7 May - Day 65. Reefs and shoals, the prudent skipper stays clear of them. In Navy parlance however 'reefs and shoals' also refers to the hazards of bureaucracy. We do our best to stay in deep water but sometimes there's no choice. That's how we found ourselves in Marsh Harbour's Immigration Office this morning. Nellie can stay here a year with no questions asked while her crew is given a maximum of 90 days. Upon entry at West End, Grand Bahama Island, our mistake was only asking for 40 days. Now with 10 days still left on our visas we're facing a bureaucrat begging for more. Gone are the welcoming smiles and "How do you do?". Clearly we're asking for a lot as stern faces, consultation with higher-ups and much more paperwork are required. In fact, it felt more like a petition for parole than a visa extension. We got another 40 days and were happy to leave the reefs and shoals of the Immigration Office. After re-provisioning, getting some spares, and picking-up John, we head north at full speed to Spoil Bank Cay (just south of Whale Cay and west of the north end of Great Guana Cay). A few years ago a 30' deep channel was dredged in this area with the hope that cruise lines would come to the Sea of Abaco. Unfortunately the seas at "The Whale" were impassable so often that the cruise lines abandoned their plans and now reportedly take their passengers to Nassau. The spoils from the dredging operation left behind a new island: Spoil Bank Cay. We can testify that it is great for shelling and very pretty. At anchor in Fischer's Bay, Great Guana Cay, Abacos. 21nm today: 1492nm total. DBH
