Category: Destinations

Destinations: Looking for information for your next cruising destinations? Whether you’re planning a sail in the Caribbean or summering in Newport, our destinations resources will help you plan the perfect excursion. Our expansive cache of destination information includes Monthly regional reports filled with seasonal tips and travel itineraries,  Local knowledge on great boating locales, Cruiser resources—complete with photos, Insider tips, marina information and more!

North Carolina’s coast reveals World War II battlefield

A team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) discovered a World War II (WWII) German U-boat and a freighter in August 2014 off the coast of North Carolina. Unseen for over 70 years, the German U-576 was sunk in 1942 by aircraft fire after it damaged two boats and downed American merchant ship Bluefields. According to NOAA maritime archeologist Joe Hart, the location is “a WWII battlefield that’s literally right in our back yard.” The two vessels lay only a few hundred yards apart and highlight a time when 90 vessels sank off of the Atlantic coast during World War II. A war grave, the U-boat seals 45 deceased German sailors within. Still owned by the German government, it is protected by the U.S. at Germany’s request.

Southport, North Carolina, welcomes transients with extended time at their city dock. Visiting boats may now stay 48 hours, not just 24, permitting more time for provisioning and exploration. Check-in at the police station the Southport Marina. The marina gives free weather and navigation briefings at 6:00PM during fall and spring migrations. southport-nc.com

The new Customs entryway at the Marathon, Florida, airport is delayed. Renovations began in late fall 2014 and completion is expected in spring 2015. Law enforcement will meet mariners entering the U.S. from international waters at local docks and await the arrival of an airport Customs agent.

[photomosaic ids=”5809,5810″]

The Miami-Dade County Mayor wants three coastal cities and the City of Miami to share fireboats and crews. The use of land-based fire crews to staff boats may have created longer response times to a disastrous boating accident, which left four dead last summer. County boats would serve the northern and southern reaches of Biscayne Bay, and Miami would use its boat in the downtown area.

Faro Blanco Marina Resort in Marathon, Florida, opened its new docks last month following repairs from 2005 Hurricane Wilma to make Marathon a Florida Keys yachting destination. Faro Blanco Resort was a ‘70s and ‘80s icon. Its beloved white lighthouse still guides mariners into the harbor, but a new Hyatt Place hotel with two pools, waterside restaurants and a fitness center replaces original structures. The new state-of-the-art 74-slip Faro Blanco Marina & Yacht Club accommodates megayachts and offers extensive amenities. Fishing, dolphin watching and the Turtle Hospital and Dolphin Research Center provide local diversions, and rental cars at the Marathon Airport are just 10 minutes away. faroblancoresort.com

By Nancy Spraker, Southern Boating January 2015

Miami Beach

Miami Beach

Miami’s trendy South Beach (SoBe) is a trifecta for cruisers: A top-ten beach populated by the bronzed, buffed and beautiful; a non-stop party with days at the cafes along Ocean Drive and Lincoln Mall, and nights at chic restaurants and clubs fueled by 5 am last calls; and alongside all that sun, surf and revelry, there’s a lively, dynamic world-class cultural scene.

Two top-drawer marinas bookend SoBe’s famous Art Deco historic district making this a perfect destination for an arts-centric layover with plenty of opportunities for beach breaks, people watching, shopping, food foraging, and bar hopping. Just a few blocks northeast of the Miami Beach Marina and southeast of Sunset Harbour Yacht Club, the district pulses with historic and contemporary architecture, visual arts, performing arts, and culinary arts, all of which is oh, so close to some of the best sand in the U.S.

Art Basel

December’s celebrity-packed annual Art Basel Miami Beach hails as one of the most electrifying art events in the country, attracting over 200 top art galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. More than 50,000 visitors flock to the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC), including the international art world’s top collectors, dealers, curators, and critics.

Book a guided tour of the 500,000 square feet of exhibition space filled with an overwhelming display of paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, films, and works by 4,000 artists ranging from emerging to museum caliber. Art Basel sprawls beyond the MBCC into the streets, along the beach and into both Collins Park and SoundScape Park (just north of Lincoln Road) with special presentations, performances and more guided tours. artbasel.com

Food and Wine Fest

February’s Food TV Network’s South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF) delivers a star-studded, four-day extravaganza that showcases chefs, culinary personalities and wine and spirit producers to benefit Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. sobefest.com

Art appreciators, rejoice

Even if you don’t hit one of these hot events, cruisers with an appreciation for art have their choice of venues. Start your visit with the highly rated Art Deco Walking Tour sponsored by the Miami Design Preservation League. Local historians and architects provide an introduction to Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival and the Miami Beach Modern (MiMo) in a fascinating ninety-minute trek from the Art Deco Welcome Center along Ocean Drive and beyond. mdpl.org

Alternatively, pick up the iPod-based, self-guided tour and walk at your leisure. Espanola Way—edged with Mediterranean Revival circa 1925—becomes an impromptu crafts market on weekends.

Historic Sites

At SoBe’s south end, the Jewish Museum of Florida (now part of Florida International University – FIU)—housed in a beautifully restored 1936 synagogue—tells the story of 250 years of Jewish culture, arts and heritage in Florida through book discussions, lectures, films, food tours, poetry readings, and concerts. jmof.fiu.edu

A one-of-a-kind gem, Wolfsonian-FIU hosts the Mitchel Wolfson, Jr. collection in an Art Deco, landmarked building. A comprehensive survey of the persuasive power of art and design includes furniture, industrial design objects, glass, ceramics, metalwork, paintings, textiles, Egypt’s King Farouk’s matchbook collection, and thousands of medals. The Wolfsonian exhibits draw from over 70,000 artifacts. wolfsonian.org

The adults-only World Erotic Art Museum features over 4,000 erotic sculptures, paintings and ceramic artifacts dating from 300 BC to the present. weam.com

A Miami Beach cultural pioneer, ArtCenter/South Florida has been home to 42 artist studios and four exhibition spaces since 1984. Originally 21 storefronts in a dilapidated and abandoned section of Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road, ArtCenter is credited with the phoenix-like rise of the now trendy Lincoln Road Pedestrian Mall, which runs east and west from the Atlantic to Biscayne Bay.

