Magnolia has not been to the Bahamas in the last two winters so we were excited to get going. Our plan has been to depart Palm Beach and work our way to Miami area and cross the Gulf-stream when a weather window presented. Completely unexpected but a window presented just as we departed Palm Beach!
We departed Old Port Cove marina, made a drive-by of our friend Mims Condominium.
We anchored just inside the inlet at Lake Worth / Palm Beach. This was two fold in that we could get an early start out on the ocean but more importantly we really like to have a night on the anchor just to make sure Magnolias Systems are working correctly and it just give us, the crew a chance to get our “head in the game.”
First thing the next morning we headed for the ocean to depart the inlet…we had a momentary delay waiting for a arriving passenger ship…
Departing the inlet, directly into the sun. Just down the coast is the is the President’s Mara-Largo estate. I was surprised to find a crashed boat on the beach nearby. I assumed it would have been removed like yesterday. Of course there is always one, out of no-where a sailing catamaran crossed our bow, not overly dangerous at this range but certainly rude. As we were preparing to head east off of Fort Lauderdale we had what appeared to be a decommissioned Navy Ship being towed by a tug. We certainly did not want to cross the bow so we had to turn east earlier than we wanted.
The impact of that action can be easily seen..the force of the gulf stream current carried us north in spite of the fact we were headed due east. Just one more care where you simply cannot fight mother nature!
We ran along the coast and crossed the Gulf Stream during daylight hours arriving the Bahamas Banks approximately 10:00pm. The Gulf Stream is one experience but the “banks” are another. The Bahama Banks is a vast area of mostly sand covered bottom that is 15-23 feet deep. When the moon is full as it was almost the night of our passage there is enough light to actually see the bottom passing below you. It is a very unique experience for sure.
The lighted cruise ship “took our stern” just as we were arriving the banks. The other two photos show the moon setting as we crossed the banks over night. We arrived Fresh Creek Andros about 30 hours after our departure from Palm Beach, a passage of approximately 210 nm.
The first order of business was to get checked in with Bahamian Customs and Immigration. We accomplished that by taking a taxi out to the Fresh Creek Airport. A meer couple miles away. We wrapped the day up with a Head On Snapper Linner (Late Lunch/Early Dinner) and of course a Ice Cold Bahamian Beer!
Tring out the new “wear-over” sunglasses…its definitely a “look” 
Fresh Creek Airport 
Arrival “Linner”
The real reason we went to Andros in the first place so the Admiral could visit the Androsia Factory there. She provides a detailed report on our visit here: http://a2baker.com/seamlesssailorblog/
Next to the Exumas and meeting up with friends!!!!