Though not particularly steep, the waves appeared to be as tall as our mast, and we were swallowed up in the troughs and completely blanketed from the wind. Therefore, we sheeted our sails in tight, and we motor sailed the next 14 hours to reach the Bahamas. Our landfall was Cat Cay, but we couldn't see much since it was already nighttime. In addition, there were few lights onshore as much of the island had been damaged by the full brunt of Hurricane Andrew. Not wanting to risk hitting any reefs, we anchored near the shore and rolled uneasily until daylight.
Nothing can prepare one for the Bahamas after the bleakness of the open ocean.
From the dark magenta water of the Gulf Stream, you are welcomed to paradise by the crystal clear turquoise waters and the fine white sandy beaches of the Bahamas. Clearing customs was not a problem since there was a customs officer at Cat Cay. It even proved to be a bit comical since the portly officer that came to clear us was afraid to inspect such a small boat. We insisted that he come onboard, but he refused, fearing that his ample weight might tip over our diminuative craft. So, in no time, we received our clearance papers, and we headed off towards Bimini, our first major town in the Bahamas.