We did it! We got out of the harbor and made the crossing to the Bahamas (and back…of course). After three days preparing, fueling and provisioning the Independence she was ready to leave her slip at the Bluffs Marina in Jupiter, Florida on the morning of Saturday, October 13th, 2018. A few days prior to our departure our friends at Nordhavn offered to provide us with a licensed Captain and we said “of course and thank you!”. So, our sturdy crew, of two Captains (Larry and Dan) and Chris Adams (fearless member of the Tuesday Night, LLC mountain bike club) and myself left the harbor and made the crossing in approximately eight hours. We docked at Old Bahama Bay Marina at West End. The crossing was relatively uneventful with minor issues relating to our auto pilot navigation system (ultimately resolved on our return crossing). Larry and Dan discussed the finer points of the navigation systems and Chris and I learned the art of chart reading and plotting along with the handling and use of lines and fenders. Eventually, we all had time at the helm to keep a watchful eye on that gorgeous blue-green water. We checked in with immigration at the customs office and stayed the night at Old Bahama Bay. The next day we navigated a very shallow area (a different kind of cardio workout) by Memory Rock into the Little Bahama Bank. A five hour cruise brought us to our anchorage at Great Sale Cay. There we learned anchoring techniques, laying chain and diving the anchor. The following day (another five hour cruise) brought us to our final stop at Green Turtle Bay Marina in the Abaco Islands. Captain Dan Collins left us on our own at that point…thank you Dan, we all learned so much. The remaining two days were spent exploring Green Turtle Cay by rented golf cart and our tender. I can’t say enough about the amazingly friendly people of the Bahamas, the beguiling wildlife and the gorgeous views, sunrises and sunsets. Hopefully the following pictures will give you an idea of how special and lovely the Bahamas are. The return trip was played in reverse, with repeats at Great Sale Cay and Old Bahama Bay. The return crossing was a bit more ‘active’ as the swells were about five to six feet and the weather was getting a bit on the windy side. Larry did an awesome job and got us back to the slip in seven hours. Thank you Chris for helping us shake-down the Independence. We look forward to more cruises with you and Sue!