Merry Christmas, but Where is the Land?!

After terrible crossing and a rough night we arrived nearby South Riding Rock which was marking the entry across the reef to the Great Bahama Banks. In the lee of this rock we made a rest stop to recover from the pounding of our lives the night before. Besides dryness in our mouth and tiredness in our bodies we were all right and lived to tell the tale. We acquired some experience while crossing the Gulf Stream: never attempt such a passage with a North-Easter blowing away. We were told that before, I think, but now we know it for a fact. We spend the rest of the day recovering and anchored for the night in vicinity of those few rocks sticking out of the crystal, blue waters. It wasn't comfortable anchorage but we were too tired to continue.

The next day we kept going towards North-Western Channel. It was quite an experience to move across beautiful banks in the Bahamas for the first time. We were running around like kids looking with great amusement on the sea bottom that appeared to be barely inches under the keel and depth sounder that was telling us something different. The clarity of the water was amazing allowing you to observe patterns of the sand, scattered star fish and shells dozens of feet under the water.

We weren't going to far today anticipating quite an event: first Christmas on the boat for both of us, with no land in sight. To get in the spirit of it all, we got the snorkeling gear out and took a dive in the crystal clear and refreshing sea. Then, nicely dressed, we prepared our Christmas dinner. We searched the corners of the boat for the best food we could find. We had shrimps (from the can), crab meat and other goodies - even some tomatoes. For this occasion we opened bottle of wine, Johannes chipping the cork away with his knife.

Because both of us are Europeans we would celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. And for these celebrations we've made a special table in the cockpit. Sure it was only an upside-down milk crate with piece of plywood on top, but it was covered with tea towel and the table was sporting couple of shiny candles. The sunset was beautiful, reflecting on the water as far as the eye can see. Our thoughts were with our families, of course. All this beauty around, exciting adventures aside, we're just couple of guys missing our friends and family wishing that for a moment we could be somewhere else.

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