The Bimini Bay Islands are the most popular small boat destination in the Bahamas. Being only 42 nm off the major Florida metropolitan areas of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, they are crowded on any weekend, all holiday weeks, and during their several major fishing tournaments. They’re a fun place to be if you’re into fishing or diving, and have good shore side restaurants and bars for the night time bar crawl. Because the trip is short, it’s a good learning trip before biting off the longer runs to Walkers or Green Turtle Cays.

Most of the inhabitants are on North Bimini, and live in the two small towns of Alice Town, near the south end, and Bailey Town, occupying the middle. The north end of the island is owned by private investors, who from time to time make improvements to the property. The towns have a sprinkling of shops, churches and merchandise stores befitting a small community.

The airstrip, some older dwellings, and the new marina/condominium complex of Bimini Sands is on the south island. A BASRA base is well around to the south on this same island. Most tourist in Bimini Bay like to stay in Bimini Bay Resort. It’s well maintained, has good 24 hour security, and everything you need either on premises or in easy walking distance.

Other than crossing the Gulf Stream, the other intresting is going to Bimini Bay Island. The entrance from the ocean is guarded by a long sand bar on the seaward side, and a rock reef at the southern end. The idea is to stay outside the sandbar until you find the range markers, and then run a heading toward them until close to the beach. There is plenty of good, deep water along the beach to turn north and run into the bay, nearly 3/4 a mile to the north. The range markers are low lying, unlit, and difficult to see. Find them and the route from there on is easy.

You must locate the range markers, or follow a boat in that knows what they are doing. Read the water all the way in. The rock reef is well off to starboard if you’re on the right track, and you might not even see it. In full sunlight you’ll readily see the long sand bar, which you must get inshore of before turning north toward the bay. There is also shoaling north of the jetty of the new Bimini Sands Condo/Marina, so prepare for heart stopping readings on the depth finder when passing across that area. In June, 2002, a small dredge was removing sand, leaving the marked pipe in the water when not in use, adding another hazard for the unwary.

Other Navigation Notes

Don’t run down the beach south of the range markers, as you’ll run over the rocks. If going to the Sapona, exit offshore at the range markers and stand well south before re–entering the bank.

Don’t cut the corner on the sandbar if you can’t see into the water. It really gets shallow all the way to the range markers on low tide. Yes, there is an unmarked channel midway down the sandbar, but its position varies with the latest storm and depth varies with the tide. It should be traversed only if you have recent local knowledge.

When you’re making the run in toward the range markers, and then north along the shoreline, make notes of how you would do it at night. Note the how much sea room you have between the beach and the sandbar, the standoff you need at the Bimini Sands jetty, note searoom at the narrow entrance to the bay itself, etc. Sooner or later you’ll want or have to do it at night, where you can’t see anything except what your spotlight and radar will show, and those notes will prove invaluable.