It is Better in the Bahamas

It is every cruiser's dream to cruise the Bahamas. Ours came true in the spring of 2003 after living aboard our trawler Mai Thai for two years. With the war in Iraq looming, and the SARS epidemic mounting, we couldn't have found a better time to escape from the problems of the world.

Traveling with our buddy boat One Love, a sail catamaran, we crossed the gulf stream from Palm Beach, Florida on a sunny April day with light winds and calm seas. Some 54 nautical miles and nine hours later, we made landfall at West End on Grand Bahama Island. We checked in with customs at Old Bahama Bay Marina, which was deluged with boats from the U.S. The process was a breeze; the local people were friendly, and everyone spoke English. We learned that the marina was full, as we had arrived on a weekend without reservations, so we dropped the hook outside the marina, just like a dozen other boats.

Next morning, we took off for the Abacos, the most northeastern group of the Bahamian islands. Our first stop was Double Breasted Cay, a stop highly recommended by fellow cruisers. On our way there, we had anchored at a couple of uninhabited islands. Not until we saw the utter beauty of Double Breasted Cay did we actually think we were in the Bahamas - secluded beaches with soft white sand shimmering in brilliant turquoise water, reminiscent of pictures in travel magazines. We located a good spot to drop anchor, lowered our dinghy, and immediately hit the beach. The water was warm and inviting. We admired the idyllic setting and thanked our lucky stars that we made it safely across. Later that afternoon, we took the dinghy out to explore the countless beaches and coves. We saw starfish, sea biscuits, yellowtail snapper, four-eye butterflyfish and various other reef species. We even scooped up a beautiful queen conch, our momento of this magical place.

Satisfied with the day's activities, we cooled down with cocktails on Mai Thai. We played our favorite CD - In the Bahamas by The Barefoot Man, and he sang "It cannot get any better than this." We totally agreed.

We were so enchanted with Double Breasted Cay we lingered there another day. A couple of boats came into our anchorage the next day. A sailboat was on its way back to the U.S.; another had just arrived. That evening, One Love invited them over for cocktails. The Barefoot Man was singing, the beers were flowing, and we were having such a fabulous time exchanging sea stories that we stayed way past dinnertime. Next thing we knew, we were enveloped in complete darkness. None of us had thought to leave our anchor lights on. Except for some fish glowing in the water and stars twinkling in the sky, we could not see any of our boats. Mai Thai was a mere 30 yards away. One Love used a flashlight to show us the way back to our boats. We survived the dinghy ride, but that night, we sloshed around so bad we were up all night. We took off the next morning.

We spent a whole month exploring the Abacos. We would run into the same people on different islands, again and again. Some unforgettable memories include the fabulous Sunday pig roast brunch at Nippers Beach Bar and Grill on Great Guana Cay, the touristy but lovely Hopetown, the incredible snorkeling at Lynyard Cay and the spectacular beaches of Treasure Cay. It is definitely better in the Bahamas, and we will be back.

Sources:

The Cruising Guide to Abaco, Bahamas by Steve Dodge
Fodor's Micro Guide to The Islands of the Bahamas