Pittstown Point to Exuma, Bahamas, to Miami Opa Locka, USA

28 - 30 April 2006

First port of call on the US mainland

A last morning snorkel at Pittstown Point and after lunch we left for Exuma International, Bahamas (VFR 0:50 hrs). Customs and refuelling were friendly and fast, and soon we were in the air again. Somehow our IFR flight plan got lost in the system, and it took Nassau ATC about an hour to find it.
We experienced an exceptionally friendly reception by the US immigration and customs in Miami, Opa Locka. Initially the customs official informed us that it was a federal offence to enter the USA without prior notification of port of entry and ETA. Flemming then confirmed that we had notified customs in Opa Locka by phone from Pittstown point that morning and gave the name of the person who he had talked to, and it became clear that she had simply forgotten to put the details in the computer. After that the two customs officials became extremely friendly and wanted to hear details about our trip around South and Central America. Normally a US$ 25 customs sticker fee is due first time an aircraft enter the US, but we were kindly offered not to pay it since we only had to enter once in 2006!
We stayed in Key Biscayne, Miami, with Spanish friends Aurora and Manuel Sanchez who have had four children since we last saw them! They live in a very friendly, cosy neighbourhood. The easiest way to get around it is by Golf cart and Aurora drove us to their beach club in it. One wouldn’t expect to see much exotic wild life in Miami, so it was an amazing sight to see a manatee in the shallow waters of a canal near their house. We also got to meet some of Aurora and Manuel’s friends at two parties in the afternoon and evening.

Thanks to

Aurora and Manuel SANCHEZ