Today the 60,000 square foot campus is open to the public, offers classes, and the First Saturday Lincoln Road Gallery Walk (7-10 pm) gives visitors an opportunity to visit all the juried artists-in-residences in their studios as well as five other galleries along the strip. artcentersf.org

Food Scene

More than forty restaurants (Cuban to Fusion Haute)—a half dozen with sidewalk cafes—and a dozen bars and clubs edge Lincoln Mall alongside a hundred or so shops, boutiques and upscale chains, making it easy to pick your favorite alfresco dining spot to enjoy the people watching here (some say it’s better than Ocean Drive). For those with a penchant for retro clothing and mid-century furnishings, Lincoln Road is also home to the Outdoor Antique and Collectible Market on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month from October to May.

Live Arts

The performing arts are also well represented in the Lincoln Road area. The beautiful Art Deco Colony Theater originally opened in 1935 by Paramount Pictures and is the beneficiary of a $6.5 million renovation, hosting a wide variety of programs including music, dance, theater, opera, comedy, performance art, and film for present-day enthusiasts. Just north, the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater (between the MBCC and Lincoln Road) is a venue for concert tours and dance performances managed by Live Nation.

Designed by Frank Gehry, Miami Beach Soundscape Park is the New World Center’s striking edifice that hosts the New World Symphony—America’s orchestral academy. A springboard for some of the finest instrumentalists on the planet, the post grad curriculum includes wide-ranging, eclectic, inexpensive, open-to-the-public performances including the very popular wallcast concerts. Far from your run-of-the-mill student recitals, these musicians are heading to positions in the finest orchestras in the world. nws.edu 

Just a few blocks beyond and close to the Miami Beach Convention Center—Kenneth Treister’s powerful and haunting Holocaust Memorial of Greater Miami dramatically conveys the unthinkable and unimaginable. In the Meditation Garden, a lily pond surrounds the Sculpture of Love and Anguish, a four-story arm that reaches for the sky. holocaustmmb.org

The nearby Bass Museum of Art is housed in the 1930 Miami Beach Public Library & Art Center designed by Russell Pancoast, a grandson of Miami Beach pioneer John A. Collins. The 500-piece founding collection of Renaissance and Baroque old master paintings, textiles and religious sculptures—gifted by John and Johann Bass in 1963—has grown to 3,000 works, including European painting and sculpture from the 15th century to present plus 20th and 21st-century North American, Latin American, Asian, and Caribbean pieces. bassmuseum.org

Seeing it all is both easy and relatively inexpensive. The South Beach Local bus (#123) loops SoBe passing by both marinas and most attractions. The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Miami Museum Mile Cultural Pass covers admission to the Bass Museum of Art, the Wolfsonian, the Jewish Museum of Florida, and the World Erotic Art Museums for $25 with a bonus of 15% or greater discounts at over 20 popular Miami Beach restaurants (good for 30 days, adults only).

By Beth Adams-Smith, Southern Boating, December 2013
Photos & Video by John Lambert

 

 

Give the Gift of Restoration this Season

For the cruiser in your life there are endless options for gift giving this holiday season from that new handheld GPS unit to a subscription to their favorite boating magazine. But what better stocking stuffer than a member subscription or “friend” of a non-profit organization that specifically restores and preserves their favorite waterways and cruising grounds?

While the giant non-profits tend to receive the most charitable donations, they also tend to have the highest cost overhead and expenses to cover before your money is brought into direct action. However, throughout the Gulf Coast there are small organizations made up of volunteers—many of whom might be your neighbors or friends at the marina—where $50 or $100 would go a long way to directly and specifically help preserve a favorite boating or fishing location. A few trusted organizations are listed below, but a simple online search will help you find a non-profit group dedicated to your favorite bay, lake or estuary.

Gulf Restoration Network (Gulf Coast): Covering the health and preservation of the entire Gulf of Mexico, this organization and their efforts came into real prominence immediately following the BP oil spill off the Louisiana coast in 2010. While a medium-sized organization, this group and their army of volunteers is very active throughout the Gulf Coast from the planting of marsh grasses to the restoration of barrier islands and fishing grounds. healthygulf.org

Friends of West End (Louisiana): Created in the 1830s, West End is a massive and historical recreational boating and park complex in New Orleans. Situated on Lake Pontchartrain, West End is home to 100+ acres of historic parks and marinas, and the Friends of West End organization raises funds for restoration projects as well as building a large wetlands park that will aid in the downstream health of the fisheries throughout the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. friendsofwestend.org

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA-Mississippi): Dedicated to the restoration of the once highly productive marine fisheries along the Mississippi Coast and the barrier islands, the CCA-Mississippi is a dedicated division of the larger Coastal Conservation Association which has been highly successful in their attempts to preserve recreational and commercial fisheries. Donations to the CCA-Mississippi stay within the state. ccamississippi.org

Dauphin Island Restoration Task Force (Alabama): Dauphin Island—Alabama’s incredibly beautiful lone barrier island—plays a crucial role in the estuarine environments for Mobile Bay and the Mississippi Sound that helps support the entire recreational and commercial seafood industries for the Northern Gulf Coast. The task force is devoted to restoring the shoreline of this treasure that is rapidly eroding into the Gulf. dauphinislandrestoration.org

Friends of St. Joseph’s Bay (Florida): Very few waters are as pristine as St. Joseph’s Bay in Florida. Located on the Forgotten Coast on the far eastern panhandle of the state, this spectacular bay is home to crystal clear waters that support everything from scallops to seahorses and needs more human advocates to help it remain this way. stjosephbaypreserves.org

By Troy Gilbert, Southern Boating December 2014

Caribbean Carnivals

Parades and parties kick off the celebrations held to commemorate St. Lucia Day on December 13th. Named for the patron saint of light, St. Lucy, this holiday was founded on the commonly held belief that Christopher Columbus discovered St. Lucia on this day in 1502. This idea has been soundly disproven, but it hasn’t stopped the Carnival-like atmosphere that lasts right up until Christmas. The don’t-miss highlight is the Festival of Lights. Days before, residents throughout the island decorate their homes with homemade lanterns. The real spectacle begins when the sun sets on December 13th with a parade of people carrying beautiful lanterns around Derek Walcott Square in the capitol city of Castries. Other festivities include choir competitions, street parties with live bands, fish fries and food sales, and local sporting competitions such as a game of cricket. stlucianow.com

