Day 2

Downtown Nassau from deck 12

By 7am when we awoke to the alarm , that's 4 am in Victoria, we were already docked in the Bahamas. After struggling to get up at such an ungodly hour, we had a quick breakfast on the Lido deck and started our hunt for the gangplank to get ashore. It was one of those "you can't get there from here" experiences. But success, by 9 am we were on land and starting our guided tour of historical Nassau.

The Bahamas have been a sovereign nation since 1973, prior to that they were part of Great Britain. 700 islands make up. The Bahamas, although only 49 are inhabited New Providence ( Island and country capital), the island Nassau is on, has two forts, Fort Fincastle and Fort Charlotte. Both were carved out of the limestone by slaves back in the late 1700"s in preparation for an expected attack by France. However, Napoleon never made it and the British eventually took the cannons back to Great Britain.

Fort Fincastle

Our guide Audredge was telling us even though there is crime in the Bahamas there is one crime that has never taken place, according to him there has never been a train robbery. I thought that was very interesting, and unique. A drive through Cable Beach subdision and past the US Embassy, provided views of large, fenced, gated homes and gardens. The driver was entertaining, informative and even though he was sitting on the right hand side of the van, and driving on the left hand side of the road, was in complete control. Stop signs and speed signs seem to be mere suggestions. The government ministies of Health and Education as well as the College of The Bahamas were on the route as we returned to the harbour via the ghetto.

Today is a stat holiday so few opportunities for shopping arose. Back at the harbour we had a good view of Atlantis (on Paradise Island), and then in early afternoon we set sail again,

Atlantis on Paradise Island

Tomorrow we have a day at sea as we head 1,100 miles to the southeast to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.