Nassau Harbour, New Providence, Bahamas

Our first full day in Nassau but we have a couple of weeks here whilst we wait for our US visa appointment so we are in no rush. Before we start any sightseeing we have a few jobs to do. First priority this morning is to drop off our propane cylinder in the hope of getting it filled, otherwise we’ll be on salad and sandwiches for the next few weeks. I go ashore and drop off the cylinder and the lady at the chandlery says to come back before 5pm. I decide to explore a few of the chandleries nearby to see if we can get any of the spares we need and tick off some jobs before we get to Florida. After visiting three I quickly conclude that it will all have to wait for the three weeks before Alex and Sean arrive which is making our Cuba visit look more unlikely.

I pop to the supermarket again to pick up some things I forgot the day before and then head back to the boat. There is a constant stream of small power boats, big day charter and motorcruisers and the inevitable jet skis going back and forth all day. Some of these are more courteous than others about wake, so consequently every so often we are thrown about by a full beam on swell. The jet skis especially take great interest in causing mayhem and you can actually see them deviate off the channel to slalom through the anchorage, luckily they are quite modern jet skis with a relatively small wake.

The afternoon is again fairly wet and we both settle down to a book until eventually it clears and I run in again to see about our propane tank. However, now it is low water and there are no steps up from the dingy dock… cue quite elaborate balancing on the seat as the dinghy sways under me in the swell and I try and work out how to get up on to the shoulder height dock with unhelpful wooden tie up bar in the way. I eventually make it up but the manoeuvre is less than dignified, at least I was in shorts not a skirt and there was no one around. I walk in the shop and the lady immediately says “It’s done! That’s $10 please”, very relieved I pick it up on my way out. It weighs twice as much as the last fill and has a tag saying $15, but I don’t quibble.

Sunset over Nassau 

I get back to the boat and we have oven baked potato wedges for dinner to celebrate! There is a beautiful sunset and as the evening wears on the boat traffic gradually diminishes to a leave a very calm evening.

Sunset over Nassau