A good move IMHO. We’re in Great Harbour in Berry’s at a friends dock. They were scheduled to fly back to the US on Friday. I guess they’re not leaving. We came prepared to stay until May or ....?
We heard that 4 recreational boats from the US checked into Bimini last night. Hopefully they’ll stay there.
Soldier Cay is the first anchorage heading south, about 7 miles north of Cabbage. Not the best protection from east swell or anything but east wind. Currently very nice since weather should be calm for several days.
...and fresh lobster for dinner.
Got it. Where next? Through Porgee and down to Exuma?
Not sure yet. Will stay in Berry’s for a while. Plan was for Eleuthera, then middle Exumas before returning to US. Now thinking we would go to Exumas first until cold fronts start to taper off.
...are going to let you travel all over the Bahamas...
So your thought is that they are going to let you travel all over the Bahamas like nothing has happened?
I wouldn't be counting on that.
Just as other cruisers in the Bahamas, we are not planning to travel ‘like nothing has happened’, rather will strictly follow Bahamian guidelines and mandates.
We have been cruising for 6 weeks, cleared Bahamian customs/immigration 10 days ago and have been at anchor since. Currently at least a mile from 4 other US and Canadian boats. Sufficient for ‘social distancing’? We have fuel, food, water and supplies for 60-90 days, including what’s necessary to return to the US, and do not intend to be a burden.
The Bahamas consist of 100’s of small islands/cays, most uninhabited and separated by lots of water. Easy to be as anti-social as you wish.
The Bahamians are concerned with minimizing social contact and the devastating loss off tourism. We are meeting the first concern and helping a little with the second.
Just as other cruisers in the Bahamas, we are not planning to travel ‘like nothing has happened’, rather will strictly follow Bahamian guidelines and mandates.
We have been cruising for 6 weeks, cleared Bahamian customs/immigration 10 days ago and have been at anchor since. Currently at least a mile from 4 other US and Canadian boats. Sufficient for ‘social distancing’? We have fuel, food, water and supplies for 60-90 days, including what’s necessary to return to the US, and do not intend to be a burden.
The Bahamas consist of 100’s of small islands/cays, most uninhabited and separated by lots of water. Easy to be as anti-social as you wish.
The Bahamians are concerned with minimizing social contact and the devastating loss off tourism. We are meeting the first concern and helping a little with the second.
No sense in letting a pandemic interfere with your vacation plans.
I wonder what will happen in a month or two when there are hundreds of deaths on the islands and locals process the fact that the virus was brought to them by tourists?
Now then, be nice guys. I figure it is as good a social distancing as you can get being self-sufficient aboard a boat, so cruising from bay to bay is going to threaten no-one.
I wonder what will happen in a month or two when there are hundreds of deaths on the islands and locals process the fact that the virus was brought to them by tourists?
Hey Woodland, you are not up at Cumberland tonight are you?
That thought has been running my head, too.
And, watching all the boaters who flaunted their rules, running for home for treatment, while leaving the Bahamians to cope with it with their very limited hospital resources.
Sigh. Once again. Cruisers are following Bahamian requirements, not ‘flaunting’ their rules. Currently, non-critical businesses are closed and, except for a few hours a day, a curfew is in effect. 10 cases of virus to date, 9 on New Providence and 1 on Grand Bahama.
“ON A BOAT IN BAHAMAS NOW: If you are in the Bahamas with a cruising permit, you are allowed to stay in the country until your visa expires. However, in communities, you are encouraged to stay on your boat except for going ashore for necessities like food and fuel or medical assistance.”
President of Exumas Chamber of Commerce:
“No tourists can come in obviously and the ones that are here are mostly boaters,” he said. We have a very large community here. I spoke to a boater on Monday and they were preparing to leave but decided to stay. It was no big deal.”