New Horizon at West End

NH leaves West Palm Beach at 5pm leaving behind the many small vessels beached on Peanut Island where they had a day filled with the ocean breeze and the warm sunshine. We filled up with water and fuel, secured any loose items down below , as we expect the journey to be a little sloppy especially for the first hour. The seas were predicted to be 2 to 4 foot waves with winds up to 19 knots, for the first hour or two , and then gradually reducing. We had brightness until shortly after sunset and then it was pitch black as the moon was low and hidden behind some dark clouds. Nana had to work very had on her Ujjayi breathing during this period and was unable to go outside due to the spray, wind and choppy seas. After about two hours Nana donned her life jacket and went outside and sat in the cockpit which provided some distraction. It was fascinating to watch the stars that occasionally were able to pop through the clouds and so crystal clear without the light pollution. The darkness was both terrifying and amazing at the same time. The radar picked up clearly any boats that were also cruising and the AIS - automatic identification system - is essential to prevent any collision courses. Nandad was very comfortable behind the helm however Nana found it quite nauseous in the pilot house looking out into blackness. She did much better once the moon finally opened up through the clouds to provide that natural light. The seas calmed somewhat after about 8pm and at a steady speed of 13 knots we could see Grand Bahamas in the distance at around 9.30 pm. Nana was much relieved to realize that we would be in a safe harbor within the hour. Nandad did a fantastic job navigating into the harbor in the dark using the big search light that sits right beside the GPS on the top of the boat. We were docked and settled in by 11 pm and after a wonderful cup of peppermint tea Nana felt normal once again. 

Nandad hoisting the quarantine flag before we check into customs and immigration