We have been in the Bimini since last Thursday, almost a week.  It looks like it will be another week before we can leave due to strong winds out of the east, which we would be motoring right into.  While we aren’t complaining, two weeks at a marina was not in our budget.  This will be the last marina we stay at until we return to the States, unless we stop in Nassau where anchoring is difficult in the strong current.

Yesterday Cindy from Island Bound and I took her dinghy to North Bimini to buy a few groceries. We went to one of the larger stores, Roberts Grocery, which is similar to a very small convenience store.  For $5.50, I got two huge tomatoes, some Romaine lettuce, a green pepper and a red pepper.  I thought that was quite reasonable. There are no prices on most of the items, so it’s a surprise when you check out.  Of course you can ask the prices, but you quickly learn what is expensive here and hope you brought enough of that item with you.

I also wanted to check on getting an unlocked aircard.  Apparently if you have one you can buy data plans (5 GB for $40 for a month) from the telephone company Batelco.  That is less than we pay for 5 GB on our Sprint aircard in the States. This was not available in the areas of the Bahamas we visited last time,  but since we didn’t know about it we didn’t get an unlocked aircard before we left Florida.  A woman at Batelco told me to go a few blocks to the Internet Store where a lady could sell us one.  Cindy and I walked several blocks down the main street and when we got to the store the sign on the door said “Open.”  However, it was locked and no one was there.  A lady across the street called out from her window that the owner of the store was on an errand and would be “right back.”  We waited about 15 minutes and no one came so we started to walk back to the dinghy.  A minute later we heard the same lady call to us that the owner had returned. We went back and she said her friend wasn’t able to send her any unlocked aircards (not sure where her friend lives) but we should check back later in the week.  I don’t know why Batelco doesn’t sell them.  This is typical of how the businesses are run here.  Once you get used to it, it doesn’t bother you. In fact, there is a very laid back, relaxed atmosphere here which is a wonderful change. 

We usually time our afternoon walk to get back on the boat before sunset when the no-see-ums come out. Today the wind picked up and blew them away so we walked over to the west side of the marina/resort and sat at the edge of the infinity pool to watch the sunset.  In the photos above, you can’t tell but at the edge of the pool, there is a steep drop off to the ocean below.  Daisy is standing in the glow of the setting sun. 

After we walk on the beach, of course our feet are sandy.  We stop at a boat ramp  in the marina and wade into the water to rinse off the sand.  Daisy has the system down and runs into the water on her own.  She still has to get a little fresh water sprayed on her feet and legs after we get back to the boat but she usually gets most of the sand off herself.

There are a lot of sea creatures living in the marina, mainly in a moat that runs outside of the actual marina waters.  Today we saw a nurse shark, about 4 1/2 ft, and a very large sting ray.  I couldn’t get a clear photo of the shark but the ray, about five feet across,  was very cooperative and posed for my  camera.

We keep planning to take the kayaks over to North Bimini or in the marsh behind us.  While the wind on the ocean is about 15 kts, in here there is just a comfortable breeze.  Perhaps we’ll do it tomorrow.  Or maybe we’ll do it the next day.