St. Kitts & Nevis Carnival

National pride combines with Christmas spirit to make the St. Kitts & Nevis Carnival or “Sugar Mas” unlike many other islands’ carnival celebrations throughout the year. Calypso competitions begin mid-December and include beauty pageants and the naming of the Carnival Queen—complete with the crowing of the Calypso Monarch. The real entertainment heats up December 26th with J’ouvert, a street jam where revelers follow their favorite bands whose instruments and sound systems are located on the backs of trucks. The Grand Carnival Parade, a massive show of costumed dancers, stilt-walking Mocko Jumbies, steel pan bands, and decorated floats, takes place in this dual-island nation’s capital of Basseterre on New Year’s Day. stkittsneviscarnival.com

Carriacou Parang Festival

Local and visiting islands’ string bands play a blend of Christmas carols with traditional folk tunes at the annual music festival held on Grenada’s offshore island of Carriacou December 19-21. The Festival started in 1977 as a way to keep alive the age-old custom of bands walking house to house to serenade friends and family. Today, eight-piece percussion bands carry on this tradition and compete for prizes. The big contest, held on the tennis court in Hillsborough, entails performing one Christmas carol and one piece of the band’s own choosing, which may be in keeping with the seasonal theme or a calypso-like satire on island life and politics. It’s easy to make it a day trip to visit Carriacou for the Parang Festival. Ferries depart several times daily from St. George’s for the 90-minute trip to Hillsborough, and a flight on a commuter air carrier takes only 15 minutes. carriacouparangfestival.com

By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating December 2014

Hand-drawn Maps of Your Favorite Cruising Grounds are Perfect Holiday Gifts

It’s gift-giving time and the new Coastal Art Maps designed by owner Joseph S. Tarella are one idea likely to please frequenters of the Chesapeake Bay. The hand-drawn maps offer a unique colorful perspective of the “Great Shellfish Bay” and its natural environs. Tarella has released the first 3 of a projected 10 maps depicting the bay: the area from Havre de Grace to Middle River, Middle River to Sandy Point, and Sandy Point to Herring Bay. Each map is oriented horizontally to illuminate the contrast between the densely populated western shore and the sparser, more bucolic, eastern shore.

Tarella, an architect by trade, uses pen-and-ink and watercolor washes on vellum, which give his maps a tactile quality. He started mapmaking as a hobby after he built a house on Long Beach Island and couldn’t find any maps of the area that he liked. Friends and family asked for copies and his labor of love evolved from there. The first three Chesapeake Bay maps were launched in September and another group is expected to be available in the spring. coastalartmaps.com

Sailors participating in J World’s Coastal Navigation Seminar in Annapolis. The next seminar is on December 13th from 9AM to 4PM. Photo: J World

Winter Seminars

Winter in the Mid-Atlantic region is a perfect time to pick up new boating knowledge and perhaps, plan a long-distance cruise for warmer temperatures. Maritime museums, yacht clubs, professional training companies, and groups like the U.S. Powerboat Squadrons are some of organizations that host educational events. J World in Annapolis hosts a Coastal Navigation Seminar from 9AM to 4PM on December 13th, a comprehensive classroom course on coastal navigation and piloting. The curriculum covers charts and features, compass errors, plotting, triangulation, dead reckoning, route planning, tides, current vectors, aids to navigation, and an introduction to electronic navigation. The course text will be U.S. Sailing’s Coastal Navigation book. It’s an ideal course for anyone who wants to develop a solid foundation in navigation principles. The course includes U.S. Sailing certification if qualified. jworldannapolis.com

Time to fish

The 2015 version of the Maryland Fishing Challenge is under way. The free, year-round tournament is sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and partners, and offers cash and prizes for anglers that reel in citation-worthy fish. Each September qualifying anglers meet at Sandy Point State Park for the finale party held in conjunction with the Maryland Seafood Festival. At this year’s final event, over $70,000 in cash and prizes were awarded. The grand-prize winner was Pennsylvania resident Rick Snider, who collected a boat-motor-trailer package from Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats. Bobby Gibson of Church Hill, Maryland, won an all-expense-paid fishing trip to The Bahamas. If you register a citation-size fish from Maryland waters from now until next Labor Day, you too will be invited to Annapolis next year. dnr2.maryland.gov

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating December 2014

Is the Lone Star State’s Cruising Scene Running Dry?

Texas, like much of the West, has been battling ferocious droughts for much of this decade. The effects are cascading throughout the boating world as some reservoirs used by recreational cruisers become severely depleted and rivers that feed the estuaries dry up and negatively influence the breeding grounds for fish and commercial seafood harvests. With the insatiable thirst from growing cities such as Houston and Austin, there simply isn’t enough water to go around and fights are brewing between economic interests built up around these reservoirs, cities, commercial fishing, and farming.

The effects are severe enough that many sailing and boating organizations regularly post updates on water legislation alongside photos of regattas or fishing tournaments where lower water levels are clearly visible along shorelines. Lakes such as Ray Hubbard, Granbury and Nocona have reached record low water levels since their dams were constructed in the 1960s and Lake Whitney alone has dropped 13 feet. Public ramps on Lake Travis have been closed due to the low water levels, and marina operators have to shift boat slips further from shore and into deeper waters. Cruiser safety is also becoming an issue in some places as boats hit shallows or newly exposed debris causing significant damages to hulls or engines.

As rivers and creeks dry up, so do the estuaries that are the nursery grounds for redfish, speckled trout, black drum, and flounder. As saltwater moves in to replenish the depleted fresh water, entire ecosystems are being damaged. Gulf oysters that normally thrive in the bays from Port Aransas to Galveston are taking huge hits from the hyper-salinity levels that are occurring. The effects are beginning to reverberate throughout the $17 billion tourism economy along the Texas Gulf Coast in higher costs and smaller recreational and commercial fishing hauls.

