Morning bike and run to explore the "capital" of Grand Bahama - well, we saw a few houses along the waterside road.....and then headed back - maybe there was more down the Queen's Highway - who knows?!

Cleared customs and slipped the lines just before mid-day - over to the fuel dock. Unfortunately as we cast off on the short stern spring against the wind the mooring line caught on the dock piling, we were back on the dock, two more attempts to leave and we finally got away - not without losing a fending, pulling the life ring off the stanchion and a long dock "bruise" on the port side! Fender recovered (thrown by a passerby into the water for us) and we were finally away - not one of our finest departures - we felt a little bruised ourselves!! The Bahama courtesy flag - equally battered by wind and use finally came down....

Out into the Strait of Florida, corrected heading for the Gulf Stream effect and a fresh easterly breeze to drive us at 8 knots with a goose winged genoa under blue skies! Sunset and sundowners restored our sense of equilibrium with the boat as darkness crept upon us.