Cat Cay, Bahamas
25.33.197N
79.16.677W

Land Ho!! We made it! and even had time for a donut run. We pulled chocks at 2:30 am and crept through the shallow depths leading the way to the ocean. We had some clouds but still could see the 3/4 moon and a few stars. Our chart showed a couple of unlit markers but we had plenty of light to see them from the light of the moon. We also could see that we were in for another cruise ship tango for a few miles with all of the incoming and outgoing ships from Government Cut. At one point we were dodging 4 cruise liners and 4 container ships at the same time; you go here, I go there, another behind me and dip, two, three, four.

The only rough part of the trip was pretty much right at the beginning. We had an easterly swell and probably 3-5' seas on top of that. After that, it was a piece of cake. Five or 6 hours later, the middle of the Gulf Stream was probably less than 2' with more of an northerly swell. Another thing we did differently was instead of just plugging in a waypoint and charging to it, Dale plotted a course and we used the chart plotter to make sure we were on course, which we were. This is apparently a more direct method of traversing a strong current.

We had already spotted land when we saw what appeared to be a white donut in the water off to our starboard beam. Time for a man overboard drill!. It was one of those inner tube shaped inflatables that had obviously escaped its owner. So we diverted course, scooped it up and put it on the back deck. This thing is the size of a tractor tire but clear, I guess so that you can see into the water below. Dale figured it was some sort of omen but we're not sure of what. The first time we had ever traveled to the Bahamas, we found an inflatable dragon heading out of the Sea of Abaco and rescued it. We dig it out from time to time to ride around on it and have a blast. I think Fred and Geri have it now.

We arrived in Cat Cay at 1:30pm. Unlike the Abacos, when approaching the Bank near Cat, you come up on it, and boop, there's land. Cat Cay is a private island so you're limited as to where you are allowed to go but there is a marina that lets passing boats clear in and spend the night if they want. Tomorrow we'll head out to an anchorage where we'll once again hit the rack early and rise before dawn to travel approximately 80 miles to our next point.

When we were cleaning up the boat from our passage, I asked Dale why he was putting away the jacklines and harnesses. He said that if we fall overboard now, we can walk to shore. Believe it or not, this end of the Bahamas seems to be even more shallow than the Abacos. The average depth appears to be 8-10 feet everywhere but the 'Tongue of the Ocean', where its a tad deeper at up to 12,000'. I doubt he'll mind wearing his life jacket then.