Tracking / Stalking Exuma and Bimini travelers

[robert843]

Looks like they are heading to the fuel dock to get ready to depart

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

Two boats and two skis have arrived at the Atlantis!
-ramblin wrecks wife

 

[robert843]

Ugh I'm beginning to think the Exumas wasn't meant to be this year for me. First I cant get off work for the earlier crossing now after arriving to the airport at 1:45 for a 4:25 flight it took over an hour and a half to get parked and get a shuttle back to the airport I get to check in scan my passport and it's say the flight is closed I look at my phone and it is 3:27 I have missed the 60 minute prior check in on international flights ahhhh after they tried to get it aprovrd for me to get on they couldn't and now have a 8am flight to Nassau. I begging to wonder if I should even get on that plane or just head home ugh. Maybe I will just hitch a ride to Bimini with @DieselCamel

 

[2nazt]

That's a bummer @robert843 I'm cheering for you though! You got this

 

[Andy S]

Well we are all in Nassau with the exception of @robert843 , hoping he gets here tomorrow. (if things don't seem to make sense in the below text, that is because I typing fast and not doing a good at proofing/editing what I'm doing)

All right a little update on the crossing. First and foremost, the two on the waverunner, @JROD and @Ramblin Wreck , are real troopers, they have been trying and doing a good job at keeping up with @1948Isaac and I in our boats. The boats have been pushing the waverunner's hard and it hasn't been easy on them but they have been keeping up. One side note, if you want to go on long trip on a waverunner do not buy the Kawaski waverunner that @JROD has, it is a thirsty beast.

Leaving Fort Lauderdale was pretty easy, just a little later than hoped but at least we beat the Bimini Fling group going over. The seas started out 1-3 for the first 3rd of the trip, then progressed to 2-4, and to our surprise once about 10 miles out from Bimini they were 4-6. Also, the worst waves were along the beach from South Bimini to North Bimini, nothing I have ever seen there before.

Luckily we got to Bimini before the Fling group got there so getting through customs and immigration was relatively quick. One pleasant treat was that Formula boats was at the Big Game Club (were we docked to go through customs) starting their filming of there 2017 Yachts, lots of pretty boats and crew. After customs, the fuel saga begins. First we went to Blue Water, unfortunately there were about 4-6 big Grady White boats in line getting fuel, I'm really getting to not like Grady White's (just kidding but they have given us some challenges the last two years). So I thought why not go to Bimini Sands to get fuel and hopefully miss the crowds. Well once at the Sands, no one was at the pumps, boats or people working. Once we tied up and I hunted down a dock hand I found out why, no fuel at the Sands, it will be two days before their fuel arrives, so back to Blue Water and wait in line. For me this was just like the checkout line, I always pick the wrong one.

After finally getting fuel, I and @Ramblin Wreck were a little concerned about the next 90 miles to Chub since right in front of the Sands was horrible but we decided to press on. After get south of South Bimini and turning towards the Sapona ship wreck once just past the Sapona the seas laid down to 1-3 which allowed us to make good time and stayed that way for most of the trip. Once we got in the tongue of the ocean the seas picked back up to 2-4 until we got into the marina at Chub. The next fuel saga begins. Isaac gets to the dock first and asks about fuel, they told him they aren't pumping until tomorrow at 7 am, no reason give so we figured it was an island time thing. I get there a few minutes behind Isaac, I had waited for JROD to checkup. When I got there, I asked a different person, I think this guy was more incharge for the fuel dock and he told me they had just received fuel and wait close to 24 hours before pumping to allow the sediment to prevent you getting it in your tank. With that explanation I could easily understand the reasoning for not giving us fuel. Alright, we had all carried some extra fuel, so now the figuring began. Ramblin Wreck's waverunner initially show he had almost 1/2 tank which should have been enough to get to Nassau. We then split all the remain extra fuel to help ensure each us could make it to Nassau. By mine and Isaac's calculations, him and I would make it by the skin of our teeth but whiling to go for it. Everyone loads back up, fires up their machines, and we start to head out of the marina. Well about 1 minute into the journey Ramblin Wreck comes up to me and says he is now showing a little less than a 1/4 tank, no way he can make it to Nassau. So we turn around and go across the marina we go to the resort office to find a room. Unfortunately the few old small single rooms they have were all booked, they only thing they had left was a fancy new house to rent us. I think we were the second people to every stay in that house, it still smelt of new paint, and boy is it nice. Luckily all of us could fit in the house, especially since it went for $1200 per night, a little more than I wanted to spend for a room but with no option we had to suck it up. We were all hoping to get to Nassau to have almost 2 days to chill before heading to Staniel Cay. Not long after getting settled into the house our disappointment soon turned out to be a blessing. A pretty good size storm erupted out in the water east of Chub, right in the path we would have taken to Nassau. With minimal fuel there would have been no way we could have out run or navigated around the storm, assuming it was small enough we could.