Texans recently voted to dip into a $2 billion “rainy day” fund in order to create new reservoirs, water pipelines and to fund new conservation projects. While not as heavily affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, Texas could also reap another billion dollars from impending fines against BP, and these funds should go directly into coastal conservation and reconstruction projects. However, individuals have expressed concern that some of this money could be redirected towards projects that have nothing to do with environmental restoration, just as Alabama recently did by directing millions from these penalties toward a hotel project.

Texas has a unique boating culture that has grown up around these reservoirs, and combined with the state’s already wild and beautiful rivers and coastline, every effort should be made to not sacrifice them for the sake of water intensive lawns or even rice farming. While Texas is faring better than states such as California, which is being ravaged by drought, it is crucial to protect the waters that make Texas such a beautiful state for all boating activities.

By Harlen Leslie, Southern Boating December 2014

Always Prepare When Cruising The Bahamas

The Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) is now the primary search and rescue organization in The Bahamas. They work closely with the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA), which has divisions in Nassau, Grand Bahama and Abaco. RBDF and BASRA have complementary capabilities: RBDF has communications and ships, and BASRA has rescue boats and an aircraft coupled with decades of experience serving vessels in distress. BASRA also maintains a long list of contacts in the family islands that can render assistance.

BASRA recommends the following procedures for vessels in distress:

  1. Call Mayday on VHF 16 for assistance.
  2. If known and within range, call a local marina or other marine facility to assist or relay communications.
  3. Call Royal Bahamas Defense Force at (242) 362-2494.
  4. Call BASRA at (242) 325-8864 (7AM-5PM seven days a week except public holidays).
  5. Between Florida and The Bahamas call USCG at (305) 415-6800.
  6. Call Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OpBAT) at (242) 325-0664 located in Nassau.

Although single-side band radio (SSB) is no longer monitored by BASRA or RBDF, it’s still a smart investment for boats traveling east of Georgetown, and it is strongly recommended that cruisers invest in a satellite phone. All vessels transiting open waters should carry an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB). EPIRBs are monitored by satellite and will initiate search and rescue anywhere in the world. SOLAS approved flares should also be carried in international waters.

Captains should be aware that immediate assistance is not always available from rescue organizations in The Bahamas. The archipelago is too extensive, which is it is recommended that all vessels monitor VHF 16 when underway and day and night when at anchor in remote locations. Be mindful of the tradition of mariners aiding others in distress.

In short, be prepared: Communicate a float plan with someone reliable; ensure that your vessel has all the necessary equipment for your voyage; ensure that the crew is trained to use the equipment and execute emergency procedures.

BASRA is a non-profit organization that provides invaluable service. Stay safe when cruising The Bahamas and support BASRA by becoming a member. Visit basra.org or stop by a BASRA office.

Manatee in Hawksnest Marina

For many years manatees have been residents of Great Harbour Cay but infrequent visitors elsewhere in the islands. Through reproduction and migrations from Florida, they have multiplied and are dispersing throughout the islands. Almost all the manatees in The Bahamas are individually identifiable by the unique pattern of scars on their body and tail. Most have been named and The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization (BMMRO) documents their movements throughout the islands. BMMRO has put satellite tags on several of the manatees but primarily relies on cruisers and locals throughout the islands who report sightings. The latest sightings are on their website, and they move around a lot more than most people expect.

Manatees have been observed in most of the major islands as far south as Mayaguana. An adult male was identified in Stella Maris, Salt Pond, Clarence Town, then moved to Cat Island, and is now in Harbour Island. If you see a manatee, enjoy its company and photograph it but please do not harass or feed it. Send your observations and photos to BMMRO at info@bahamaswhales.org

Flying Fish Marina

Located in Clarence Town on the east coast of Long Island, the Flying Fish Marina is an important facility for cruisers headed toward or returning from further east and south. The marina offers the last reliable fuel and supplies until you reach the Turks and Caicos or the Dominican Republic. You can also clear U.S. Customs at the marina. Sportfishermen should know that the Flying Fish Marina is centrally located for fishing the best areas in the southeast islands.

The marina has completed the reconstruction of its seawall and is almost finished rebuilding its docks. The wall in front of the marina office is being rebuilt to prevent erosion and to reduce the surge in the western docks. A new building will house a fine dining restaurant upstairs, a pool bar and grill downstairs, and the marina office and ship’s store is well under construction and may be in operation by next spring. Contact dockmaster Marvin Cartwright at (242) 337-3430. flyingfishmarina.com

Running Tide beats to windward in Salt Pond during a race in the Long Island Regatta. Photo: Stephen Connett

By Stephen Connett, Southern Boating December 2014

Bimini Weekend

One Destination, Two Islands, Three Experiences

There are a certain amount of bragging rights that go along with long-distance cruising. However, not all boat owners have the desire or capability—boat size, fuel capacity, budget, vacation time—to cross the Atlantic or island-hop the Caribbean. Luckily, less than 50 miles from Miami lie the two islands that make up Bimini, Bahamas, and if you leave just after breakfast you’ll arrive in time for a delicious lunch of conch salad and locally baked Bimini bread. But in spite of its small size and depending where you dock, distinctly different experiences await.

The first rule of thumb when cruising to Bimini—or anywhere in The Bahamas for that matter—is to ensure your charts are up to date since the ocean side of Bimini is lined with reefs and sandbars. Nv charts, for example, recently released their newly updated chart set for Region 9.1 for 2015/2016 in paper and digital format, which includes Bahamas Northwest⎯Bimini and Berry Islands, Nassau to Abaco, and Grand Bahama. nvcharts.com

Bimini Sands Resort & Marina on the south island offers direct ocean access to a deepwater marina, where updated floating docks have water and power. The family-owned resort’s amenities include onsite Customs & Immigration, a fuel dock with the only diesel fuel on the island, and a new infinity-edge swimming pool where guests enjoy unrestricted sunset views. Two-story rental cottages line the marina—bring your own beach towels. For an even more laid-back and remote experience, the Bimini Beach Club Marina at the far south end of the island offers the easy-going vibe of a beach club and private beach but with the convenience of a pool, Mackey’s Sand Bar, and restaurant with a sushi bar—order the Bimini Sands roll.

