Bayshore Marina, Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas

We are getting short of water now and really should think about getting it filled. There is a fuel dock which can also supply water or a number of small docks where we could get a slip and refill there and perhaps stay a night or two. The lethargy of the heat continues to postpone a decision until mid-morning when an unusual northerly squall comes and finally trips our anchor which has survived a number of pirouettes in the last few days and this seems to precipitate some action.

I did manage to rouse the energy for a short trip ashore the day before to suss out water availability / dock fees and it seems that there is a fairly wide variation. We have been quoted from 75c/ft with $3 per day water to $2 per day with $10 water by neighbouring marinas. The more expensive one has a restaurant and laundrette, but there is nothing to stop you from visiting the facilities from the cheaper side. I had been offered the outside hammerhead in the cheaper marina, which although easy to get on to is likely to be swelly and was subject to the current occupant leaving today. I ran in on the dinghy to see (dockmasters VHF is not working and we don’t have a local phone) if it was available. The yacht hadn’t left but he offered me an inside hammerhead instead though it looked fairly tight. I collected the dinghy and went to see. It had a tight turn on the way in but looked ok.

When I get back to the boat, Kevin informs me that the boat beside us has had a routine boarding by the navy who are still onboard when I arrive. I am thrilled to see the guy waiting in the fast rib chasing down the jet skiers and telling them to slow down! We are pretty sure that we are going to be boarded too and decide that it would be impolitic to pull up the anchor straight away as planned and head to the marina. Sure enough within 10 minutes the rib is alongside us and a pleasant smiling naval representative is on board. He explains it is routine and could he see our clearance papers for the Bahamas. We provide these willingly, after paying $300 to enter it is reassuring to know there is recompense for those not voluntarily going to check in. We wait for the agonisingly slow speed of his form filling as he copies out details on to his boarding form and asks us a little about where we have been and where are going to. He then thanks us and his friend comes to collect him, he leaves us with best wishes and a receipt. We have not been boarded before and it is all a bit of an adventure for us, though we are puzzled that the American registered boat beside us was made to show every hold and locker to the officer and provide a full boat inspection when he didn’t go out of the cockpit on our boat. We learn later in a leaflet that there is no income tax in the Bahamas and all is made on import duties and business rates, perhaps this is why the American boats get more hassle. As we had come up through the Bahamas from the Caribbean we were of less interest.

We pulled up the anchor and I navigated Kevin in. Unfortunately the current was now running through the harbour with the breeze and we are crabbing sideways going down the channel. A large day catamaran is moored right on the corner and Kevin has a few heart stopping moments trying to negotiate  the current and the turn but nonetheless bring us in perfectly to the dock. The swell is pretty good where we are and the cockpit gets the breeze all day long with shade in the evening! Heaven. We decide to celebrate with a beer and maybe food at the Poop Deck restaurant overlooking the Nassau Yacht Haven next door. We find we have arrived for Happy Hour which means free entres and are treated to what we think are conch fritters with our drinks. We take a look at the menu but decide that $42 for a steak is pretty pricy for a fairly informal looking restaurant. Some English girls come into the bar shortly afterwards and it is refreshing to hear things converted to £UK, they make the same conclusion. We decide to walk the short distance to the mall for a takeaway and DVD instead.

We watch Defiance with Daniel Craig, a sort of Schindler’s List story which is good but it is still too warm to sleep when it finishes and we sit outside afterwards with a book. Foolishly I don’t put on mosquito spray first and after two bites I go indoors. Kevin remains outside and is curious to see a guy walk up and inspect our fenders, tugging on the lines. He asks if the guy is ok, he looks a little surprised and moves off. A security guard comes by later and chats, he asks if we are not going out. Hmm, hopefully that was just a because it is Friday night question. There is a stout padlock on the entrance to the dock and razor wire on the approaches, but you can’t do much about people with keys.