Burntside Adventures: Lucaya

The past 5 days we have been at Lucaya, the port area of Freeport. The weather for crossing to the Berry Islands hasn't been prohibitive but there has been lots to do here and it looks like Monday and most of next week will be pretty flat. We have spent some time with the Janecek's. Had happy hour with them and lunch the next day. Yesterday we took the dinghy, long with them, outside the harbor to the next entrance, to the Grand Lucayan Canal, a 7 mile canal that transects Grand Bahama Island. It was dug in the 1960's for the purpose of opening up water access real estate to boost the economy. It didn't work. The canal was completed but the economic downturn in the 1970's blocked the goals. There is big hotel built long it that was never completed and has no windows. Other parts of it are little spooky with abandoned houses. But it was an interesting side trip. Right now our plan weather permitting is to cross to the Berry's early Monday. It is a 60 mile, 8 hour jaunt south. The wind is supposed to kick up late afternoon on Monday, so we need to leave early, and then it looks like we will get pretty good lee on the west side of the islands. If things go well, will stay there and explore for several days. Boat and equipment is all running great. We hooked up with a different internet access that gives us unlimited data at really good speed, as long as we are within BTC cell tower range and can get their signal, so even when we get to the southern islands we will be able to stream the Wild games.