Conflicting emotions fill the early morning mist as we lift the anchor to enjoy the final sail of our spring cruise. It was supposed to be three full months of cruising, but everything from a death in the family to weather conspired against us. Still all in all, it was a good adventure – not like the days when we spent over six months anchored and never touched a dock, but everything in life evolves. And although sometimes we’re nostalgic for those days, anytime we’re lucky enough to be living on a hook away from a dock is special!
Below is a list of links for the 30+ posts recapping our cruise down Florida’s West Coast to the Florida Keys, then across the Gulf Stream to Bimini and down to the Exumas. If you’ve missed part of the adventure, or merely want to follow along, this is the post consolidating all the highlights.
One of the biggest challenges for us, even with the Explorer Charts and Exumas Cruising Guide, was trying to figure out where to leave the Keys, where to arrive in the Bahamas, where to clear in and how to get from Bimini across to Nassau and finally down to the Exumas. Because we’re a slow boat (averaging about 5 knots), most information available was not pertinent to us – apparently no one wants to talk about anchoring on the Bahama Banks for the night because you can’t go all the way in daylight. So the first link is our specific crossing information with our waypoints in hopes it might be useful to others.
Winterlude’s Routes and Waypoints from the Florida Keys to the Exumas, Bahamas
Waiting for Weather in Cayo Costa, Florida West Coast
Sailing to Marco Island … a Photo Essay
Unstable … the Weather, Not ME!
3 Mistakes … our Sail From Marco Island to Indian Key, 10,000 Islands
No April Fool! We’re In the Bahamas!
First Day Cruising Paradise … Bimini, Bahamas
3 Tips for If You’re Called Home Unexpectedly
Sailing the Great Bahamas Banks Video
Albany Marina, New Providence, Bahamas
Lucky Friday the 13th! We’re in the Exumas!
Highbourne Cay Marina, Exumas, Bahamas
Exumas Watercolors and Surfing Sailboat
Legend of BooBoo Hill, Warderick Wells, Exumas Land & Sea Park
Warderick Wells … Haunted or Just Voices in the Wind?
Invasion of the Mockingbirds, Warderick Wells, Exumas
Thunderball 007 and Prep for Weather, Staniel Cay
Fun Things To Do On Staniel Cay, Exumas, Bahamas
Weathering the Storm with Swimming Pigs, Big Major Spot Anchorage, Exumas
3 Hour Sail: Shroud Cay, Exumas Land & Sea Park
Why Do Most Cruisers Go t Nassau? What About West Bay?
Got Handholds? Bahamas Tongue of the Ocean Crossing
6 Favorite Things to do in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, Florida Keys
Lucky Duck Day! Little Shark River to Indian Cay, 10,000 Islands
Why Do Cruisers Avoid Marco Island? Factory Bay Anchorage
11,000 Miles. Where Will You Be at the End of the Day?
Final Leg Home: Glover’s Bight to Burnt Store Marina/Charlotte Harbor
