Splitdecision271

Hey All

Being in the heart of winter here in the NorthEast has got my mind wondering and daydreaming A buddy and I have been feeling adventurous and been tossing around the idea of hauling our boats down to Miami and doing a trip to Bimini in a year maybe 2. Have never been but think it would be a pretty cool vacation. To be on your own boat in the Bahamas for a week, why not right.

We are really at the beginning stages of attempting to plan out this trip. Really just testing the waters, trying to price things out to see when and where the best deals are and really see what others recommend. Also if any others may be interested. So please post away.

We'd like to do 5-7 days. Was leaning towards staying at Bimini Sands, but open to other suggestions based off prior experiences/knowledge. As mentioned we'd be leaving from Miami area. Being our first time making the crossing would like to potentially tag along with another group if possible. However, pretty confident we'd be able to make it on our own.

Any recommendations or info on the following are greatly appreciated

- Safe and Secure Park & Launch
- Best time for gulf stream crossing
- Customs Check in/out
- Preferred Marinas/Resorts in Bimini (Any all inclusives?)
- Places to go/things to do while in Bimini
- Fuel prices in Bimini
- How much beer to pack
- What SPF # to use?

Jupiter Sunsation

Go with Florida Powerboat club on their Bahamas Poker Run in June/July.......great run! It's only 42 miles offshore. Kids do it on jet skis! Search YouTube for videos.

$150 Bahamas entry fee ($300 if over 35 ft), you need a passport and your boat needs a $25 sticker from US Customs

Bimini Sands is nice but casino/nightlife is on North Bimini on the other side of the channel.

Fuel runs $1-1.50 a gallon more than USA dockside price.

H20 Toie

Even though it is not very far from what I understand you do not want to try it during the winter,
That's why the powerboat club goes during June or July

pstorti

Bimini Sands is my favorite place to stay, you get on/off plane 1 minute from the dock, on north Bimini it can be 15min+ Now if you want to do the casino thing (please don't give these Genting aholes any money) you can take the water taxi to get over there. The food is also much better at the Bimini Sands restaurants than at other places I have been to in North Bimini. My favorite part about Bimini is exploring around the area diving/fishing ect, I can get all the nightlife I want here in Miami.

I recommend you avoid it like the plague on any holiday weekends, unless you like crowds of noisy Cubans everywhere you go. The weather window is middle of May until middle of September. Of course this past summer was $hit the whole time.

For Customs there are 3 options,
Cat Cay, you have to buy $150 fuel or pay $100, but no riff raff, and you can have a nice lunch after you check in, this is my first choice.
Bimini Sands will have customs officers at the marina if they have a fishing tournament or it is a busy weekend, if not you need to take a taxi to the airport to check in ($10) no big deal just takes a few minutes extra
Government dock on N Bimini, close to the channel entrance but I have never checked in there, also that ferry is checking in the passengers there now so if you arrive at the wrong time it could be crowded.

There are no "secure" public ramps here, if you want that have Grove Harbour put your boats in and store your truck, trailers.

If you want pm me your number and I can answer more questions.

Splitdecision271

Thanks for the info. We are really at the beginning stages of this, I'll keep you in mind as we dig deeper and start finalizing plans.

How are the crowds mid-may and mid-september? This is usually the start and end of our season up North for us, so this time would really be ideal for us. A great way to either kick off the summer or end the summer.

We are very laid back people, we really enjoy just spending the day on our boats anchored somewhere. Being the loacation we'll be in i'm sure whether it's cruising to places around the island or just anchored swimming in the water it will be exactly what we were looking and hoping for.

Jupiter Sunsation

Lots of variables.......Fishing tournaments being a huge one, holiday weekends being another (Memorial Day/Labor Day/4th of July).

I would recommend hitting Bimini Monday-Thursday and then hit the Florida Keys the other few days.......make the most of your week, see a couple areas. In Bimini you can see everything in just a couple days (island is like 7 miles long). It will make your Bimini stay the cheapest (weekdays) and the least crowded. By getting back to into Florida it won't delay your trip home (staying in Bahamas and planning a return/hit the road to go home could easily get delayed due to weather).

Also consider advanced planning (1 to 2 years) can be a waste, a decent category 3 hurricane would cripple Bimini for years.......In the case of Walkers Cay they never re-opened (a huge boating destination for years, hurricane wrecked it and the family that owns it decided to just let it rot).

Here are a few videos shot in Bimini recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30HDdocMyAk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7ke76G4GQ8

mittens

I to am wanting to make the run, but from all my readings Bimini is not the best. Go north to the grand Bahamas so you can come down and play in the abco islands

Jupiter Sunsation

Bimini is great, I was just there last summer......Check the crime on Grand Bahama and get back to us! GB is a tourist ghetto!

Abacos are nice but not exactly close to the USA.

pstorti

My wife and I went to GB last summer and the place is dead not much to see, and not many places to go we were disappointed. Abacos are amazing lots of little islands but its a 6 hour ride from Miami. I would Great Harbour Cay before the Abacos. You can easily keep yourself busy in Bimini and the surrounding area for a week even longer if you care to do any fishing. They have dive tours at Bimini Sands you can do, visit the Shark research lab and have a tour and swim with them, SUP tours of the flats, the Sapona wreck, honeymoon harbour, cat cay, hanging out on a desolate beach all day having a nice fire at sunset, ect ect ect. Drinking, drinking, drinking...

mittens

Hmm I was told once you make it to bimini your kinda out of pleaces to see?

and going over to the grand then you island hope down?