The Gulf of Mexico is a true tropical sea and one of the deepest bodies of water in the world. From the height of a cruise ship, one might not notice that the electric blue expanse is teaming with life from aquatic animals such as giant Kemp-Ridley turtles and recently discovered 55-foot-long Baleen whales. Stirred by the Great Loop Current that flies between Cuba and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula at over four knots, this current eventually becomes the Gulf Stream that affects the weather and ecology as far away as England. However, this warm current also throws off giant eddies into the Gulf and feeds one of the most unique ecosystems in North America—the Flower Garden Banks.
Located a little over 100 miles offshore of Galveston, Texas, the Flower Garden is the most unique and extensive coral reef system in all of North America and considered to be the most pristine in the entire Western Hemisphere due to its relative remote location. Designated a Marine Sanctuary in 1992 by the U.S., this flourishing ecosystem is made possible by giant underground salt domes that push up the deep, featureless seabed to within 60 feet of the surface and allow an undersea oasis of tropical life. The nearest coral reef is 400 miles south along the coast of Mexico and as such, it has become a secret scuba-diving magnet and cruising layover in the Gulf of Mexico by boat owners in the know.
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First discovered by fishermen in the late 1800s who suddenly noticed bright, vibrant colors beneath the waves, this marine sanctuary is now known to harbor more than 20 species of tropical corals and over 180 species of fish. Comprised of three separate salt domes that rise up and plateau, the largest expands out over 250 acres. As a designated marine sanctuary, fishing and anchoring are not allowed by law, however, there are three mooring fields that are available to transient cruisers in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico where the depths below them explode in color.
As a well-known overnight scuba-diving site, charters and private boats tend to visit on two- or three-day excursions primarily in the summer when the water is over 80 degrees. As such, mooring availability may get a bit tight. For cruisers who do not dive, it’s still a unique destination in the great expanse of the Gulf of Mexico to tie up and enjoy the blue waters where colors rise from the depths and the stars follow after sunset. February is also a heavily visited month due to the hordes of thousands of hammerhead sharks that transit the banks annually.
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.
A Diver photographs a Hammerhead shark and a Nurse shark, which are prevail ant in this region of the Bahamas. Photo: Bimini Sands Resort & Marina
Tourists enjoy a slower pace of life on golf carts. Liz Pasch
The concrete ship SS Sapona south of Bimini’s south island is a popular snorkeling and diving spot.
Photo: Bimini Sands Resort & Marina
Resort World’s infinity pool overlooks turquoise waters surrounding Bimini. Make a day of it and eat poolside at Aqua Grille, one of Resort World’s five outstanding restaurants. Photo: Liz Pasch
Steel drums are the instrument of choice for “Calypso” style of music that is a signature to the Bahamas.
a paddleboard excursion with Bimini Sands Activities Center. Bimini Sands Resort & Marina.
Scuba diving on one of Bimini’s reefs. Photo: Bimini Big Game Club
A testament to importance of Conch as not only a sustaining food source, but also a crucial part of the economy. Liz Pasch
Sportfish yachts line up for a fishing tournament at Bimini Sands Resort & Marina.
Fileting fish and cracking conch is an art at Bimini marinas and throughout The Bahamas. Photo: Liz Pasch
Bimini Sand Resorts & Marina attracts couples to its new infinity-edge pool. Photo: bimini sands resort & marina
An old steel hull rests on the coral beds of Bimini’s shores.
The Bahamas; cracked conch ceviche prepared by Resort World’s Executive Chef Jimmy Sakatos
Dancing on the bar at Mackey’s. Photo: Bimini Sands Resort & Marina
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
The Zayak Sea Sled is a safe, comfortable way to immerse yourself in life underwater without hassling with a snorkel and mask. The ventilated neoprene dry mask eliminates glare and reflections for clear visibility underwater through the wide-angle panoramic window—essentially a personal glass-bottom boat. Ideal for children to float with ease on its bright yellow platform, or proficient snorkelers to use as a base from which to dive deeper, the Zayak Sea Sled allows everyone to explore the water. MSRP starts at $345; zayakseasled.com
The Zayak Sea Sled has handles and a ventilated neoprene dry mask that helps eliminates glare.
