Initially much more straightforward was obtaining our required Health Visas, now required due to COVID. You fill in all of your information, dates, locations, vaccine dates, download PDFs of your vaccines, COVID test results, passports, etc.  Finally, click “APPLY” & wait.  An hour or two later you are notified you’re “Approved”! Apparently not really?!  Appearing before the Customs officer, the very first question she asks is “where are your COVID test forms?” I show her our beautiful Health Visas. “Not those, where are your COVID test forms?”  I pointed out the “Status: Approved” on the Health Visas – she shook her head “I don’t care about that – I need your COVID test forms”. I dug thru my pile of documents & found our COVID negative testing letters from the clinic in Vero Beach signed by the doctor (the same letters I had sent PDFs of to obtain the Health Visas). “No – I need your COVID test forms”…

She began the phone calls – her boss, then Customs in Nassau, the Ministry of Health, tried to call our COVID testing site in Florida & who knows else.  Although Bahamians (of course) speak English, when speaking to each other it can be with such a quick & clipped pattern I can usually make out only some of it, but I did make out a few bad words like “quarantine”.  Finally, after what seemed like forever, she got off of the phone, sighed, shuffled all of the papers & dramatically started rubber stamping all of our documents.  “We may still require your proper test forms, but since you were initially approved on-line, we’ll approve your entry … Enjoy your stay in the Bahamas”!

We intend to! A rare, fancy-like celebration resort lunch out in Abaco.

All of our rushing around to cross to the Bahamas a week early was indeed well worth it.  In addition to the dead calm seas during our 2-day crossing to Green Turtle Cay, we continued with an additional 2 beautiful days continuing onto Hope Town with brief stops on Guana Cay & Man-O-War Cay before the winds kicked up.  Now on a protected mooring in Hope Town, while the winds are gusting to 24 knots, it is very calm in here.  On the other hand, anyone crazy enough attempting to cross over from Florida today, would be facing winds gusting to 30 knots with seas of 4′ – 6′, along with an occasional 8′.

With the current weather pattern, there may be a large delay for our continuing travels, but at least … We have arrived!

We were planning on crossing to the Bahamas next week, but after almost 2 weeks of light winds, we knew the end was near!  All our weather sources indicated we could cross this week, or wait 1 – 2 – 3 weeks …?  We have a record to uphold after all – we have never had a bad crossing in our 10 years!  Crossing the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas can never be taken likely – boats have been damaged (even cruise ships), people have given up after multiple attempts, marriages dissolved & worse!

A big change of plans included a car rental to alter, propane tanks to fill, more groceries, along with a bunch of other stops. We needed nourishment – our first breakfast out in months!

Bahamas requires COVID testing with tight deadlines. We almost fell asleep in our comfy recliners waiting for the doctor. Mmmm … people say bad things about Florida.

It’s not always JUST donuts! Even with our tight schedule, we still traveled almost 2 hours round-trip just to stock up on basil garlic sausages at our favorite Melbourne Beach Market – the best!! (By accident, just maybe, Love Bug Bakery was down the street…)

Looks like our planning worked out – THIS is the mighty Atlantic Ocean off the Fort Pierce Inlet. Foggy, but flat.

Continued pleasantness … we are in the mighty Gulf Stream which CAN have 12’+ breaking waves.

We made it across the Atlantic to the Bahamas Banks welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce! One soared completely out of the water – better to enjoy than attempt to photograph.

Still underway to our anchorage at sunset. Our yellow “Q” (quarantine) flag indicates we haven’t yet cleared in to the country.

Still calm with next morning. A rare breakfast underway before sunrise – just breathtaking!

By late afternoon, we arrived at the Green Turtle Cay Club Marina in Abaco, Bahamas.  Hopefully the Customs agent will take the ferry over in the morning to Green Turtle & clear us in.  Our vessel paperwork & COVID testing documentation should be in order – we’ll be finding out shortly!