Checked in and Checked Out

We had very little trouble checking in to the Bahamas today. The Customs and Immigration people here in Alice Town could not have been nicer to us. Since this is our first time checking in to a foreign port aboard Double Wide, I had no idea what to expect. Having read horror stories from other cruisers, Michelle and I were a bit nervous, but we entered in to the experience with patience, good humor, and humility.

Until proven otherwise, I choose to believe that most humans want to be treated with dignity and respect. I showed up at the customs office dressed in long pants, deck shoes, and a collared shirt. I addressed the officers with “Mam” and “Sir”, and I thanked them for allowing us to visit their wonderful country. It may sound corny, but the folks here helped me through the process and we were done in almost no time at all.

Back aboard Double Wide, I had to make a quick repair to the water muffler on the generator and we wanted to top off the fuel tanks. Once the chores were done, we took our dinghy ashore and walked the town, then stopped at a local bar for a couple of rum drinks and some conch fritters.

Back aboard the boat now, we’re all set to leave tomorrow at sun up for a 10 hour run to West End, Grand Bahama. That puts us at the entrance to the Abacos (finally).