Swift

Sailing to Honeymoon Harbor, Bimini Islands

February 12, 2017
We departed Bimini Sands Marina at high tide and headed to the Sapona wreck, 3 miles away. We checked out the wreck but decided it was too choppy to snorkel and continued on to Honeymoon Harbor, an additional 2 more miles south. Wow, 5 miles in one day! We watched literally every single cruising boat that had been in the Bimini Islands head out across the Banks, most of them headed for Nassau. I wondered if we were making the right decision to stay in the Bimini chain - if everyone else is leaving, surely it's because it's better somewhere else?

We arrived at Honeymoon Harbor off Gun Cay and chased off our favorite Canadians. They had clearly seen us coming and activated the emergency Independence avoidance strategy: raise the anchor and leave. We had previously chased them out of three spots in Key Largo. They thought they'd be able to shake us by sailing to a foreign country; they tried to find an obscure anchorage, but we hunted them down!  
Drone shot: Lagoon 380 sail catamaran at anchor, Honeymoon Harbor, Gun Cay, Bimini Islands, Bahamas
Honeymoon Harbor anchorage with Great Bahama Bank to the east
We dinghyed to shore and were followed by sting rays. "Give us food!" they said. Hastings filled them in on how stingy we are with food rations, and they left. (Actually, Hastings completely ignores any marine life). Fisherman clean their catch here, so the sting rays follow boats around hoping for food.
Dinghy with stingrays, sailboat at anchor, Honeymoon Harbor, Gun Cay, Bimini Islands, Bahamas
Hastings pretending there are no sting rays
Stingrays at Honeymoon Harbor, Gun Cay, Bimini Islands, Bahamas
Sting rays and Independence
Lagoon 380 sail catamaran at anchor, Honeymoon Harbor beach, Bahamas
Honeymoon Harbor Beach
Honeymoon Harbor Beach
While snorkeling, I saw a bull shark and decided to get closer to get footage for Matt. Then the shark seemed to turn towards me and swimming after a shark seemed like a very bad idea. Then I turned to swim back to the boat, and I couldn't see the shark any more, and it could be tracking me to eat me out of boredom, and it seemed like the worst idea ever. 
GoPro photos make everything look small :-)
We paddle boarded through clear waters. We watched devil rays jump. We took a time lapse of sunset and were really bummed when a trawler motored right in front of us and parked themselves on top of our anchor. We cheered ourselves up with a "1st anchorage" cocktail and laid on the trampolines looking at a billion stars.
Paddle boarding, Honeymoon Harbor, Bimini Islands
Paddle boarding around Honeymoon Harbor 
Paddling with a sting ray, Honeymoon Harbor, Bimini Islands
Paddling with a sting ray through swimming pool clear waters 
Paddle boarding, Honeymoon Harbor, Gun Cay, Bimini Islands
Paddling to Honeymoon Harbor beach

At some point, the wind shifted to the west and an ocean swell rolled in. We're learning about ocean swells and swift currents here in the Bahamas! Matt did an anchor watch, glaring at the trawler that was shifting around over our anchor, trapping us. All's well that ends well and at sunrise they departed with no harm done. Yesterday, we couldn't imagine ever wanting to leave this beautiful paradise with it's all around reef. Today, we couldn't wait to leave this washing machine anchorage surrounded by a now dangerous reef. Our imagination has been expanded.

Regardless of the rude weather change, our very first anchorage was unbelievable! 
Gun Cay Lighthouse, Bimini Islands, Bahamas
Gun Cay Lighthouse in the background

Check out our 3 minute video on Honeymoon Harbor! We paddle board with stingrays, take lots of drone footage including rays and a shark, and I take some underwater snorkel shots. Enjoy!

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8 comments

  1. A bull shark is one of the only things that will get me out of the water, even while scuba diving.

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    1. Wow! I keep telling myself that they have plenty of other things to eat here, and the water is clear so they know I'm a person. No one was spearing or chumming, so that was a big plus.

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  2. Happy First Anchorage! It looks amazing . . . and to have it all to yourselves most of the day, is even better.

    Stephanie @ SV CAMBRIA

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    1. Such a beautiful spot - we were really lucky to have such great weather that day as it's been windy ever since!

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  3. Beautiful photos! We have never been to the Bimini group, so please, explore them all for us. :-)

    Bull sharks can be dangerous; I would stay clear of them. It is so annoying when other boats lay on top of your anchor. Luckily, the wind often shifts enough that the situation "clears" and usually, no damage is done, but still, not being able to leave and pick up the anchor in an emergency if needed, is stressful. We eased up about it a bit the longer we cruised, but always kept a close eye on things.

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    1. I'm certainly wishing I could "ease up" a little! Matt is much for chill and lenient with stressful situations and other boaters.... and if it wasn't one thing, it would be another, wouldn't it?!

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  4. I can't believe that Hastings was so disinterested in the stingrays. There's nothing worse than having to be on anchor watch all night worrying that some boat is going to hit you and not being able to escape.

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    1. He's never interested in marine life. I think it's so far removed from his land life he just can't comprehend that there's creatures in the ocean!

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