Land Fall in Little San Salvador, Bahamas.

Chart Plotter of Little San Salvador

Chart Plotter of Little San Salvador, Large Triangle is a Cruise Ship.

AKA Half Moon Cay

AKA Half Moon Cay

San Salvador / My Salvation!

San Salvador / My Salvation!

After over 1,200 nautical miles and over 2,000 km from NYC, 6.5 days on the Atlantic Ocean, 300nm / 500km offshore at one point, we made it to the Bahamas. We consumed less than 1/2 of our fuel, 50 litres / 15 gallons, 1/4 of our water 100 litres / 25 gallons. No one was hurt, very little minor damages sustained. I’d say better than par for the course.

Swimming with Cruise Ship.

Swimming with Cruise Ship.

We can now start to enjoy the crystal clear waters of this amazing boaters play ground. Little San Salvador, nestled between Cat Cay and Eleuthera Island was one of the islands considered to be the place that Christopher Columbus first set foot on North American firma Terra. Now owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines and renamed Half Moon Cay, it is a stop this cruise ship line makes regularly.

There are staff and an Island manager, you can hail them on channel 9 or 13, and ask permission to come ashore. They are friendly to yachtsmen of all varieties. They ask you anchor to the north west part of the beach, so as to leave lots of room for the cruise ships when they anchor. They have turned it into a touristic amusement park, not what you normally find in the Bahamas, but for us, we are just happy to set foot on firm ground! It is set up for the all inclusive cruise ship cruisers, not our variety. So there are bars and restaurants themed after pirates and Christopher Columbus. There is no cash exchanged on the island, it is all part of your Norwegian Cruise line package, so they did not want us partaking in the plunder. When we arrived there was already a cruise ship anchored, and thousands of guests on the beach and enjoying various water sports, banana boat rides, water skiing, glass bottom boat, etc, etc…

The island manager said, we can come ashore at 3PM. We arrived and anchored at about 11 am, this gave us time, to have a nice swim off the back of the boat, have a BBQ lunch and set up the dinghy for our true land fall.

SPOT CONNECT Messenger. – “BD anchored in the Bahamas, 6.5 days from NYC

http://www.findmespot.com/mylocation/?id=Ehdi7/24.58136N/75.95993W

Blk Diamond anchored in the sun set.

Blk Diamond anchored in the sun set.

After a lovely day at the beach we were guided back to the mother ship by a dolphin, so surreal. We chilled on the boat, had some dinner, while we wait for Fortune’s favour to catch up. They arrived about 10pm, we lifted anchor and sailed overnight to Georgetown in Exumas. We arrived just after sun rise. It was a heavy sail, lots of winds, large swells, and a very large rain fall. At least the boat is clean now from the salt. We anchored just outside of town and readying to go see the customs office.

 

s/v Black Diamond

With almost 30,000 Nautical miles of experience and 1,800+ sea days and nights on the water. (1,800 sea days is like 5 years on the water, 365 days a year!) I am an RYA Skipper and ICC International Competent Captain, currently working on my RYA Yacht Master with a Commercial endorsement for a 200 ton vessel. My qualifications include; MED A2 Emergency Safety at Sea, Helicopter Rescue, Life raft deployment and use, Offshore Rescue and Fire Fighting at Sea, etc, STCW Code A-VI/1-3, Canadian Equivalent Marine First Aid and CPR/AED. I am an Open Water Certified diver and completed various CYA & Canadian Power and Sail Squadron certifications which include Power/Sailboat handling, Seamanship Sail, Piloting/charting, CYA Coastal Navigation, GPS Navigation, Extended Offshore Cruising, VHF Radio operation license and a Toronto Harbour License. I am now providing skippered charters and yacht deliveries globally, including crew positions for offshore passages. However, my specialities are the Bahamas, US East Coast, The Great Lakes, Welland Canal, Erie Canal and the Adriatic Sea, Croatia, looking to add Greece. Feel free to contact me at [email protected]

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1 Response

  1. Artem says:

    HI Captain,
    Congratulations !!!!
    Very glad to see these pictures knowing that you made it
    Have a good time bad boys and girls , while i’m working hard now in damn office 😉
    Artem

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