2018: The Adventures Begin

 

It would be safe to say we have been busy. And although we have been busy with work, renovating the house and other commitments, we have had some fun too. 2017 was a blah kind of year as it left little time to spend on the boat. It also didn’t allow for much time to travel. We’re doing our best to make up for that in 2018.

We started the new year off the right way. Emily flew with me to our stomping grounds in Sarasota, FL. She flew back to Illinois early to visit family and my brother flew in the same day. My brother is a herpetologist and his idea of fun is looking for whatever slithers into or out of the everglades. So, off we went in search of wildlife and water. Sadly, we spent the first part of our trip hiking through hurricane-stricken everglades and witnessing the destruction of Irma. Her powerful winds, months in the past, left behind snapped trees and signs of flooding. We visited Flamingo which is at the bottom tip of the Everglades. It has a visitor center, multiple campgrounds and even a small marina. The marina was out of service and the multiple buildings close to the water were badly damaged. Hopefully they can repair the facilities soon. It really is an awesome place.

The wildlife is abundant including my spirit animal, the osprey, and an old crocodile that lives near the marina. While alligators cover the state of Florida, crocodiles are limited to the everglades and southern regions of Florida. After saying bye to the courting vultures we continued our journey towards the keys.

We made a quick stop at John Pennecamp State Park. We planned on snorkeling in an area more private than beach. Unfortunately, the clouds came in and the murky water forced us back to land. We made the best of it and hiked along a short nature trail. I had planned on meeting a friend in Marathon that evening so we continued our drive south. We were met with huge piles of debris and houses completely collapsed from the storm. Once in Marathon, my brother dropped me off at “Overseas”,an awesome bar and grill. I met my friend Mike and his fiancé at the bar where he had our signature drink waiting for me: a Sailor Jerry rum and coke. After throwing down multiple drinks, swapping stories and catching up on lost time, I hopped back into the rental car with my brother and continued back towards the mainland. Of course, being with my brother, we ended up taking the scenic route back to homestead in search of anything slithering or crawling across the road. We finally found our way to a hotel after midnight and got a few hours of sleep before waking up at 5:30 to make our ferry to Bimini, Bahamas.

If you are looking for a good trip, I highly recommend the ferry ride over to Bimini. In less than two hours, you’ve made the hop. The ship cruised at 30 knots. Once we arrived and cleared customs, we started our 1.5 mile walk towards Bimini Big Game, a resort located at the South end of North Bimini. The rooms are huge and amenities include a salt water pool, bar/restaurant, and a marina. I spent time at the marina a few years back but not the hotel. It is a popular place for sport fish and dive enthusiasts and offers many options for excursions right from the dock. We were glad that we made the decision to stay there. It put us near some remote beaches and close to the ferry that runs between North and South Bimini. The “Ferry” is nothing more than a pontoon boat and allows locals and tourists to cross the swift current that tends to run between the two islands. If you arrive at the right time, you’ll notice the ferry doubles as school (bus) boat.

We spent our short 36 hours walking all over the South and North island in search of beautiful beaches and things that slither, and we weren’t disappointed. We also took advantage of the beaches and spent some time snorkeling along the rocky shoreline. It was an enjoyable trip that allowed my brother and I to spend time together doing the things we love. The last day we checked out of our room and kept our bags in the hotel lobby. After taking one last snorkel trip, we used the marina showers to wash the salt off and started our walk back towards the ferry dock.

My brother had developed some pretty nasty blisters from all the foot travel and had a decent limp as we made the trek towards the dock. We had stopped to talk with an older local when a car drove by. The old man asked “do you need a ride?” and without hesitation started yelling in his bahamian dialect at the driver to stop. We hopped in and before we knew it we were back in what felt like southern Florida again. The South part of the island is where most locals live. The North end of the island is built up like a big resort and is thoroughly American-ized. Fortunately for us, we had some time to stop at a coffee shop that sold cold Kalik beer, the beer of the Bahamas. (Best coffee shop ever!) Finally it was time to board and make our way back towards the states. We departed with a beautiful sunset and continued into the darkness.

Once in Miami, we started our drive again taking the scenic route, looking for effervescent eyes that stare back at you in the dark. We also took advantage of the total darkness to take a few photos of the peaceful night sky. We made our way back to Sarasota to spend time with family before having to board a plane and head back to the cold grip of the Midwest.

It is now March and busy as ever. My brother is getting married in a few weeks to an awesome girl, a Lithuanian-born zoologist who doesn’t mind his affection for all things that slither. House projects have diminished greatly in number, boat projects are piling up and so are our travel plans. Keep an eye out for our Delorme, which will start pinging off the coast of Mexico in the next few days. I will be sailing aboard a 47 foot cutter from Isla Mujures to Ft. Lauderdale with a good friend. It should be a good trip with plenty of wind and warm temperatures. Thank goodness. We are ready for summer! Emily says I’ll have to try to bring it back with me from the gulf. Stay tuned.