We are up early and finally get the confirmations I need to book the flights, then our internet access runs out. I pay for another hour. Then my credit card gets stopped again because we are using it aboard. I Skype them and are put through to a call centre on a bad Skype connection where “Rachel” who is clearly in not in the UK tries to make out what I am saying. Credit card working again I get one flight booked. I get to the last step of the second flight and even though I have not stopped moving through the process it times out. I repeat steps 1 through 10, confirming flight numbers, seats etc between the two connections and 4 people over 6 weeks. Second flight booked. I get to the last step of flight three and then the 1 hour internet runs out! Arrgghh, buy more internet time and finally book the last flight! Stressed and aggravated but pleased it is finally sorted we head to the fuel dock, though it is now 11.30 am and our departure straight to Florida overnight to arrive in daylight is no longer timed well.
We get fuel and then motor under the two Paradise Island bridges, our first bridge on Invincible which although we have calculated we have a good 10ft of clearance over the mast even at high water from the prospective on deck looks sure to hit. We clear both bridges fine however and enjoy the views of the big villas and private docks all down the Paradise Island side and the cruise ships on the Nassau side leaving the harbour to the west this time. By Murphy’s law there is little or no wind now and we have to motor into a very light head wind contrary to expectations from forecasts.
Invincible passing under the Paradise Island bridges
You know you should pass clear but…
Around this time we decide that a long slog under motor straight to Florida is probably not going to be much fun and decide to turn the trip into day hops selecting the anchorage by Little Harbour Cay / Frozen Cay in the Berry Islands for the night. We have about 30 miles to go and arrive early evening, we are just beaten there by presumably the owners of the private Frozen Cay island in their helicopter which after a long motor in the heat seems a very fast and civilised form of travel.
Discreet buildings on the private Frozen Cay
We enjoy being on anchor in the peace and quiet and greenery of the Berry Islands after too long listening to screeching tyres and squawking exhausts in Nassau in the evening. We are even rewarded with a beautiful sunset.
Lovely sunset over the Berry Islands
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