Bimini – The Gateway to the Bahamas
Located approximately 50 NM from Miami Beach, the small island of Bimini is the closest and most accessible island in the Bahamas. Crossing the Gulf Stream may rightly frighten some, but choosing your crossing conditions carefully (no N component in the winds) will ensure pleasant navigation and turquoise water on your arrival. The first time I assure you it is magical and I would even recommend, if your arrival time allows you to drop anchor before entering the channel leading to Alice Town to clear customs and make your first swimming in warm, crystal clear water, you will remember this moment for a long time!!!
This year, we saw for the first time a school of around ten dolphins, which normally means fewer sharks which are usually very numerous all around the island due to the presence of many fishermen who feed them with fish carcasses. The latter were also less present in the marinas, but as there were few boats, it is possible that they went hunting elsewhere.
Marinas are very numerous and vary in services and quality and the prices reflect this too. There are few places to anchor under shelter and in periods of heavy traffic, it can be difficult to find a place.
Customs and immigration
If this is the first port you encounter, you will need to go to customs to have your Cruising Permit valid for 3 or 12 months (your choice) approved as well as immigration where you will likely be given a visa of 90 days, which can be renewed online before the first expires. Make sure you do it this way, because believe us, having to appear in person at the immigration office once the visa expires is quite an adventure! Please note that you can also apply for a fishing license (which is free) at the same time as your Cruising Permit and who knows, you might catch a delicious meal.
The Cruising Permit application and payment are made online on the click2clear website before your arrival. You don’t have to create an account, just click on the “Request Cruising Permit” button then on the “Pleasure Craft” drop-down menu and then “Create Inbound” and fill out the many pages. There’s a how-to video on YouTube, but honestly, the last time I checked, the site had been updated, but the video hadn’t and there were inconsistencies.
If you have a drone, it is obligatory to register it and it is by completing the application that you can do so at the same place where you will register your dinghy.
Before going to customs, make sure you have printed out your application and your PCR number (the number the system will assign you once the registration process is complete) handy as well as proof of payment. The application can be completed 24 hours in advance, but personally, I wait until I get there to make my payment, just before going to customs. You never know what can happen and requesting a refund can sometimes be complicated.
Golf carts
The island is known for the use of golf carts as the main mode of transportation. They are more numerous than traditional cars and it is possible to rent one to explore the island which is really not very big. We’ve done it a few times, but since we got an electric bike and scooter, it’s no longer necessary. There is no chance of running out of battery while visiting the island!
Activities
Bimini is known for its seasonal fishing tournaments and this is when the island is at its busiest. In recent years, the cruise line Virgin has invested a lot of money to create a Beach Club at the eastern tip of the island which is now open to the public when the Virgin ship is not docked. Several other cruise lines also stop there, which brings income to the small island which lives mainly from tourism.
There is also a lot of development around the Resort World hotel (Casino, various real estate projects, fishing village, etc.), the rest of the island having remained quite typical of the Bahamas for probably the last fifty years.
Scuba diving is an important activity there and we cross our fingers that one day we will be able to visit the many wreck sites or the famous “Road to Atlantis”, but on each of our visits, the weather was not favorable. Summer is more suitable there, but then we are elsewhere! 😉
An interesting activity to do on the water is the snorkeling exploration of the cement ship the SS Sapona which has been stranded not far from Port Royal since a hurricane in 1926 and which also served as a training target for the American army during the 2nd World War. The site is very popular with tourists, with good reason. We really enjoyed our afternoon diving around the wreck which is a haven for fish.
Gun Cay and Cat Cay Islands
Around these two small islands are several sites suitable for anchoring depending on the direction of the winds; Honeymoon Harbor is particularly charming for daytime anchoring. The water is clear and the rays, accustomed to tourists, are very friendly. If you decide to spend the night there, check that your anchor is secure, as the seabed is unpredictable.
The Cat Cay Marina can probably offer you safe shelter in case of bad weather depending on dock availability. The North Cat Cay and Citrus Heaven anchorages are very pleasant during the day for playing in the water and offer magnificent sunsets, but the swell makes them less comfortable at night.
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