... we've been cruising in the Bahamas almost 10 years now, that's about as "third world" as it gets (not Abacos, and not New Providence) and without question, hands down, the worst experience we've ever had with nasty people, theft, weather, and generally miserable cruising & anchoring conditions was in Miami last year. It SUCKED. I've never felt so unsafe and so threatened before, everything had to be locked, you can't land the dinghy anywhere, we had stuff stolen, you wouldn't dare go out at night and you continually had to keep your eyes peeled. Right here in the good ole USA. I'll take the third world Bahamas any day. People are nice and nothing gets swiped. But, that all will change in a few more years after a few more Americans show up and wreck the place. We go down the coast and I can't wait to hook a left and get the hell out of sight of Florida. The worst part of our trips is coming back to FLA and coming through any of those Cuts after months of paradise, unfortunately usually on Memorial Day weekend, what a joke. It's embarrassing.

Cheers, John