A beautiful, “see you next year” Bahamian sunset.

A nice surprise to have a perfect 3-day window from Spanish Wells back across to Florida without any waiting or hassles! The 3 days were split up nearly evenly too, at around 90 miles each day. First anchored off Great Harbour (The Berrys), then within a (so-far) failed development near West End, Grand Bahama & finally anchored off Fort Pierce, Florida before going into a marina in Vero Beach for 2 nights.

U.S. Customs makes it easy to clear back into the country – there’s an app for that – CBP ROAM. A few clicks & we’re all legal.

Stirrup Cay (Norwegian Cruise Line) & Little Stirrup Cay (re-named CocoCay by Royal Caribbean) are both small islands off the northern Berry Islands. While just strips of sandy beaches cruise ships used to anchor off ferrying in passengers back in 2012 when we first went by … are now elaborate destinations with heavy piers for multiple ships, water parks, swimming pools, (tethered) ballon rides, faux lighthouses, artificial lagoons, dozens of bars & more! Not quite a true a Bahamian experience, but …

We’ve learned of many cruisers anchoring in a (so-far) failed development called Ginn Sur Mer near West End, Grand Bahamas. Several said they were hassled by locals, but sounds like rather than just anchoring, they brought their dogs in by dinghy & otherwise walked through the area, which is private property. This is just the entrance to a maze of massive canals all dug from sandstone for their (planned) 5-billion-dollar resort with restaurants, golf courses, marinas, spas, casinos, shops, hundreds of waterfront homes & thousands of condo/hotel units. Since 2008, there is only one model home & these empty canals….. but just wait!

This was NOT our view as we departed from Ginn Sur Mer to cross the Gulf Stream. This was the view as we departed The Berrys headed to Ginn Sur Mer.  Yes, we would have loved a calm crossing, but overall, we had a very good crossing despite winds out of the W>N.

After a quick stop in Vero Beach to complete a crazy 2-day marina stay with a 1-day rental car rushing about, then a 3-day anchored wait for a windy cold front to pass, we’re off again heading north. Our trip north should have us arriving in Connecticut in early May.