Preparations, First Travels & Adventures Ahead
Bahamas 2026 started with 4 1/2 days of provisioning and preparing the boat - Uno Mas - for our Bahamas adventure. Gary and I worked Sunday - Thursday loading up food, water, snacks, supplies, gear, etc. for three months away from port. Looking ahead to the weather for crossing to the Islands, Sunday appeared to be the best weather window, meaning we needed to leave our home port of Fort Myers on Friday to make the 2-day crossing through Lake Okeechobee. Friday, January 16, we cast off at 7:45am in 40 degree temps, headed up the Caloosahatchee Canal. We traveled 71.4 miles and stopped for the night at the Clewiston Marina where we met (salty) Sam, a former marine who takes his job checking in traveling mariners very seriously. A quick breakfast in the marina and we were again underway at 7:45 on Saturday, crossing Lake Okeechobee and onward to the Jupiter Inlet. Upon learning that the inlet was not a good one to exit, we conti...