The vessel will sail from Miami & position just offshore the Bimini Islands for clearance. The passage from Miami to Bimini is expected to take a maximum of 5 hours, if the Owner wishes to sail from Miami to Bimini with the vessel. The possibility of the Owner flying from Miami to the vessel off Bimini and then clearing the Owners party with the Agent after landing aboard the is being explored with the Authorities in Bimini. Flight time from Miami to Bimini is approx. 25 to 30 mins.
The vessel will be positioned for Owners departure through Bimini either to Miami or Freeport by sea or air.
The Bimini Islands are located 50nm East of Florida and are the closest point of the Bahamas to the United States. There are two main islands, North and South Bimini with numerous smaller cays and sandbars to the north and south of the main islands. The Gulf Stream flows past the Bimini Islands, the warm water is home to coral reefs & an ideal spot for big game fishing, diving and snorkeling. The remote beaches are white sand and surrounded by calm water, perfect for swimming and relaxing.
The Berry Islands are comprised of around 30 cays, covering a total of just over twelve square miles. Many of these cays are ideal for snorkeling, diving, beachcombing and hiking. The small, secluded beaches and warm, crystal clear water are perfect places to hold a lunch BBQ with a freshly caught & prepared fish from the waters surrounding the Berry Islands.
Nassau, the bustling Bahamian capital city is located on New Providence Island and is the 11th largest island in the Bahamas. The natural harbor is protected to the north by Paradise Island, site of the Atlantis Hotel. Nassau boasts a number of resorts, restaurants, resorts, an aquarium and some shopping options. The 1000 acre Lyford Cay club is situated on the west of New Providence and is a private haven for an International membership. This resort boasts an 18 hole golf course, a state of the art tennis centre, world class dining venues and one of the finest white sand beaches on the island. The Graycliff Restaurant in Nassau claims a world renowned wine list; it has been awarded the Wine Spectator Grand Award since 1988 and has an inventory of over 250,000 bottles from over 400 vintners in 15 countries. The Graycliff also has its own cigar company, whose original master roller, Avelino Lara was reputed to be Fidel Castro’s personal roller.
Egg Island is an uninhabited islet in the Bahamas. It’s so named because it is home to chickens owned by residents of other nearby islands who travel here to collect the eggs. Egg Island has a crescent shaped beach that is protected by a reef that protects the entire beach. The water behind the reef is generally less than 2 m [6 feet] deep making it a good place to swim or watch the sea life. Since the water is so shallow and well protected, it tends to be warmer than the surrounding sea. Just off the island is the wreck of the Arimora, a 260ft freighter that ran aground after catching fire in 1970. The wreck still sits above water but vast schools of fish gather round its hull in shallow water.
Harbour Island is famous for its pink sand beaches, found all along the east side of the island and stretching for three and a half miles. The island is colourful with English Colonial style buildings & flower lined streets. Warm, clear ocean waters provide excellent diving, fishing and the outlying reefs provide safe swimming & snorkeling. Harbour Island is also home of The Landings, a five minute walk from the beaches. The Landings boutique is a historic property dating back to 1800 and overlooks the heart of Dunmore town. The Landing’s restaurant is highly recommended by Conde Nast Traveller, The New York Times and the New York Post while its wine cellar is a frequent recipient of Wine Spectator awards of excellence.
The Exumas island chain is around 130 miles long, covers approx. 72 sq. mi and is made up of over 360 islands. There numerous whitesand beaches and sand bars throughout, ideal for a beach lunch, swimming & snorkeling. A few minutes away from Staniel Cay is Thunderball Grotto, where the James Bond movie of the same name was filmed. Nearby is Big Majors Cay, home of the wild, swimming pigs. Whenever a boat approaches, the pigs swim out to be fed.
Long island is over 80 miles long but only 4 miles wide at its widest point. The Tropic of Cancer runs directly through the island, the Atlantic side of the island is rugged with many dramatic cliffs & caves. The western shore, on which Cape Santa Maria lies is sandy edged and slopes gently into the Bahamas Bank. The island is also the location of Deans Blue Hole, the deepest blue hole in the world. The western shores of the island are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and beachcombing. There is a natural cave system, Hamilton Cave where a pre-Columbian gallery with Amerindian drawings was discovered in 1935. There are also excellent opportunities for diving & fishing nearby.
East Eleuthera Island is home of The Cove, an intimate destination on a beautiful pink sand beach. The Cove sits in 40 acres and offers direct access to the turquoise blue waters, perfect for snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, and beachcombing. The resort was completely renovated in 2013 and offers the Freedom restaurant & sushi bar and the outdoor Gregory Town Grill, both serving sustainable produce and vegetables from The Cove’s own garden as well as locally sourced seafood.
If weather and/or sea conditions are unsuitable in certain places & due to limited number of suitable anchorages throughout the Bahamas, there are alternatives available;
On the inbound or outbound passage it will be possible to substitute the Berry Islands with a stop at Grand Bahama where it is possible to enjoy an experience diving with semi wild dolphins, sport fishing or shark diving/feeding. Also nearby is Andros Islands where sports fishing, bonefishing is available as well as swimming, diving, kayaking and watersports.
Instead of sailing from the Exumas to Long island, an alternative would be to remain sailing around the Exuma cays as there are many beaches and lagoons to explore and enjoy. Other options include heading further East towards Rum Cay or towards Cat Island where diving, swimming, snorkeling, fishing and other activities are available.
The suggested itinerary keeps the passages to a limited number of hours, all of which can be sailed overnight.