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****New Poll****West End / Gathering?
Any interest in doing a Gathering in Bimini? Been about 30 years since I've been there so me and the Admiral are considering doing a trip over for a few days. I think a group run would be fun and adventurous to do, especially for those who haven't done it before. Anybody have any recent experience in lodging and travel logistics? I figure it would be good to kick it around early so as to work some solid plans up.
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I have never considered this, but with the group I've met at Sebastian and Homosassa, I'd seriously consider it. What time of year is ideal?
Vezo, Part II |
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Hummmm.........would love to. Now to work Danny's Jedi magic on the boss!!
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If I had my seafari ready I would trailer it down south for this one! My vacation just restarted and I got 3 weeks plus one week that I rolled over from last year. I think that would be an awesome trip if the weather would work out right for a safe trip. If yall make this one happen I expect lots of pictures oh and some video too...
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There are better choices besides Bimini... just sayin' Stuart to Jupiter for a crossing to the west end would be more centrally located for those traveling to do this! Drinking Yellow Birds and eating raw Coconuts brings back bad memories of Bimini....;):rolleyes::D |
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The trick is picking the right days. Are we flexible enough to block 2 weekends if need be? |
The Bahamas is my dream trip....especially the Abacos. Bimini sounds fun too. Is this the year? Is another Key Largo trip up for discussion? I believe asking the right questions yields the correct answer-Yoda.
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. . .There are better choices besides Bimini... just sayin' . . . [/QUOTE]
Bimini has the advantage of the shortest crossing from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale at about 45 nm, but West End or Lucaya on Grand Bahama (about 60 and 90 nm from Palm Beach respectively) would have more accommodations for those who can't stay aboard their boats. Too bad Walkers Cay (100nm from Palm Beach/Lake Worth inlet) is still out of commission (as far as I know), although maybe you could now clear in at nearby Grand Cay, who may also have gas now. Lots of nice reefs nearby, so great diving and fishing. After clearing through West End on my first couple trips to Green Turtle in the late '70's, we started clearing in at Walkers on later trips. We'd spend the night anchored off Grand Cay and then spend the next couple days working our way down the chain of uninhabited islands the next 65 nm to Green Turtle, making for a much more relaxing trip than trying to run all the way to GT via WE in one day! Don't know how it is now, but back then the W.E. customs guy covered both the marina and airport, and you can guess who got priority! Only the skipper can get off the boat till you've cleared customs, so waiting several hours in that well protected marina (=no wind=hot!) is no fun. At Walkers, you knew the customs guy had to be on island somewhere, all you had to do was find him! Navigation to Walkers from PBI is also a bit easier than to WE, which bears 90 deg or due E. This means you have to head about 95 degrees or so to compensate for Gulf Stream current. Course to Walkers via Memory Rock, which is about 20 nm N of WE, is about 85-87 degrees, so you're getting a lift from Gulf Stream on the way to Walkers instead of fighting it on the way to West End! Memory Rock was a very important waypoint since this was way before GPS! It's about the size and looks like a submarine conning tower, so if your dead reckoning navigation was off by more than about 5 miles, you'd never see it! Although you're never more than 20' from land once you get to the Little Bahama Bank, you're out of sight of land or any landmarks for about 4 of the 5 hour trip to Walkers! |
As expected, logistics will play a big role in where and how. Range for me is not really a problem and I could likely get it done without refueling as well as several others here. Accommodations for the Admiral and myself would also take precedence as we may opt for more than just a weekend. I am thinking at least 3 days with two days for travel. That may be too much for some and require a flexable time window for weather. Ultimately I would love to make it happen this year but that only gives us 5 months to nail it all down.
My hopes are that someone takes the lead on this as I think experience should set the course. |
The first time I went to Bimini, in 1992, we planned a 3 night trip with a couple other boats. When it came time to start the trip, there was a small depression out there that was supposed to fizzle, so we went with calm seas. We stayed at Browns.
The second morning of the trip, the little storm had grown to hurricane Andrew and after a little debate, we decided to head home after fishing the day. We got back to haulover at about 10 pm on Saturday. Two years later, we went back and I was surprised to see the amount of windows in the area that were still not replaced. We ended up that trip by way of government cut, due to a pretty bad thunderstorm. I've stayed at Walker's in May for a week on a 35' boat and only got out fishing once, due to the winds howling. So you never know. I now only go out when it's two feet or less. |
The good thing about planning this is we could convert to a local gathering or coastal trek if weather just won't cooperate. An alternative plan will be a must.