 

 

With little more than 100 island residents, the south island is also home to a small airport and the Bimini Biological Field Station—known as “Sharklab” to the locals—operated by Dr. Samuel Gruber. The research facility studies the 13 shark species and offers visitor tours and even a five-day research experience for those who want to participate in actual research—the winter months afford opportunities to see endangered hammerheads. Former Minnesotans and Sharklab volunteers Katie Grudecki and Grant Johnson now head up the resort’s activities center and organize paddleboard and kayak adventures through the mangroves, excursions to Honeymoon Harbour, and snorkeling trips. Popular snorkeling sites include the Three Sisters rocks and surrounding reef; the legendary Road to Atlantis (also known as the Bimini Road), large, flat, rectangular stones on the ocean floor that look manmade; and the wreck of the concrete ship Sapona, which ran aground near Bimini during a hurricane in 1926. The ship’s colorful history includes being used as a casino and later as a warehouse for alcohol during Prohibition. After it ran aground it was used by the U.S. armed services for target practice and was also used in films and as subject matter in the book Thunderball by Ian Fleming. Today, Sapona lies in 15 feet or so of water, where snorkelers and divers swim through openings in the hull to explore the ship’s underwater compartments.

For hardcore fishing enthusiasts⎯or those who aspire to be,⎯head to Bimini’s north island and the Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina (BBGC) in the heart of Alice Town. Ernest Hemingway frequented the resort in the late 1930s when he landed monster blue marlin. Soon after, sport fishermen from around the globe were lured there to try their hand in fishing tournaments, which continue to this day. Founded in 1936, the resort now includes rooms, suites, and cottages for anglers, their crew and families, a swimming pool and pool bar, and the Bimini Big Game Bar & Grill, where eating on the deck affords a view of fishermen returning with their trophy catch.

BBGC’s location in Alice Town provides easy access to the Bimini Museum, where dusty memorabilia recall a time when rumrunners ruled Bimini’s waters, and photographs of visitors include Richard Nixon and Martin Luther King, Jr. A typed caption under a movie poster of The Silence of the Lambs notes that the movie’s final scene was shot on King’s Highway in Alice Town and locals were used as extras. Don’t forget to leave your $2 donation in the box before you leave, and then head up the street and stop by Taste of Heaven bakery for a mid-morning guava bun or carrot cake snack.

If an uptown experience with swim-up pool bar, fine dining, and the excitement of gambling sounds more appealing, then head all the way to the far northern end of the channel to Resorts World (formerly Bimini Bay), where you can choose between two marina locations that accommodate up to 232 boats and yachts: Fisherman’s Village Marina and the Mega-Yacht Marina. Fisherman’s Village offers upscale retail shops, a fitness center, restroom and shower facilities, and two dining options: Amicci’s Pizzeria (also a Starbucks) and the Healing Hole open-air restaurant and bar, which overlooks the marina. For truly upscale and five-star service, however, dock at the Mega-Yacht Marina, where you can keep an eye on your yacht while lounging at the pool. Resorts World has been in steady development since 2011 and will open a 200-room hotel by the end of 2014, with a lobby, three additional restaurants and banquet facilities to be completed by midsummer 2015.

Lest more experienced Bahamas’ cruisers still think they need to wait until Nassau for fine dining, Resorts World’s Executive Chef Jimmy Sakatos’ previous experience includes nine-year tenures at two of New York City’s five-star luxury hotels: The Carlyle and The Pierre. Each of Resorts World Bimini’s five restaurants has different menus, all inventive. From Hemingway’s in the casino (editor’s pick: Cobb salad) to Sabor overlooking the pool (editor’s pick: stuffed veal chop paired with Italian Ripasso wine) to the Healing Hole (editor’s husband’s pick: lobster tail and a baked potato), you can’t go wrong. Sakatos’ menu moxie alone is worth the 50-mile trip across the Gulf Stream.

No matter which marina you choose on Bimini, take a break from your low-carb diet and indulge in several slices of the island’s namesake deliciousness, Bimini bread. You can find it on other islands and in Florida, of course, but in my opinion, it’s best on Bimini

Liz Pasch, Southern Boating December 2014

, Pompano Beach, Florida

Sands Harbor Marina

Located just minutes from the Hillsboro Inlet, Sands Harbor Marina is a popular vacation resort with 50 wet slips for vessels up to 120 feet. The close proximity to the inlet allows convenient access for fishing and diving among exotic artificial (sunken ship) reef systems. Guests can also utilize onsite fishing charters and rental services, while the beach bums in your group have easy access to the sandy white beaches of Pompano just a block away.

The Sands Harbor Marina houses a five-acre luxury hotel with spacious rooms, waterfront views and a patio bar and grill popular among guests and locals for its Rum Runners and live music on the weekends. The resort pool is open seven days a week, and shoppers can peruse local retail stores while gourmands partake in fresh seafood at either of the two waterfront restaurants.

“Cruisers from all over South Florida flock to Sands Harbor on the weekends to enjoy the great food and music,” says Berk Cekli, marina manager. “Sands Harbor Resort and Marina is full throughout the year and has a waiting list in the winter season. Our level of clientele continues to increase as the resort owners have recently invested in upgrading the entire marina infrastructure and guest areas.”

Cekli also praises the dedicated staff at Sands Harbor. “The Marina staff is second to none. All are trained and experienced cruisers.” The marina offers a full-service fuel dock, a bait and tackle shop with a variety of live bait, and a convenience store for snacks and refreshments.

Marina Features:

  • Full service for 50 boats up to 120 feet with avg. depth of 8 feet
  • Fuel Station
  • Bait & tackle
  • Convenience store
  • Free high-speed internet

Additional Amenities:

  • 56-room resort hotel
  • Patio bar & grill
  • Fishing charters
  • SCUBA and snorkeling charters & instructors
  • Boat and jet ski rentals
  • Yacht brokerage
  • Retail shops
  • Hair salon
  • Swimming pool

Information:

Sands Harbor Resort & Marina
125 N. Riverside Drive
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
(800) 227-3353
sands@sandsharbor.com

By Daniel Wagner, Southern Exposure

Zebra mussels invade Texas

Invasive species are a very real threat and a menace to natural ecosystems across the planet, and the lionfish is one that has garnered a lot of public and media attention as of late. However, a new foreign scourge is rampaging through the lakes of Texas and has forced strict new boating and fishing guidelines in an effort to halt its spread.

