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Only 50 Miles to a Different World
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The Bimini Islands are less than 50 nautical miles off the coast of Florida, yet they feel a world away. Bimini has long offered a convenient respite from the hustle and bustle of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. These 'Islands in the Stream' were made famous during Prohibition—and thanks to the escapades of one guy who really liked to fish, the singular Ernest Hemingway.
Today, Bimini has become an all-inclusive getaway fit for any boater. Whether arriving by sport fish, sailboat, or cruise liner, you can come for a day or two of fishing, diving, or resort life. You may choose to make Bimini your first stop on a longer Bahamas cruise.
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Bimini is a small island chain with only a handful of islands and cays. Only the northern two, North and South Bimini Islands, have amenities for visiting boaters. To the west, past the postcard-perfect beaches, lies the deep blue waters of the Straits of Florida; to the east, past isolated mangrove islands and seagrass flats, lie the clear green waters of the Great Bahama Bank.
The north end of North Bimini has seen a construction boom in the last decade, with new resort areas and amenities for visitors sprouting up fast. The new cruise port juts west into deep water and is now a frequent stopover for cruise ships and fast ferries from Florida.
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The west-facing beaches on North and South Bimini are postcard-perfect.
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Marinas and Dockage in Bimini
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North Bimini is where most of the action is. Resorts World Bimini which includes the cruise port, the luxury Hilton hotel and beach club, a spa, a 10,000-square-foot casino, and many fun rentals, tours, shops, and dining options – dominates the island's northern part.
For boaters, Resorts World Bimini offers three marina experiences: Resorts World Marina and neighboring Bimini Bay Marina which has two great docks - Fisherman's Village and Mega Marina. All three put you in the middle of this new hot spot. The region is accessible via a lengthy channel with a controlled depth of 12 feet, accommodating yachts of up to 200 feet in length.
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South of Resorts World, two settlements on North Bimini make up the bulk of the "town." Bailey Town and Alice Town are busy, thriving Bahamian villages stretched along Bimini's gorgeous west-side beaches. For marinas offering transient dockage in town, you will find:
- The Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina
- Bimini Blue Water Resort (fuel stop)
- Sea Crest Hotel and Marina
- Browns Marina
Across the narrow channel, South Bimini is a quieter residential island and home to the community's airport. There's also the Bimini Cove Resort and Marina (fuel stop), which offers a quiet place to stay with an easy approach. If you stay here, a ferry can take you to North Bimini to explore the town.
If traveling by your own boat, visit www.MyOutIslands.com for details on the $300 Dock and Stay offer. Stay at and dock your boat at any Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board marina hotel for four consecutive nights to take advantage of this generous offer.
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Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina is right in the heart of Alice Town on North Bimini.
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If you're just coming in from the States, you can clear in with Customs and Immigration at any marina. The primary facility is in Alice Town, convenient to all North Bimini marinas. Visitors to South Bimini can catch a cab to the airport to clear in, and Hilton Resorts World has agents on-site for marina guests.
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South Bimini offers a quieter stay away from the bustle of town.
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Bimini is smaller than other Bahamas boating destinations, with less long-term cruising potential. There are few good, safe anchorages, so most visitors will opt to stay in one of the area's marinas, especially if the weather is acting up. The appeal of Bimini for many is its strategic position as the first and easiest landfall before heading across the Bahama Bank to the Berry Islands, New Providence, or the Exumas.
But if you have the time to slow down and explore, the Bimini Islands have much to offer. The Gulf Stream provides ample fishing opportunities, and there are tons of interesting diving and snorkeling sites along the reefs. There are also miles and miles of seagrass flats to the island's east. For anglers casting a fly, the bonefishing is sublime.
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One unmissable sight is the Sapona wreck. The SS Sapona was a World War I Liberty Ship built in Wilmington, NC. After the war, the ship was brought to Bimini by an infamous rum runner and used to warehouse alcohol during the Prohibition era. The plan was to turn it into a floating nightclub, but the ship sank in a 1926 hurricane before this could happen. Today, the Sapona's skeletal remains have attracted tons of fish life, making it one of the area's top snorkeling and diving sites.
Bimini is famous for its sharks and shark diving excursions. It's one of the best places to see a hammerhead, among other big wildlife. Local dive operators, like Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center Bimini run both shark and wild dolphin encounter dives. The Bimini Biological Field Station operates the Shark Lab, which conducts research and outreach around the island. You can tour their facilities to learn more about these toothy sea critters.
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If you fancy a day away from the dock, head to Honeymoon Harbour on the north end of Gun Cay. Once you land on the idyllic beach, a fever of stingrays will rush from every direction. To say they've been trained to expect a handout is an understatement, but these gentle giants will surely charm you—even if they can be a little pushy.
North Bimini is the place to explore if all this waterborne fun has you needing a beach-side nap or a rum drink at Stuart’s Conch Salad Stand. Wandering Alice Town is the best way to sample the local fare, including fresh Bimini bread and conch salad. And if you want to try your hand at the slots or spend a day at the spa, Resorts World Bimini has the solution.
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Resorts World has made travel to Bimini easier than ever before. The popular destination is not only a stop-over on longer cruises, but also a destination for ferries and one-night cruises from several Florida ports. The fast ferry takes two hours each way, allowing for a seven-hour stay on the island and returning the same day.
Nothing beats the thrill of arriving by seaplane and splashing down in the harbor with style. Tropic Ocean Airways offers multiple daily floatplane flights from Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) to the North Bimini Seaplane Base at Resorts World. Bimini Airport also has regular commuter service on Silver Airways from Fort Lauderdale.
Visit www.MyOutIslands.com and subscribe to receive the Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board’s seasonal e-offers like their $250 Air Credit and Two Fly Free From Nassau offer.
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Anchored in Honeymoon Harbour on Gun Cay.
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Of course, we're boaters, so getting there the old-fashioned way is our preferred adventure. Your Gulf Stream crossing strategy will depend on the speed of your vessel and the time of year. Winter can be tricky, with frequent northers churning up the Stream. Crossing windows can be short-lived, and crossing windows can be few and far between. On the other hand, summer typically means calm winds and easy crossings, making short stays more manageable. And if you’re trying it for the first time, you may wish to participate in one of the Bahamas Boating Flings. Sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, a lead boat pilots the way for a caravan of boaters across the Gulf Stream.
When you arrive, the entrance into the North Bimini Channel is notoriously shifty, and the buoys are often off-station or missing. Check Waterway Guide Explorer for the latest condition reports and navigation advice.
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