APPROACHING BIMINI

[TJA]

I will be heading over to Bimini On July 3rd for the first time staying at the Big Game Club, but I have heard that it can be tough to find the orange/white markers leading to the channel along the beach and that there are numerous shoals once inside on the approach to the marina. I have a 30 ft boat w/ twin diesels that draws abt 2.5-3 ft.........any help or advice would be great.

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[duncan]

OK - how about posting on a forum that has more users doing that particular navigation on a regular basis..............

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[polarity]

I took a 70ft Hatteras through there a few years back, a bit weird driving along the beach but ok on the depth if you stick to the channel. Recent news says its shoaling though. See here
http://www.explorercharts.com/nearbahamas_updates.html

Good fishing!

Paul

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<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.polarity2.com/Clipper.htm>http://www.polarity2.com/Clipper.htm</A>

 

[jax]

I've taken my 6 foot draught sailboat into Bimini several times. Use the leading marks up to the beach turn left along the beach and you are in, With only 3 foot draught you shouldn't have any problems. Just go slowly and enjoy.

Jax

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[AndrewB]

You aren't going to have serious problems with your draft. In fact, you could probably cut across the sandbank to the north of the marks. The channel up into the harbour is long and narrow though and you will want to do it at very slow speed first time.

My strategy with a slow, deep draft sailing yacht was to make landfall slightly to the north and then work south with the current just offshore until the marks were spotted. I did find them quite hard to make out, but this was not long after a hurricane when everything tends to be a bit disordered.

Beware a strong tide running through the harbour, specially if lying to anchor.

You would get better, more up to date information if you put this question on the US <A target="_blank" HREF=http://old.cruisingworld.com/forums/genlmesg/index.pl>Cruising World Bulletin Board</A>, or search through their archives.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Where\'s Bimini?

And does it have a sun shade?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[kgi]

Suggest you make your approach to Bimini about nine in the morning or four in the afternoon that way you get to see the sportfishers coming in and out, the leading marks are very hard to see the first time and are actually on south bimini, once you have located the marks motor in towards the beach until about seventy feet off, hang a left and take it nice and steady as you go in, watch out for the ferries going to and fro across the harbour and don,t be suprised if a twin engined seaplane lands right alongside you, its the scheduled service from Miami, the sportfishers once they clear the harbour entrance step on the throttle so on going in be prepared to get thrown around a bit, as previous posts have said the current runs strongly across the harbour so stand by for some swift line handling........keith

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