The zebra mussel was imported from its natural Eurasian habitat into the Great Lakes around 1988 and has since spread rapidly down through the Mississippi waterway. Preferring still or slow moving bodies of water, their larvae can be easily transferred via rivers, bait wells or bilges and survive in this stage for up to 30 days and allows their population to multiply aggressively.

With colonies large and concentrated enough to actually sink buoys with their weight over time, the Zebra Mussels adhere themselves to keels, boat trailers, pilings—basically any solid structure under water. Very difficult to remove from even the hull of a boat, the mussels can damage or block any water system on a vessel including heads, air conditioners and engine cooling systems. On a larger scale, the mussel colonies are specifically wreaking havoc with drainage, irrigation, cooling supplies for power plants, and pipes for local water supplies. The colonies bloom out and adhere to each other and block these larger water intake and discharge systems similar to blocked arteries. The environmental damage to local ecosystems is also radical, with entire populations of fish dying off due to the large colonies of mussels’ ability to alter the temperature of lakes via their natural filtration of the water columns.

One of the many efforts the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are using to control the Zebra mussels. Photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.

Already discovered in Lake Texoma, Lewisville Lake, Lake Belton, and multiple others across Texas, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department began enforcing new regulations that went into effect over the summer. Applying to flatboats, skiboats, personal watercraft, sailboats, kayaks/canoes or any vessel of any size—whether powered or not—owners must now flush and clean all livewells, bilges, motors or any other item or machine that comes into contact with public waters, a good boating habit to begin with.

With their larvae capable of transiting in any standing water from one lake to another, cruisers are now the first line of defense in staving off infestation between bodies of water throughout the country. Already discovered in California and even Utah with recreational boats the likely transportation, cruisers throughout the South must become vigilant or the millions of dollars already being spent throughout the Great Lakes region on removal and eradication will surely arrive on lakes across the Gulf Coast—along with higher boating fees necessary to pay for the damage.

By Harlen Leslie, Southern Boating October 2014

Take care of sea grass and coral when you cruise and anchor in The Bahamas

The Bahamian government is currently drafting new regulations—that include severe penalties—to protect coral throughout the islands. All vessels, from yachts to cruise ships, will be liable for any damage they cause to sea grass beds when they anchor, run aground or discharge pollutants. Sea grass beds are more fragile than most people realize and are very important to benthic ecosystems. Turtle grass is the principal food for green turtles, and queen conch graze on algae that grow in the sea grass beds. Use moorings when available and anchor only in clear sand. Many national parks have moorings with more planned. The Elizabeth Harbour Conservation Partnership in Great Exuma is in the process of installing a number of snorkeling moorings in Elizabeth Harbour, and a few yacht owners have committed to installing large moorings in West Bay, Conception Island. elizabethharbourpartnership.org

Firearms

Cruisers in the Bahamas are allowed to retain firearms on board for their entire cruise, although Bahamas Customs insists that all firearms and ammunition be declared upon entry and listed on the vessel’s Cruising Permit. Failure to declare firearms is a serious breach of Bahamian law.

If cruisers plan to leave their boats unattended for more than a few days, it is a good idea to contact the local Customs or Police who can secure the firearms ashore in a locked government facility—a sensible precaution to prevent them from getting into the wrong hands. Cruisers can recover their firearms when they return.

Fuel in the Central Exumas

The increased number of boats and the closure of the fuel facilities in Samson Cay have made it difficult for the Staniel Cay Yacht Club to keep up with demand. This summer the club occasionally ran out of gas. As fuel shortages are not uncommon in the out-islands, it is prudent to stay topped off and call ahead to your next destination.

[photomosaic ids=”5592,5591,5590,5589″ orderby=”rand”]

Spanish Wells

Spanish Wells is becoming even more cruiser friendly. A new restaurant, The Shipyard, has one of the prime locations in The Bahamas—the very east end of Spanish Wells overlooking the water to Gun Point. The restaurant has a full-service bar and excellent food at fair prices. There is also a two-for-one drink special at Happy Hour. The restaurant is usually closed Monday and Tuesday.

Spanish Wells Yacht Haven marina is being completely rebuilt with a new restaurant and bar, and guesthouses scheduled to open in December. The marina remains open with good electrical power, water and Internet access at all slips. The docks are scheduled to be rebuilt in early 2015. Call Dockmaster Leroy Kelly on 16 VHF or (242) 333-4255.

These improvements make North Eleuthera even better as a cruising destination with a variety of places to visit, the peace and quiet of Royal Island, Meek’s Patch, and the anchorage off The Bluff, for example. Spanish Wells offers friendly citizens and full services and supplies, including mechanics, welders and R&B Boatyard (rbboatyard.com). Harbour Island is an easy run—a pilot is still very much advised—and is rightfully called the Nantucket of The Bahamas.

 

Conch

The queen conch (Strombus gigas) stocks in The Bahamas are in a dramatic decline. The Bahamas government, the Bahamas National Trust, commercial fishermen, and others are working hard to draft new regulations that will help rebuild the stocks throughout The Bahamas. Foreign cruisers are still allowed to take conch, but in respect of the conch’s decline cruisers might consider leaving the conch for the local fishermen and eating their conch at restaurants ashore. It’s a good way to support the local economy. (To learn more about this culturally important species, see Dee Carstarphen’s The Conch Book.)

Junkanoo

It’s not too late to consider celebrating Christmas and New Year’s in The Bahamas. Skip the usual presents and buy plane tickets for the family to join you. The beauty of The Bahamas, the friendship of the Bahamian people and the intimacy of your own boat will draw everyone in. Children from up north will be glad to know that Santa Claus puts pontoons on his sled when he heads for southern waters. 

By Stephen Connett Southern Boating November 2014
Stevie Connett has been sailing in The Bahamas for several decades. For the last ten years Stevie and Barbara Crouchley have been cruising throughout the islands aboard FOXY LADY tagging sea turtles and working with the Education Department of the Bahamas National Trust.

