Bimini

J

jeffk

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This coming Thursday I am headed(hopefully) to Bimini.
I am going on a fling.
Have never done this.
Any destinations (restaurants or anchorages,sights)you know of would be very helpful.
Thanks.
 
You probably want to snorkel the Sapona.

Any other stops or just Bimini?
 
The sapona is a musty snorkel, you can anchor pretty close on the west side, it s nice and deep around with about 15'

Honeymoon harbor and north end of gun cay is worth spending a day. It s really the only nice day anchorage in Bimini. Come in from the west between the rocks, pretty clear on th charts... Deep enough inside, 9 to 10' for the most, shoals quickl to the east side but was to spot.

What is left of the north beach on Bimini, past Bimini bay. You can anchor off the beach on the NE shore

Restaurants? Never been impressed by the food there... They fry just about everything. Fresh fish and conch are best, Fishermen usually go thru the marinas in the afternoon selling it fresh from their skiffs.
 
As for places to go and explore, snorkel on the Atlantis road North of the Paradise Point beach area. And for something different to do get some one to show you how to go to the "Healing Hole" lithium springs and take an invigorating soak.

It's all about comfort food in Bimini as there are no gourmet spots on the island. I used to get some OK meals at the Red Lion if it's still open. Check out the A Taste of Heaven Bakery for good baked goods. Also stop by Capt. Bob's for breakfast. Joe's Conch Shack has great conch salad. Some of the best conch salad used to be made by a crack addict named BJ or JB. He used to make it right on the dock by your boat. Nice guy, but a little talkative at times. :-)

And yes while they do fry most everything in the Bahamas, man can some of them fry up some good stuff. Ask around about who makes the best cracked conch if you want to try some good fried local food. And not much beats a good local fish fry with super fresh fish, slaw, peas and rice, mac and cheese and cold beer if you can find someone/place throwing one.

And be sure to get a drink or two in the End of the World Bar.
 
I don't know how Bimini Bay is holding up, but lunch at the Aqua Grill was ok. Great view from their tables at the infinity poolside.
 
Another interesting place to explore is the Great Isaac Lighthouse just a few miles north of Bimini. Anchor on the west side, good depth and holding, and dink around to the east side. (Much easier landing than the west side) very interesting to explore the old building remains and the lighthouse. I even found an old graveyard on the north end of the island.

If you SCUBA dive, the west side shoreline is a very neat dive.

Bob
 
Also the small offshore rocks off Bimini bay, near the roads have some good snorkeling, one of them has an underwater tuner that s pretty neat
 
Just Bimini
We just took delivery of our new chaparral310 sig two weeks ago.
This fling is our first attempt to cross.
Weather permitting of course, if conditions are not favorable we will head down to the keys.
 
Thanks all had a great trip.
Great weather crossing both ways.
We did get hit with a nice rainstorm in S.Florida yesterday.
Customs in Bimini is an experience!
 
Good to hear. So how about a trip report? The good and the bad. Where did you eat and what did you do? Would you go again?
 
I haven't cleared in Bimini in a few months, what do you mean by being an experience?

Besides having to state that nobody on the voyage died of the plague, and coughing $300, what makes it an experience?
 
I'm thinking it was all good.

Glad you had smooth crossings. If you have to push to get across and the weather is not cooperating it can make for a very long day.
 
Customs, 2 people working and 20 people trying to get through and a small crowded office.
Then additional agents came and 5 minutes later 3 agents left.
It took me almost 2 hours to clear... not a great experience.
The trip started in cape canaveral.
We took the intercoastal to st lucie stayed overnight, gassed up got in the ocean to lake worth.
We spent the day at singer island, then down to bahia mar for 2 nights.
We left Thursday morning for Bimini, flat seas and uneventful.
In bimini we just relaxed around the boat and went to the beach for the first day.
The marina (Bimini Bay) was like a boat show in itself. Azimuts all over.
We went to the sapona one day, and honeymoon harbor the next.
We brought plenty of food so only ate out once at the big game restaurant. I did get a loaf of bimini bread and conch salad at joes conch shack
The boat next to us caught triggerfish and gave it to me to grill.
A little olive oil, salt and pepper, came out great.
The cross back was also very easy.
We did get caught in a storm around lake worth so we came in and anchored, then it was on to ft pierce overnight and home.
Would I do this again? Not for a while.
Not much on Bimini but the beaches were nice and the water is beautiful.
The biggest problem is weather.
We were incredibly lucky.
Because of work I do not have the luxury waiting for bad weather to clear.
I needed to be back by Monday.
3 years from now when I retire, I would like to take an extended trip and visit a few islands.
The new boat ran great no problems, all in all it was a great trip.
 
At the most i ve had one other boat clearing at the same time, so it s always been quick and painless. I guess that's the downside of flings

I can certainly understand how Bimini is barely worth it coming from canaveral, especially for such a short time. With more time, you re better off heading to the abacos out of ft pierce
 
Agreed. Sorry about the clearance issue. When entering via West End or Lucaya we have always had good luck up to this point with only one other boat in front of us.
 
For our first crossing it was great.
Most of the people clearing were not from the fling.
I doubt I could have convinced my wife to go by ourselves first time.
I met some nice people to stay in touch with, it was a great vacation.
Most of all my wife had a great time.
Thanks all for your help.
 
As Pascal mentioned, going around to the Abacos will yield a very different experience but here you might want to consider the length of time you have available. We have waited several weeks to get an "OK" crossing let alone a calm one but we normally cross in the Fall. You will certainly use quite a bit more fuel going to the Abacos.
In consideration of that, you might want to examine a flight over to rent a house and boat for a week. It's about 200 nm from West Palm to Hope Town. So 400X6 = 2400 in fuel alone. That will go a long way towards a house and center console for a week and you get your foot in the door to help plan a longer trip in 3 years.
 
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