The Gulf Stream is legendary. Think of Winslow Homer's painting, The Gulf Stream. Think of Hemingway. Think of why there are palm trees in Ireland. The Gulf Stream is bigger than all the rivers of the world combined. Little sea turtles hatching in Florida are carried along the East Coast of the United States, over to Europe and then back to their original homes, several years later. However, the distance from Miami to Bimini is only 50 miles, crossing the stream - what's so hard about that?
As the date for departure to the Bahamas drew near, we started to check in with the National Weather Service each day, If the wind is from the north, you can't go because the current runs against the wind creating high waves. They say to look out to sea and if it looks like elephants marching across the horizon - don't go! If the wind is blowing hard any direction then it will be lumpy. We started to obsess. Day after day the wind was either from the north or too gusty. There are chapters in cruising guides about crossing, there are web sites to join and experts you can pay. It is harder than I thought!
Finally, a weather window appeared. It was going to blow 10 -15 knots from the SE. That seemed pretty good so we made plans. We left the Crandon Marina in Miami long before dawn and headed out. The west wall of the Gulf Stream is 5 miles off the coast at this point but as soon as we entered it, things got tough. The current rapidly started to take us north so to compensate we had to turn south, against the wind. We were pounding so hard that we were only making 2.5 knots over the bottom and we would not make Bimini at that rate. It was hard but we decided to turn back.
Several days later a series of calm days were predicted. It's good to wait for one day to let the seas calm down. This time we weren't taking chances. We anchored the boat at the southern tip of Key Biscayne to get even closer and this time we left at 3:30 AM! When dawn appeared we were in the Gulf Stream, gliding along with ideal, calm conditions. The water was an amazing azure blue. As we neared Bimini and the eastern wall of the stream we caught a lovely, 4 pound blackfin tuna on the line that we were trolling. We had sushi for midmorning snack and a fabulous panko fried tuna fillet for lunch. As we neared the edge of the stream the water had a definite edge - blue on one side and turquoise on the other side.
Dawn on the Gulf Stream
As it got lighter the incredible blue revealed itself.
Perfect, calm conditions
Our Blackfin Tuna
and lunch, two hours later.
The line where the water changed from azure blue...
to turquoise!
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