Bahamas Crossing
March 7, 2025
It has taken us 100 days of planning and travel to get to this point. Tomorrow we cross to the Bahamas. Our planned route is to skirt the North Rock marker at Bimini, and if the weather is still good, continue overnight to Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands - 160 nautical miles. Novella is loaded with fuel, water, as many spare parts as we can hold, and 678 lbs of food. Good thing we dumped some weight in Panama City and sold our bikes in the Keys! There is a point where you have to stop preparing and just go. This is our chance. Last night, the seas were up to 8’ in the Gulf Stream, but today the winds died down and shifted to the south - perfect for sailing. We’ll see you on the other side.
P.S. The boat pictured is much bigger than ours. That’s a neighboring boat in the anchorage tonight. (Tavernier Key, Florida)
March 9, 2025
190 miles and 25 hours later and we are cleared into the Bahamas! It was both our fastest and longest distance crossing to date. The crossing to Bimini was very rolly with big ocean swell and not enough wind to keep us stabilized. We both got pretty seasick. We saw dolphins, flying fish, and Portuguese man o’ war in the deep blue waters. We gradually watched the depth beneath us increase until we were in more than 2,800 feet of water. Once we entered the Great Bahama Bank we very quickly found ourselves in just 15 feet! With darkness encroaching, there was enough wind to fill our sails and we raced along the banks all night at up to 7 knots, trusting our charts to keep us off wrecks and shallow coral areas. All in all it was a great voyage but we are beyond exhausted. Now we rest and try to take in the fact that these islands will be our home for the next four months.
Daily Travel Log | To the Bahamas & Back
Day 74 • now that Novie can nearly drive herself we’re free to relax and be more at ease while underway, today we basked in the sun, read a book, and enjoyed a sunset celebration
Clearwater Beach to Venice, Florida
Day 75 • slowly navigated a shallow inlet along with a pod of dolphins who were so close we could clearly see the fish hanging from their mouths, caught up to our Gup B buddies and inherited a lifetime supply of cat treats
Venice to Don Pedro Island State Park, Florida
Day 76 • fixed a broken piece on the boom, followed by a short travel day and a failed attempt to visit the tunnel of love
Don Pedro Island State Park to Cayo Costa State Park, Florida
Day 77 • work projects, nature walk, game night
Cayo Costa State Park, Florida
Day 78 • morning coffee cruisers, mangrove exploration, another specimen for the tiniest shell collection
Cayo Costa State Park, Florida
Day 79 • started the day off by running aground, shortly afterwards the auto pilot broke, we’ve been waked all day and are now moored next to a parrot who sounds like a robot, but we had a drink, met up with friends and ate a pizza - a lovely day overall
Cayo Costa State Park to Fort Myers Beach Florida
Day 80 • books and beach time, shopped for hobbies, seafood lunch, sunset on the bow
Fort Myers Beach Florida
Day 81 • water and gas refills, a sweaty walk to the post office, the most wonderful surprise visit from four of our friends
Fort Myers Beach Florida
Day 82 • started the day with juicy tangelos that were gifted to us, spent the rest of the day alternating between working/being seasick and getting an arm workout on the tiller
Fort Myers Beach to Marco Island, Florida
Day 83 • the swell was a bit better but still unpleasant, saw a giant sea turtle, made it to the Everglades, kept Tildy close
Marco Island to Shark River at the Everglades National Park, Florida
Day 84 • we sloshed, splashed and slapped our way to the keys, now we rest
Everglades National Park to Marathon, Florida
Day 85 • got some much needed leg stretching after days without leaving the boat, saw what looked like a stuck manatee (it wasn’t), went to a local hangout with some friends new and old
Marathon, Florida
Day 86 • finalized our shopping lists, placed some last chance orders, worked way too hard, and just didn’t feel like fighting the wind and chill to dinghy ashore (except to grab some free books this morning)
Marathon, Florida
Day 87 • we got our steps in today! explored nature, visited some tortoises, fish pedicures, delicious lunch with chickens and lizards, evening meet up with cruising friends
Marathon, Florida
Day 88 • slow morning, beach day, dinghy rides, blended drinks
Marathon, Florida
Day 89 • worked overtime on a very rainy and windy day
Marathon, Florida
Day 90 • sold our bicycles, fixed the autopilot, groceries and laundry
Marathon, Florida
Day 91 • meetings, packages, dinghy ride to the dock and back
Marathon, Florida
Day 92 • installed the bimini, saw some big fish, officially sorted and stashed away all of the food we’ve been collecting
Marathon, Florida
Day 93 • yummy coffees, one hundred alligators, gave Tildy a good hair brushing
Marathon, Florida
Day 94 • vacation day at the beach with friends, an ironic free gift, sightseeing, and a sunset celebration dinner
Marathon, Florida
Day 95 • morning chores, a very important package, lounging outdoors and watercolors
Marathon, Florida
Day 96 • a very cranky Tildy passed inspections and received her health certificate today, more supplies have been stowed away, now all we have to do is wait for a weather window
Marathon, Florida
Day 97 • a simple fix on the dinghy outboard turned complex and frustrating, after several how-to videos and many failed attempts we were finally able to get Susan put back together again
Marathon, Florida
Day 98 • a well-traveled birthday card and more Susan pull-cord drama
Marathon, Florida
Day 99 • final preparations and our last big grocery haul, stopped long enough to watch 400 feet of rocket fall from the sky
Marathon, Florida
Day 100 • it’s bittersweet - tomorrow we leave for the Bahamas, tonight we raft up with our Gup B buddies one last time, we had a sunset celebration surrounded by little fish and saw the biggest shooting star
Marathon to Tavernier Key, Florida
Day 101 • Bahamas bound! blasted through a bag of ginger chunks, lots of flying fish, the scariest wake, crossed the gulf stream with depths of 2,800 ft+ and the most beautiful shades of blue, entered Bahamian waters but won’t arrive at our destination until morning
Tavernier Key, Florida to the Bahamas Bank south of Freeport, Bahamas
Day 102 • after 25 hours we have acquired a new stamp and a new flag! took a much-needed walk, celebrated with lunch out, snack dinner and early to bed - we’re sleepy
Crossing the Bahamas Bank to Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas