Bridge to Paradise

I am a regular on the bridge from Nassau over the harbour to Paradise Island. I have walked it many times. My Bahamian friends were amazed when I started to walking to work. It was about three miles down to the bridge, across the harbour and on to the office. The only time that I didn't do it was in the heat of the summer.

Bahamians are a car-bound people. They drive to the bathroom. The Quiznos here had the only drive-thru in North America. The way that a Bahamian woman calls her kids to dinner is "Get in the car!". I know an executive at KFC, and he tells me that Bahamians will even go through the drive-thru for the side orders to accompany what they cook for Sunday dinner. So when I tell them that I regularly cross the bridge on foot, they are amazed.

The breezes are great at the top of the bridge. There is always a slight breeze even on the calmest of days.

The other day, I was crossing the bridge, and was inspired to capture an ants-eye view for posterity.

Today's musical offering is from Mozart. A day without Mozart is like a day without sunshine. And a day without sunshine, is like ... ummmmm .... night !

And here's a Little Bit of Night Music -- literally Eine Klein Nachtmusik.

The Covered Bridge Today

I went for a walk today on Pine Road which is a couple of minutes from our house in the hills. In a way, I am collecting memories to carry back with me to the islands. What I like up north, is the fresh air, and the eternal promise of spring. There is a cosmic expectancy of the wonderful things that summer brings.

This bridge is at the bottom of a steep hill. The body of water that it traverses, is Meech Creek. Meech Lake is not far away. The photo above is what the bridge looked like today. The air was crisp, and the sun came out in patches only then disappeared behind the clouds. I am saving up memories to take back with me, of space, solitude, wilderness, the boreal forest, birdsong, rushing water and the big karmic hug that Mother Nature gives you in the springtime in a place where you actually have real seasons.

Nassau Bridge is Falling Down

I am convinced that the southbound bridge from Paradise Island to Nassau is falling down. A few months ago, a ship hit the pilings protecting the pillars. In the picture below, the pillars had pilings and wooden beams protecting them. The ship hit the protective barrier and tore away the wooden beams. A segment of the bridge dropped about 6 inches (upper yellow arrow points to the joint that dropped).

A view of the torn away pilings is shown below in a picture that I took while standing on top of the bridge.

Below you can see the expansion plate that is at a weird angle and never closes. You can see the sea below.


I have to cross this bridge every day to go to work. I speed up a little bit, and make sure that I am not on the dropped span with a heavy truck. As you pass the expansion plate, the roadway sinks six inches and there is a bump.

If someday soon you read that a bridge in Nassau collapsed, remember that you read the prediction here first.