Day 1: For our Thanksgiving celebration this year we decided to take a trip over to Freeport. We had heard the good reviews from Rob and Linda and John’s trip was a smashing success as well, so it was our turn.  We came over to the Sheraton Our Lucaya, a sister property to the Westin, as it was significantly cheaper and you could still use all the amenities on both properties.

All of you from Florida know  we have had this little cold snap running through the area the past few days. While we all think of the Bahamas as warm and sunny, trust me when I tell you that the Bahama Breeze blows cool through the islands.  We made a mid-morning departure from X14 – just before 9 a.m. Wild Mama was in good form and with the cool morning and clean spark plugs, she was raring to go. We filed IFR as the weather channel showed some strange cloud formations just off the coast.

The morning air was fresh, the climb out was rapid and, by golly, we even caught a 10 kt tailwind. We leveled off at 5,000’ following the airway over PHK and PBI and only BR63 to cross the pond. The whole trip was to take only 1:05. The Bahamas are known for the “severe clear” skies . . . I suppose that is under the ceiling.  As we crossed HALBI intersection we were directed to maintain 4000’ which put us squarely in the cloud layer which we had seen on the weather channel and through the front windshield. Approach called for us to do the VOR 6 approach and handed us off to the tower who put # 2 for landing behind a Caravan. As we dropped below 2,700’ the cloud layer broke and we had a beautiful visual landing on 6.

Customs and Immigration in Freeport was a snap. I walked up to the lady at the desk and she told me the pilot needed to come in to fill out the arrival forms (2 pages of which we snagged spare copies for everyone coming with us in January 07). I smiled politely and tried to put my “pilot-looking” face back on. In less time than it has taken you to read this trip report, the paperwork was done for the plane and the passengers and we were on to secure the plane and pay the landing fees.

Here is where all pilots (whether you look like one or not) need to pay attention. . . BRING ROPE!  Tie down lines are made for low wings in some of the spaces. We squeezed in a very packed parking lot and secured Wild Mama for the weekend. Since we already had the prop lock and throttle lock, we used them along with the cover and the usual stuff. Neatly secured, Vern and I went on to schlep out stuff through the customs trailer and out the front door to our waiting cab.

OK, here is another opportunity to pay attention:  As much as I have traveled in my life –all over the world – you would think that this would not have been as issue, but it was one of not thinking ahead, if nothing more. BRING SMALL BILLS. A pile of $100’s will do you no good as you start getting back Bahamian change. The landing fee for the single engine was $20; the cab $22; tips another $7.

The Sheraton Lucaya is a lovely resort. There are all sorts of activities which, apparently, change from month to month. It is a sister  property of the Westin but older and, consequently, lesser expensive, but you share all the same amenities. Even though our arrival was quite early to the hotel (about 11:00 a.m.) we checked in immediately, unloaded our stuff in our room and headed off for our first priority – lunch. We settled on the Prop Club (go figure) and were quite pleased with our selection. The décor was a mix of Airplane meets Gilligan’s Island with some disasters that not even our resident mechanic, Vern, could fix! Lunch was scrumptious and filling. Vern did the $100 Hamburger; Mario had grouper and I had a salad. Had it not been for the fact that people were watching Mario would have licked his plate clean.

My next order of business was scuba diving. I had contacted Xanadu Divers who agreed to do a resort pick-up fort her shark dive this afternoon. I had never done a shark dive before and it would not have been my first choice for the mere fact that I prefer to swim rather than observe on my knees as I get too cold when I am not moving. The dive was great: cold, but worth the effort if you have never done one before. Tomorrow I will head out for some reef diving where I can be a more active participant.

Upon my arrival back to the resort, the boys were engaged in their second most favorite activity: napping. I gathered them up for a fruit blended non-alcoholic beverage in the marketplace then we headed off to dinner at China Beach. I think there were more staff there than patrons but only because the bulk of the tourists were parked at the Thanksgiving Buffet at Willy Broadleaf. The menu for our Chinese fare was varied and, again, quite good. We rolled ourselves  out of there in time to catch some line dancing before the bon fire. Now, here is a tip for all those of you wishing to join the Bahamas Burger Boogie in January 2007 –  please learn the ELECTRIC SLIDE and MACARANA. Yes, there will be a dance and there will be a camera. Mario opted out as he cannot see at night, but Vern got his first lesson. Suffice it to say, he will have another before the next trip!