The next morning we slept and took an easy start to the journey to Nassau. The seas were pretty rough, 2-4 most of the way, but after a day on the water under our belt, dealing with rough seas was no big deal. The trip to Nassau was uneventful for the boats but unfortunately Ramblin Wreck took a wave hard in the chest almost knocking him off his waverunner, knocking his goggles off his head, and knocking his GPS off the mount. Both his goggles and GPS landed in the ocean, and unfortunately he only found his goggles, the ocean ate his GPS. Pulling in the Nassau harbor was interesting, seeing all the big cruise ships along side our little boats. We first went to Atlantis, to meet up with Ramblin Wreck's crew, that place was amazing. Next we continued down the channel to were the rest of us stayed. Once we got to our Hotel & Marina and went to check in we found out that the complete island of Nassau was out of power and so was the air tower at the airport. With no power at the airport, no planes were permitted to land, so now the concern about my friends (Anne & Mike) and Robert were going to be delayed. My friends finally made it only about 6 hours late. Robert is still in Fort Lauderdale with expected arrival around 9 am tomorrow (Sat) morning, I will let Robert provide details about his adventures.

Hoping the next couple days are smooth and fun with minimal drams. I will post more in a day or so.

 

[96Pirate]

Boy, what an experience for all of you. Very happy to hear you made it there safely. Here's hoping for more calmer seas for the rest of your journey.

 

[2nazt]

Sounds like a memorable trip thus far! Hopefully calmer seas the rest of the trip and a few less hiccups.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

We made it to Exuma and had great waters. We are currently grilling shish-kabobs and enjoying the view.

 

[4x15mph]

@Andy S , great write-up. Glad everyone made it safely and look forward to the updates.

 

[john94si]

I see timH just arrived

 

[Julian]

Isn't it amazing/cool how accurately you can pinpoint where someone is! @Bruce and @Rana parked in the corner of the marina!

 

[2nazt]

Hope the trip is great so far! No posts mean enjoying the beautiful water and view on what should be everyone's dream trip! Can't wait for pictures and videos in the future! Safe travels to Bimini and home as well

 

[Andy S]

Hope the trip is great so far! No posts mean enjoying the beautiful water and view on what should be everyone's dream trip! Can't wait for pictures and videos in the future! Safe travels to Bimini and home as well

Exactly, fantastic times on the water! Getting ready for a big group dinner at the house. Depending if we go fishing tonight I will post some more, if I don't post tonight I will once we get to Bimini which we are shooting for late Wednesday.

 

[Andy S]

Had a very good last nights dinner at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, not the fancy side restaurant but the food was still good. We were able to hang a Jetboaters.net flag that all of signed in the yacht club bar, hoping Mrs. @Ramblin Wreck will post some pictures of the flag hanging.

Sad to say this is our last night in Staniel Cay, what a wonderful time we had. We are leaving tomorrow morning around 6:30 am but my guess is that we won't get motoring north until closer to 7 am. Our goal is to get to Bimini Sands by tomorrow afternoon, unfortunately to late for the Honeymoon Harbour pot luck get together. Looking forward to see familiar face and many new ones.

While chillin' in Bimini I will write more about our adventures exploring the Exuma island chain.

Hoping for calm seas and favorable winds to allows us to get to Bimini.

 

[jasoraso]

Stalking Andy's trip back to Bimini from Exuma. Still on the water - but getting closer!

 

[2nazt]

Looks like they made it!