Hemingway Was Here

That's what you see everywhere in Bimini, just as in Key West. Ernest Hemingway seems to have divided his time between hanging out in bars, doing he-man stuff like fishing for giant marlin and, fortunately, writing. The locals claim that this is where he wrote his great novella "The Old Man and the Sea", that classic work about man pitted against nature and his own limitations. The little local museum has pictures of Ernest with various mates posing proudly alongside the most massive marlin, sailfish and tuna, the biggest of them over 1000 lbs! Not surprisingly, they don't seem to get many that size any more.

My favourite place on North Bimini would have to be the Dolphin House, a kind of inn/ museum/ gallery built by local artist and historian Ashley Saunders. It's constructed from found materials, 'gifts from the ocean' such as coral rocks, conch shells, driftwood and sea glass. You could spend hours wandering around enjoying the quirky collections and mosaics in every corner. The flat roof is an observatory with the best view of the island in every direction. Ashley also has a lot of artefacts from the old days (his family were wreckers for many generations) and a copy of every Nobel Prize-winning book. He is the author of an excellent history of the Bahamas.

Radio Beach runs the full length of the west side of the Island, with the classic azure water deepening to indigo towards the horizon. It's great for swimming and snorkelling, though just a little disconcerting to have the odd barracuda for company. I guess they think we're large predators and there are likely to be some leftovers... Speaking of predation, the seafood here is sensational, especially the fresh fish.

Once again, we've had the good fortune to meet some interesting and intrepid people who are happy to share their experiences and knowedge. Volker and Frederik from Germany, sailed "Vela" their 34 ft yacht, all through the Mediterranean, across the Atlantic and to almost everywhere else. Mary and Lance, from New Zealand, previously South Africa and Zimbabwe, were just finishing up their travels through the Bahamas aboard their trawler "Amanzi". At the moment we tend to be good listeners, but maybe a time will come when we have a ready store of adventure stories and cruising wisdom to share with others.

Heading south today for Honeymoon Harbour in Gun Cay, then across the Banks to the Exumas.

Fort Lauderdale to Alice Town, Bimini

Almost exactly a year since we arrived in the USA, we prepared to leave, heading for the Bahamas at last. Weather conditions had been against us for a couple of weeks, but we were tired of hanging around in Fort Lauderdale and determined to leave at the first reasonable opportunity.  Monday 19^th looked like the day – light easterlies, manageable seas and no north winds which can cause mayhem when they run into the opposing currents of the Gulf Stream. The rest of the week was going to get worse, with increasingly strong winds and squalls, so Monday looked like our window.

We woke in the early hours of the morning and eased out of our slip with no problems at slack tide – quite a contrast to our arrival. Made our way down the New River in the dark, which would have been a challenge without the new i-pad and Navionics program – I’m an overnight Apple convert thanks to that alone, regardless of all the other cool stuff we’ve yet to play with. The bridges all opened promptly on request, just a bit of a wait at the 55 ft 17^th St Bridge, which we exited at the scheduled 5.30 opening. Port Everglades was nice and quiet at this hour – once again, a big contrast with our arrival two months ago. Out into the ocean and winds that already seemed a bit more than light, and a choppy sea. I think we farted around too much at this early stage: we were slow to get the sails up and make some decent speed, which we paid for later in the day. Anyway, once we were sailing, Common Sense was more stable and we sauntered along at a steady 5-6 knots, on a heading of about 140 degrees to compensate for the northerly push of the Gulf Stream. The ‘light’ winds were 20 knots, gusting to 25, and I confirmed the earlier discovery that I do in fact suffer from sea-sickness, contrary to previous life experiences. On deck in the wind and with a view of the horizon, all is fine. Head down below and I have exactly two minutes to do anything before losing my muesli.

It was interesting to see the change to brilliant deep blue water as we reached the Gulf Stream about eight miles out. It was an uneventful passage and Terry somehow managed to sleep through quite a bit of it. We didn’t make great time, and it was clear we would not reach the Bimini Blue Water Marina in time to find our way in before dark, so we turned on the motor for the last fifteen nautical miles, planning to anchor on the western side of the north island. Because of the strong easterly, we thought it would be reasonably sheltered, and the charts showed good depths and a clear sand bottom. We dropped anchor in about 15 ft and the reliable Manson caught and held once again. All seemed fine, but an increasing rolly swell resulted in me sleeping up on the deck. At least the stars were pretty.

