Looking out to the rising sun and Atlantic Ocean while within the inlet. Leaving Biscayne Bay in So Florida.
Note: Photos added 5/25
There was no other boat in sight. No land to see off in the distance. Nothing. I was alone on the Atlantic Ocean about 11 miles off the coast of South Florida, heading to Bimini in the Bahamas Islands chain. The boats sounder had stopped reading the water depth long ago. My cell telephone no longer had a signal. I had the VHF on channel 16 and heard other boaters, but they were beyond my horizon. I slowed to idle to take it all in. I spun the boat a 360 and saw water in every direction. I was very, very happy.
The waves really were not bad at all. It was the broad spacing between the 5 high swells that allowed me a rather gentle cruise to an offshore island. The boat slowly would rise and fall from the Gulf Stream waves under my keel.
This little adventure was a long-held dream of mine. I had been to the Bahamas several times, but always on other peoples boats. This time the good ship was mine. The Monterey bowrider that I had taken delivery of in Miami earlier in the month had been equipped. Id also tested it for over 20 hours on short trips around the greater Miami area as I closely followed the weather forecast, waiting for the right day.
On the eve of my departure, NOAAs marine weather indicated that the sea and wind conditions for a Bahamian Crossing would be close to perfect on Sunday. I checked out of my hotel, dropped off my rental car and prepared to sleep onboard in a sleeping bag so I could get an early start
Bimini is finally visible far off in the distance.
