28. Nassau

We left Chub Cay about 7:00 in the morning and before 3:00 we were pulling into Nassau, the capital of Bahamas. It is located on New Providence Island directly opposite Paradise Island. Two bridges span the Eastern Channel between the two islands with Potters Cay located right under the bridges near the New Providence side.

We had reserved a spot at Nassau Yacht Haven, a marina on New Providence Island. We registered at the office and then we had to wait on our boats until customs and immigration came by to see us. We had prepared everything ahead of time. They needed the registration numbers of our boat, dinghy, computer, bicycles and dinghy motor. About 5:00 a very pleasant immigration officer named Katrina came to the boat and we filled out all the immigration papers. We paid the cruising fee and she gave us a cruising permit and a fishing permit for 120 days. Just as we finished with Katrina, the custom officer arrived, stamped our passports and welcomed us to the Bahamas.

Roman and I then walked around the neighbourhood and saw there was a large shopping strip mall with a Starbucks, Domino Pizza, KFC, Radio Shack, Liz Claiborne to mention a few as well as many stores that we were not familiar with. Being Sunday, everything was closed so we just looked around. There was a large supermarket called City Market which looked like it would have anything that we would need.

The plants are just beautiful.

We met our neighbours at the docks. Nick and Merle live on Integrity, a beautiful Bruce Roberts 53 design. They are from South Africa and have been living on their boat in the Bahamas for two years. They pay a monthly rate plus electricity which is metered and a flat fee for water. Nick is involved in a development on Cat Island. It is a very big undertaking and he finds it frustrating with the pace everything moves- slowly and extra slowly. They were a great couple and we spent an interesting evening with them sharing stories of our experiences. Game Plan on our other side was making plans to leave early the next morning before the front came in.

We arrived in Nassau on Feb.3 and as of Feb.1, the rates for transients (I always feel like a hobo when that term is used) went up to a daily rate of $2.00/ft. plus $10.00 for electricity and $8.00 for water. Talk about timing! It was wonderful to hose down the boat and get rid of all the salt. But the best part of all was to stand under a hot shower and not worry about how much water you are using.

Ray and Irene from C-Drifters had anchored out while Peter and Sue from Superior Grace went into Hurricane Hole Marina which was located on Paradise Island. Ray and Irene decided to come into a marina the next day and took the spot of Game Plan who left as planned. To get downtown, the four of us took a jitney which is a large van where people pay their $1.00 as they exit. The jitney is the local transportation and underscores the contrast between the way of life of most of the Bahamians
and those who visit the islands.

The jitney wove in and out the back streets of Nassau and finally wound up in the downtown core with the large Canadian Banks, the glittering jewellery stores and the upscale shops.



We went to the straw market where, surprise, surprise, I bought a new straw hat.

Roman tried a hat on too but it just did nothing for him! We met Peter and Sue by the straw market and we all tried some coconut juice from unripe coconuts.

It is a clear liquid and not like the milk in ripe coconuts. Not everyone liked it. It is a taste to acquire. Rum, on the other hand is definitely an acquired taste especially at the Bahamian prices. We had wanted to go on the Baccardi factory tour but it is under new ownership and there are no tours at this time. We had a traditional Bahamian lunch at a local diner a little out of the way of the tourist traps and it was very tasty. We ended up walking almost al the way back to the marina and when we finally got on a jitney, found we were only two stops away from where we started.

The next day Roman and I walked across Paradise Bridge to the Atlantis Resort,

a huge 24 story resort built around an underwater theme and a mega-yacht marina.
From the bridge we took some pictures of the fish market on Potters Cay under the bridge.



Roman captured a good shot of a Bahamian policeman going to check something out. Is that a machine gun in his hand?

The Atlantis Resort has 38 restaurants, bars and lounges as well a spa, fitness and sports centre, luxury boutiques, a very busy casino, an amazing life size Mayan Temple and a great beach which is open to hotel guests only.

We sat on the large Atlantis throne like we belonged there.

The highlight for us was the aquarium. When we stood in front of the floor to ceiling tanks it was hard to judge where the glass started.
It felt you were right there with the mantis, sharks and multicoloured fish.

The aquarium from the outside.

Just as we had started out, Roman found a dollar on the ground. When we went through the Atlantis Casino, I stopped at a 25 cent slot machine and played our lucky dollar. First I won $5.40, and then went down to .80. I thought I would lose it all but I climbed back up to $5.10.

I won! I won! We cashed out thinking we would be able to buy a beer with our winnings. Are you kidding? The beer at one of the outdoor café was $7.50. One beer!

On the way back to the marina we were beat from all the walking but we stopped in Potters Cay at the fish and fruit market (under the bridge)
and watched how conch is cleaned. It is quite a process getting those little critters out.

We bought some conch fritters which were very good but chewy. We also got some tomatoes, bananas and some oranges. We then went to a local Bahamian bakery that Merle and Nick had told us about. The only bread they had left was raisin. It tasted very sweet and spicy at the same time with just a few raisins.

The winds have turned more favourable and we plan on leaving for Allens Cay in the Exumas tomorrow.