Next day we motored comfortably into the harbour, the ipad and the water colours helping to compensate for a missing green marker at the entrance. Terry put Common Sense neatly into a slip beside our Canadian friends Russ and Suzie on Opportunity, then we set about checking in to Customs and Immigration. So here we are, ready to explore the Bahamas; already we've fallen in love with the glorious clear water, as everyone does. Seriously, it's the luminous blue colour of mouthwash - you can see for miles underwater!

You might be a full-time cruiser if...

Click here to link to a blog I enjoyed - You might be a full-time cruiser if...

To their list I would add:

• You fantasise about having a bath
• You have cut your own hair for the first time since you were four

Please note that we have not yet resorted to peeing in the sink!

Late Night Surprise

Guest blogger Terry:

Stepping to the cockpit around 11pm Sunday night, I heard voices coming from the river.  I didn’t hear a motor, which intrigued me.

There was a power boat only a few feet from our stern, one guy on board and another guy in the water, towing it with a dockline he was holding.  

They’d run out of fuel at the beginning of the New River!  This guy had pulled the boat, from the water, up the river the best part of two miles.

Admittedly the tide was with him, which made towing a 26’ boat a little easier.  However, it is dark, the river winds around bends and twists, with cross currents and eddies, and was not warm at all.

I went to help at the ramp and get the tie up squared away.  Then, I thought, this has got to be recorded so I went back to get my camera.  I took these two shots of the boat and the boat owner.

He went off to get his Porsche SUV and I asked the buddy what the guy’s name was.  Bradley Cooper.  Didn’t mean anything to me but the guy said that he’s a famous actor – Hangover, The Wedding Crashers ….  etc etc.

As a matter of pride, he wanted to do the whole swim without having to ring Sea Tow (although there’s no doubt he could afford it.)

It was an amazing effort to pull it off, and he was still laughing and joking when he got the boat on the car.   No sign of fatigue at all.  He was wearing a life jacket, which also shows quite a bit of common sense.

As you can see from photo #1, he is quite fit.  I can’t think of anyone who could do that swim, pulling a 26’ power boat with them and not hitting anything.  Phenomenal!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Cooper

Terry's Beer Tour of the World #6

Mythos

http://www.mythosbrewery.gr/index.asp?c=37

Greece

Nice crisp lager with light hops and reasonable sweetness (i.e. not much).

This is a new beer, first brewed in 1997, in Thessalonika.  They got a head start in the game because they’re part of the Carlsberg group, so it’s not like they had to do a trial and error period.

Had this with a most superb Lamb Shank lunch at St Demetrios’ Greek Festival in Fort Lauderdale.  It was the 33^rd annual running of the event.  A great Greek band, the Hellenic Band, kept us clapping and stamping, the children of the parish and the teens kept us entertained with folk dancing.  There were bakery sweets, and a look inside St Demetrios’ church itself.   Carol had the Lemon & Oreganato Chicken (I think that’s Greek for Oregano?).  ½ a small chicken cooked on an outdoor grill.  Wonderful stuff.  Getting in touch with my Greek roots, learning to sing and dance Greek-style.

Brooklyn Lager – 2^nd attempt. 

http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/beer/

New York

Thought it was more of an IPA back in Episode 4 and now I’m convinced.  Had a taster at Texas Hold ‘em BBQ last Friday night.  Didn’t like at all and switched back to Yeungling on tap.  Nice spare ribs and good fries but not much ambience in the place.

Hollandia

http://www.hollandiabeer.com/#/the-beer

Holland

Nice.  I particularly like the large can – glass and a half.  Good stuff.  The Dutch apparently like this one too.  Classic Middle European beer.  Can’t go wrong with this, but you’ll need to pour it to get away from the tinny taste.  Once it’s in a glass it’s superb.