Rocksgiving tournament helps fund two great causes.

Anglers have another opportunity this month to score large migrating striped bass and win large prize money at the inaugural Rocksgiving Tournament on November 15th. The tournament is headquartered in Annapolis at the Chesapeake Harbour Marina, which accommodates boats up to 110 feet in length and has a basin-wide depth of 8 feet (MLW). Any angler who is lucky and skilled enough to reel in a Maryland state record fish during the tournament will win the Grand Prize of $100,000. The tournament is also offering $10,000 to any angler weighing in the first striper more than 55 pounds. More modest yet substantial payouts are also planned for winning fish. Sam’s on the Waterfront will host an awards party from 4-8PM.

Tournament entry fees will fill the prize money pot and also help fund two local causes: The Bowen Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Trust. The mission of the Bowen Foundation is to raise awareness and funds for the prevention, treatment, education, and research efforts related to autism spectrum disorders. The Chesapeake Bay Trust is a nonprofit, grant-making organization focused on the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in Maryland. Call (410) 268-1969 or visit rocksgiving.com.

Carolina angling

This month the water temperatures are cooler, the crowds are gone and the weather is usually still nice with daytime temperatures averaging in the 60s. Fish are also more active making them easier to catch; the shallow-water bite is particularly exciting this time of year. North Carolina’s coastal rivers, estuaries and sounds are typically filled with stripers, redfish, spotted sea trout, king mackerel, and more. Many charter boats offer both half-day and full-day runs, and the captains can put you on fish fast. It’s a prime time to catch and release, or take home the legal catch limit.

The Field Guide to the Natural World of Washington, D.C. by Howard Youth is not only informative and practical, but also full of beautiful wildlife art. Photo: Johns Hopkins University Press

Books on board

Gift-giving season is approaching and the gift of knowledge is often a thoughtful choice. One recently published book by Johns Hopkins University Press is a great book to have on board. The Field Guide to the Natural World of Washington, D.C. by Howard Youth is not only informative and practical, but also full of beautiful wildlife art. It’s superbly illustrated by Mark A. Klingler and includes fine color photos by Robert E. Mumford, Jr. If you’re visiting D.C.—by boat, preferably—it’s a great guide to have on hand, since a stroll along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers can reveal bullfrogs, largemouth bass, ducks, snapping turtles, herons, and much more flora and fauna. Youth is a natural history writer and former associate editor and communications manager for the Friends of the National Zoo. Two other books by JH Press I have in my cabin and highly recommend are Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice and Robert Lipsson, and The Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay by Edward O. Murdy and John A. Musick.

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating November 2014

Southern Traditions

As the first cool fronts make their way down from the north and with the holidays right around the corner, the second major boating season gets underway on the Northern Gulf Coast. Flatboats and pirogues are readied and ponds in the marshes are scouted. Fishermen head out for those big reds and trout that got away over the summer, and the oystermen fan out from the coast to bring in those salty mollusks so necessary for this coast’s holiday celebrations.

Thanksgiving and Christmas on the Gulf Coast have always featured time-honored traditions incorporating boating with holiday meals that reach back to subsistence fishing and hunting. It’s hard not to notice the flatboats covered in fresh marsh grass on Thanksgiving morning in New Orleans’ Garden District with hunters rushing in their camouflage gear to start the smokers. On the coast of Mississippi, boats skippered by “paw paws” and grandfathers are eased back onto their trailers as the proud and sleepy grandkids are ready for a nap from their quick morning of trawling for the day’s shrimp. On the bayous of Alabama, crab traps are raised and early morning trout are cleaned while the luggers in Apalachicola bring in those all-important oysters.

As families descend on their gathering spots on the coast from Pass Christian to Bon Secour and from New Orleans to Clearwater, ladies in their kitchens and men at their culinary stations out back come alive. Recipes handed down from generations long past  are shared with the next in line. The number of oysters in this year’s dressing is marked on the handwritten recipe that now scrolls back fifty years. Empty shotgun shell casings and old tangled fishing line are placed with moss, green mirlitons and heirloom crystal candleholder centerpieces, while laughter and the smell of redfish court-bouillon permeate the house. Out back, brothers and uncles sip on cold beer while their sons and daughters watch as ducks wrapped in bacon are smoked to perfection—the black labs wait for that one dropped bird.

On piers and docks, oysters are charbroiled while a brisk cold wind whips down across the sounds and bays—boats pop in the water in a building chop while sailboat stanchions clink. Windows of the houses glow with the warm yellow light of families and friends gathered, their cars parked in the lawn underneath sprawling oaks next to a few boat trailers holding license plates from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

While the arriving winter means many cruisers across the country prepare to put their boats to bed under cover for the inevitable snow and ice, on the Gulf Coast and throughout the South, boating springs to life in a second season. Away from the summer waterskiing, regattas and the heat of waiting on that tuna to bite off shore, many might say that it’s the more important boating  season.

By Troy Gilbert, Southern Boating November 2014

Belize, It’s UnBelizeable!

It’s UnBelizeable!

There is a lengthy list of sensible reasons why Belize belongs on the must-do list when it comes to Caribbean cruising. First, a two-hour flight from the United States to Belize City makes it easy to travel to, English is the official language and it is one of the most affordable destinations in the Caribbean—the U.S. dollar is widely accepted and is worth twice the Belizean dollar. Second (or fourth, depending on how you count), electricity is the same as in the U.S., and you can drink the water. But most of all, besides all of the sensible reasons to visit Belize, the country’s overwhelming draw is the natural beauty of its islands, waters and rainforests, along with its intriguing Mayan culture, all of which are wrapped up in an intoxicatingly relaxed way of life.

Belize is the pioneer of sustainable tourism and, proud of its abundance of natural wonders, it pampers them and shows them off well. Boating on ancient Mayan waterways brings one close to water birds and crocodiles. The country is chock-full of limestone caves and sinkholes to hike and swim in, some of which even contain Mayan treasures. Belize has a baboon sanctuary and one of the only jaguar preserves in the world. Howler monkeys and toucans peer out of its verdant rainforests. With hundreds of offshore islands, beachcombing, diving, snorkeling, and boating are superb.

