Travel Through the Bahamas on a Harley-Davidson

By Peter & Kay Forwood

The Bahamas on a Harley (30/4/03 - 2/5/03)
Distance 62 km (328300 km to 328362 km)

This is part of the ninth section of our around the world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map

Coming from  Dominican Republic
 

30/4/03 There was no wind and we motored towards the island of Grand Inagua in the Bahamas sharing the overnight watch. The captain, Leonard and Elsa (the new passengers) fished along the way, trolling four lures but without success until the afternoon when a dorado, about a metre long struck and with a couple of surface splashes was brought alongside but the hook pulled free before it was aboard. A couple of hours later a yellow finned tuna was landed, by Leonard, 16.7 kg. A raw fish delicacy he and the captain were eating slices as it was being filleted.One of the two new passengers lands a tuna We were anchored up, cleared customs and immigration and had permission from the police to use the motorcycle for a couple of days. Unfortunately the public wharf was too shallow but we will ask at the commercial wharf tomorrow. My relationship with the captain has deteriorated further to the extent that we are not enjoying the boat. A clash of personalities, each of us too independent?

1/5/03 We radioed the salt company to use their small wharf but as the electricity ashore was out we could not contact them. We were however finally given permission, by a man on the wharf, to unload the motorcycle. A lucky occurrence as we were later advised that permission to use the private wharf is not usually given and this was our only option on the island. The salt company produces a million tons of salt a year, highly mechanized, with enormous stockpiles. The bike easily unloaded, a quick check by police and we were heading out to the eastern shore for a picnic lunch. The island has the highest concentration of flamingo's in the world, boasting 60,000, we saw a few hundred, large deeply coloured birds.Grand Inagua, its only industry, sea salt Another dirt road to another beach where a few locals were returning with their catch of grouper, crayfish and lambi (conch meat). We bought a decent sized cray and were later informed by the seller it was out of season so be careful. The afternoon was spent atop the old stone light house surveying the almost swampy, flat island. The bike reloaded in the evening and we were hurried to leave before dark, heading for Jamaica.

2/5/03 Still no wind, under power, rotating three four hour shifts of two people we motored uneventfully all night and today. The only excitement a pod of pilot whales on the still waters and a few coastal freighters in the night.
 

Move with us to Jamaica
 

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