Fort Lauderdale

We have discovered a place called the Riverside Market. It’s about 10 minutes from here by bike, up the North fork of the New River.  It has over 500 types of craft beer.  Even has Coopers, and to prove it’s not a place for dumbos, it doesn’t have Fosters or any of that other garbage.  Food is a bit ordinary but it’s not why people go there.  They have a nice old comfortable lounge, a few comfortable lounge chairs (that don’t match), tables, chairs and chairs outside so you can sit in the sun and have a beer or two.  You walk in, select a beer from the wall of fridges, open with an opener hanging from the roof and sit down.  When you’re ready to go, they come and add up your bottles.  Easy. They’re having a wine-and-beer tasting on Saturday night, $20 for 15 wines and 10 beers including snacks.  We’ve got an invite so we’re going.

https://www.facebook.com/riversidemarket

Famosa

http://www.centralbeer.com/famosa_beer.php

Guatemala

Nice. A bit of malt, some fizz and some bitterness.  Easy to drink.  Actually called Gallo in Guatemala, where it is the biggest seller but marketed o/s as Famosa. 

Red Brick Brown Ale

http://www.redbrickbrewing.com/?page=beers/beer_core

Atlanta Georgia

Quite rich – a lot of different flavours in this.  Liked a lot.  If anything, a bit much caramel but not excessive.   Great beer.

Beer Lao

http://www.beerlao.la/eng/main.php

Laos

Surprised that this was 4.9% as it had no flavor and nothing to recommend it.  Would be good on a hot day but so’s an umbrella.  Fizz, bubbles, water and alcohol.  Nothing else

Itaipava

http://www.curygroup1.com/

Brazil

Quite Ok but not one I’d try again.  A bit cloudy and nice enough.  I’d drink it in Brazil for sure as the local offering but there are others that are better.

Lagunitas Pils

http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/pilsner.html

California

Not good.  Not even sure they can call this a Pils.  They just can’t seem to stop whacking hops to excess in everything.  I tried their Pale Ale back in Episode 4 and didn’t like that.  The Pils wasn’t available then and I did say I’d try it before I dismissed the brewery.  Now I have and I do.

Polestar Pilsner

http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/beers/polestar-pilsner

Longmont Colorado

Another one from the Left Hand Brewing Company in Colorado.  Carol had this one and liked it.

Wine and beer tasting night at the Riverside Market Café

Krombacher Pils

http://www.krombacher.com/produkte/pils.php

Germany

Nice but a bit weak.  I would have expected a bit more strength with this.  They say it’s the best beer in Germany, by public acclamation, but I think beers like Spaten beat it hands down.

Flying Dog IPA

http://flyingdogales.com/beers/

Denver, Colorado

Good for an American IPA i.e. the current push is to overhop them but this wasn’t

Flying Dog Amber

The beer of the night.  Rich and creamy.  Liked this very much.  Bit of froth, lots of taste.  One to mark up on the more list.

Innis & Gunn Rum Cask

http://www.innisandgunn.com/the-range/rum-cask.aspx

Scotland

Interesting taste – definitely can taste the rum.

Well’s Banana Bread

http://www.wellsandyoungs.co.uk/home/our-beers/ales/wells-banana-bread-beer

England

I had this simply so that I didn’t dismiss it out of hand.  Not good. (It does taste and smell exactly like banana bread. C)

Rogue Chocolate Stout

http://www.rogue.com/beers/chocolate-stout.php

Newport, Oregon

Again, tried it because it was there but not a taste I would want to repeat.

Efes

http://www.efesforfun.com/enjoyefes.htm

Turkey.

Nice.  Easy to drink.  They run something like 16 breweries in the East (Moldavia has beer?).  Good.  Nice to know I won’t be going dry when we get to Turkey. 

La Tropical. 

http://www.cervezatropical.com/

Cuba

Excellent.  Happy to drink this often. Not prepared to tolerate Cuban bureaucracy to go there to drink it, though.

Shiner, Texas.

Well isn’t this now the pilgrimage place on the planet.  Has a population of only about 2,600 but has been brewing beer since 1909.  One of the few to continue through that disastrous Big Girl’s Blouse episode called Prohibition.  One of the few to come out the other side, too.  Pity we’re too far from Texas to go visit.

Shiner Dark Lager

http://www.shiner.com/main.php

Wonderful.  My new best beer in the world.  First thing I thought was that it was very reminiscent of  Lowenbrau Dark.  Lowenbrau is very hard to find and often goes missing from distribution due to dumb deals they do with idiots.  They did a deal with Miller in the US in the 90s and Miller repaid them by screwing around with the formula and driving sales into the dirt.  Since then, it has merged with Spaten (I didn’t know that until a few minutes ago but it explains why I like Spaten).  Now it’s not even shipping to the USA in any form.  I have a suspicion that whoever’s making this Shiner has had exposure to Lowenbrau Dark.  Wonderful stuff.