The more than 321,000 people of Belize come from eight distinct cultures: Maya, Mestizo, Creole, Garifuna, East Indian, German Mennonite, Arab, and Chinese, all of which add their distinct seasoning to the dish of Belizean music, cuisine and art. The Mayan culture is ever present. From 250-900 A.D. the mathematically brilliant Mayan civilization flourished in Central America leaving 1,400 archeological sites in Belize. Day tripping to sites before or after cruising or island hopping is easy since Belize is only 185 miles long and 75 miles wide. Hotels and charter companies are happy to arrange excursions.

Boat travel up winding rivers to both Altun Ha and Lamanai in Northern Belize is a treat. Altun Ha—Mayan for “water of the rock”—was a small but important ceremonial and trading center located 31 miles north of Belize City where archeologists found the largest Mayan carved jade object, a jade head. Lamanai (“submerged crocodile” in Mayan) appears out of the rainforest after a 26-mile boat ride on the New River. It is famous for a stela of a Mayan ruler wearing a crocodile headdress. The Mayans occupied this site for 3,000 years.

Landlubbers are content to stay ashore, but mariners come to life on the water and Belize has plenty of that. Along its entire Caribbean coastline lays the longest unbroken barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere—a UNESCO World Heritage site. More than 100 species of coral and 500 species of fish call the area home. Eight protected marine reserves, including the famous Blue Hole—a 1,000-foot-wide sinkhole in the sea—provide SCUBA divers and snorkelers wondrous guided experiences year round.

Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are the largest and most populated islands of Belize. Ambergris Caye, with the town of San Pedro, is a little livelier than Caye Caulker where the motto “Go Slow” says it all. Both places have access to the mainland with $20 round-trip water taxis (45 minutes) and $138 round-trip Tropic Air flights (15 minutes). The charter company TMM is based in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Both islands are good places to provision, gas up and top off the water tank. Required diving and snorkel guides are available on both islands for visits to several nearby marine reserves.

Ragamuffin Tours on Caye Caulker offers the unique experience of sailing on an authentic Belizean sailing sloop all day, visiting Hol Chan Reserve, Coral Gardens and Shark Ray Alley sites for only $70. Included meals could be stewed chicken, coconut rice or freshly-made shrimp ceviche washed down with rum punch mixed in an oversized water jug. Dolphins play with the sloop’s bow wave en route to snorkel adventures with nurse sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, blue tangs, moray eels, goatfish, trunk fish, blueheads, butterfly fish, and the list goes on. Ragamuffin insists that all footwear be left at the dock before departure. By the time the pile of flip-flops are returned, life is seen in a better light!

All beaches on Ambergris and Caulker are public and plenty of fish swim just offshore. A favorite place for mingling with people and fish on Caye Caulker is at The Split. This small channel separates the island and it is here that people hang out all day at the Lazy Lizard Bar. Snorkel in the morning with starfish, eat curried lobster, coconut rice and beans with a Belikin Beer for lunch, and then return to the water where a float is the perfect means of transportation.

Life becomes more peaceful as one travels down the coast to the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize. Uninhabited islands provide dot-to-dot sailing in uncluttered water. From April to June people come to swim with whale sharks, and drums beat during the celebration of the Garifuna in November, but most of the time tranquility is the main attraction.

Chartering a catamaran for a week in Belize is possible through Sunsail and The Moorings based in Placencia, TMM Yacht Charters on Ambergris Caye, and other local charter companies. Whether you bareboat or hire a captain and crew, charter is a great way to experience Belizean waters. Just keep in mind that charter companies insist that bareboaters stay within the barrier reef unless accompanied by a local captain. Navigational aids are sparse and navigation by sight with a bow watch is highly recommended due to “skinny” waters and coral reefs. The place is remote beyond the cayes and communication is sketchy at times on both cellphone and VHF. Gas, water, ice, and provisions should be conserved since replenishment is spotty. On the bright side, the barrier reef protects sailors from ocean swells, and trade winds almost guarantee 20 knots of wind every day. The Cruising Guide to Belize and Mexico’s Caribbean Coast by Freya Rauscher (3rd Edition) is the guide of choice and can be ordered from info@windmillhillbooks.com. Most companies provide copies onboard but TMM and The Moorings give a copy to charters.

Perhaps “Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret” is less of a secret now. Once this country’s natural playground is experienced it could be said, “It’s unBelizeable!”

Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating September 2013

Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing University

Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing University

Ladies fishing tournaments are plentiful and popular and bring everyone into the excitement of tournament fishing. But a Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing University is a bit different.

They provide a unique opportunity for female anglers to team up with professional fishing experts for dedicated fishing instruction. Ladies can experience one-on-one access to award-winning fishing captains in the prime fishing grounds around Florida.

From Betty Bauman, the event founder: “The main events start out with a Friday evening social so we can recognize the sponsors, and the ladies get a chance to meet the others. Saturday mornings are the sit-down classes, which are very heavily laden with conservation because the best time to learn conservation is when an angler is new and impressionable. And then we serve lunch. After lunch we have hands-on fishing techniques, for instance, I show stand up fighting techniques.

We have tables for knot tying, lure usage, lure rigging, other fishing skills, sometimes we have how to handle the dock lines; they’re all a little bit different. And then we have spin-casting, net-casting, fly-casting, boat-handling trailer, backing, and landing, we have them gaff grapefruits. On Sunday we have the optional charter fishing, we give them choices, sometimes it’s the choice of a drift boat, a sport fishing boat or an inshore boat depending on the area that they’re in—different parts of the states have a different kind of fishing.”

Tavernier on Key Largo is the site October 19-21 where more than seven hours of inshore and off‑shore instruction on bait, equipment, technique, timing, and species knowledge will be held on Saturday with all day fishing fun on Sunday. Sign up early because past attendees typically return year after year to relive the fun and excitement.

ladiesletsgofishing.com

By Bob Arrington, Southern Boating September 2018

More from the Southeast Seaboard:

Pirate Parties

Exit mobile version