed. After a 15 minute wait the four of us sat and ate the most superb and creative brunch imaginable. Even their version of a Bloody Mary, called the “Spicy Shirley”, was edible and delicious. Afterwards we walked downtown Annapolis.

Cath and Nicole on Main St

Mid week we were joined by our friends Kobus and Susie. We left Herrington and motored to St Michaels arriving at 5:30 just as the Wednesday evening races were starting. An eclectic group of boats for the open category provided great viewing.

Getting ready to race on the Miles River.

Bagpiper at start of race.

Perfect sunset.

After cocktails topside we lowered the dink and headed in for dinner. St Michaels caters to boaters and has a large dinghy dock and many restaurants.

Lowering the dink

Awoke to another perfect Chesapeake day and after coffee it was back into town for a stroll on the main street. Weighed anchor mid afternoon and 3.5 hours later we pulled back into Herrington Harbor.

Morning coffee in a perfect setting

Entering Herrington Harbor

Friday had the four of us in Annapolis for the powerboat show. Cath and I spent the entire day walking the show while our friends had to leave for NJ.

Saturday it was back to Annapolis for the Navy/Air Force football game. Whether the game would be played was up in the air until two days before game day. As ludicrous as it sounds the government shutdown had forced Air Force to scramble to find a way to fly the team to Annapolis. They made it and the largest crowd to fill Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium sweated in 93 degree sunshine and watched Navy dominate. It was a lot of fun.

Dad was in the Marines and we live on a boat: Go Navy

Inspiring pre-game arrival

Our last night on board at Washburns provided a gorgeous sunset.

Sunset at Washburns Boatyard