Shiner Reserve Kosmos

Not bad.  Good earthy taste, nice froth, crisp and NOT sweet.

Shiner Rye Lager

Ok but a little more like Diet Coke than beer.  Couldn’t detect a lot of a Rye taste.

Carib

http://us.caribbeer.com/product/

Trinidad. 

Dud bottle – flat, no fizz at all.  Gave it back and they disposed of it. Maybe production methods are a little lacking?

Innis & Gunn

http://www.innisandgunn.com/InnisGunn/home/Whats%20Happening/Irish%20Whiskey%20Cask%20launches.aspx

Scotland

Irish Whiskey Cask

A bit stronger than the Rum cask version I had the other night.  The whiskey taste is strong.  Nice for a one-off.

Narragansett Lager

http://www.narragansettbeer.com/products/lager

Rochester, New York

Good.  Would be happy to drink this all summer long.  Good froth, nice and crisp.

Down the Keys

This blog is just a quick photo tour. We decided to hire a car for a week while this last bit of boatwork is being finished, and head down the A1A to Key West.

Accommodation on Key West was either booked out or crazy expensive, so we stayed overnight in this great little Bed & Breakfast on Big Pine Key:

Great spot for stargazing and wildlife spotting, including Key Deer, very pretty and unafraid of people.

We took our folding bikes along, and these were an ideal way to see Key West the next day. Here's the southernmost point of the continental US, with lots of people lining up to take photos:

Duval St is where it all happens on Key West. It was buzzing with tourists, college kids on Spring Break and locals who looked like they hadn't moved from their barstools in the last twenty years.

Of course we had to do the pilgrimmage to Margaritaville. I'm glad Terry opted for the T shirt instead.

Saw Hemingway's house and his statue. Along with all the other monuments, he had been 'yarnbombed' by a local cancer charity.

The Key West Butterfly Garden was awesome.

We had a tasty Cuban pulled pork sandwich at Ana's Cuban Cafe, rode our bikes back to the beach, then drove 'home' to Fort Lauderdale via Miami in the most unbelievably dense and scary traffic either of us had ever seen - much worse than New York or LA. Sadly my camera battery ran out so there are no images of these experiences. Here are some baby alligators in the Everglades instead:

Down By the River - Florida Impressions

Come with me on a walk from the Las Olas shopping district along the New River waterfront to our boat, still parked at Cooley's Landing. It's only about two kilometres and it's a beautiful warm day with a light easterly off the ocean.

Las Olas is packed with people shopping in the boutiques and eating at sidewalk tables in dozens of restaurants. A woman in her late 60s wears designer casuals worth thousands and her hair is teased into a white-blonde halo. She proudly wheels a designer stroller, but it doesn't contain her grandchild; it's her designer dog, something white and fluffy wearing its own outfit in aquamarine and diamante.

On the waterfront, Spanish-speaking tourists are taking a photo of a basking iguana. Someone gets a little too close and it props itself up like a car raising its suspension. A little closer and it charges the crowd. Girls run squealing in their high heels.

On the water, a fishing skiff winds downriver. A happy shirtless guy is at the helm, singing along to loud reggae. His dog is poised, pointing, at the bow.

A homeless man collects coins from passers-by to feed his family of cats and ugly crossbred ducks.

More girls in impossible heels and painted-on pants, shiny hair-extensions and intricately detailed false nails loudly broadcast the intimacies of their lives on competing cellphones.

Towers of luxury condos overlook the beach, the canals and the river. Rooftop tropical gardens, pools, their own theatres and gyms. You can get one for just $160,000 at the moment, a fraction of what they would cost at home. For a million you can buy a waterfront house with your own dock.

A band of young Cuban guys with jaunty hats and a bit of swagger check out the girls. They take their work-outs seriously, these handsome boys.

Lizards with curly tails skitter off the path.

Docked beside us, Sheldon's boat is his home but it won't see the ocean again. The sail-covers are black with mould, and oysters and barnacles are inches thick on the hull. Sheldon is 91 and alone apart from his ginger cat, but back in the 30s, he used to make movies.

The great rusty rail bridge groans, shudders and clangs down into place. Then there is a long anticlimactic silence as no train comes.

And here we are back home on Common Sense. The work is almost complete and we should be ready to leave the US in a couple of days.