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Been +30yrs since I sailed over - I'll work on getting the boat in order. The cruising permit is $150 and believe good for 90 days. Cross over early enough and maybe get two trips in during the summer months. My daughter has been after me for years to take her so count us in. Lots of useful info on Florida Sportsman forums.
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It's such a long trip to the Abacos on the far eastern side of the Bahamas that we always went for 2 weeks, but since we planned to stay on the boats for several days, that gave us flexibility to shift the schedule a few days if required! It's the folks that feel like they HAVE to go to hold a schedule that get into trouble! The worst crossing I ever had, with steep 6-8' breaking seas in middle of gulf stream due to a 10 kt north wind, was an afternoon return from West End because one of the guys wanted to get back in time for lobster mini-season, which started the next day. If we had just anchored out that night and come back early the next morning, it would have been flat glassy calm! |
Looking at a fishing lodge on the west end. Bootle Bay? I see what looks like a big hotel with a purple roof and a marina (Google Earth). Anybody have any intel on this?
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Great place and people! Vida Blue owner/manager, lobster/ flats guide. Wife is v. good cook. Nice rooms, reasonable rates, recently fixed up. Small place, limited number of rooms.
I'd stay there instead of Old Bahama Bay. Bootle Bay Fishing Lodge Bootle Bay West End, Grand Bahama Island The Bahamas Bahamas Line: (242) 349-4010 U.S. Line: (561) 283-3891 Vida's Cell: (242) 443-7915 Email: VidaBlue42@hotmail.com GPS Coordinates: N 26.38.774 - W 78.57.042 |
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I spoke with Mike at International Marine in Boynton Beach about the trip. He is interested as well on possibly making the trip with us as well as hooking us up with a secure place to park our trailers.
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This year looks interesting, weatherwise. Years after a big El Nino tend to have lots of hurricanes. 1998, following the last big one, had a lot of storms, but they started late. Nothing in July. This year's El Nino is lasting longer than 1997, Looks good. Denny is right, June can run you into some fairly windy weather on the nose. I've had a few difficult trips around Memorial day, one canceled. Early June is very iffy, late June probably ok, The first half of July should be good. I've got a trip planned June28-July 11 to the west side of Abaco. Probably no way to coordinate, but it sure would be fun.
Bimini has really come up in the world, at least one decent place to stay, the Big Game Club, wifi, megayachts, big housing development on the north end of the island, good availability of fuel and ice. Not sure all that is an improvement, but it sure is easier. |
Bimini Trip
Sorry, I seem to have lost the trail. Are you talking about West End or Bimini?
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Switched to west end.
Mods, feel free to change the title. |
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What is the distance for the crossing? I might be interested. I would just trailer up from key west. I would also be in for a key largo meet up
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There is a nice reef in about 80' off West End (with lot's of current - float dive only!) and a cement ship wreck in about 120' off Lucaya; visibility is typically 50'+. There is also a DC-4 drug runner plane wreck in about 20' north of Great Sale Cay . . . loaded with yellowtail but also lots of big 'Cuda's, so good luck getting a yellowtail to the boat intact! Can't use any spear guns in Bahamas, although you can use slings or pole spears if free diving. NO spearfishing of any kind allowed if tank diving. I believe a fishing license is included with the Cruising Permit. The customs/immigration paperwork is interesting . . . it dates from the 18th century and they'll want a crew manifest, and also want to know what your cargo is, if anyone has any diseases or if anyone died during the voyage! |
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:D:D:D That means GFS is all yours Denny ! :eek::eek: He usually travels with his own body bag.. ;) |
[QUOTE=NoBones;241100. . . He usually travels with his own body bag.. ;)[/QUOTE]
That should pacify the customs guys! :D:D:D |
Yeah Ken, I noticed his "sleeping bag" at Long Point a couple of years ago was rather strange. I guess when your sleeping on a picnic table out in the weather a water proof bag is a good idea. :)
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Speaking of Longpoint, does this mean the longpoint/Sportsman lodge thing is history.
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I stuck the thread to the top..... who is serious? I would consider it for sure. It looks like we need a poll to wrangle our herd of cats together. My goal is to be over there asap since I repowered, but I also am getting Corbin to college this Summer. I know our group, and I think we have a core group that would do it. I would lean toward late June. What say you?
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I could probably make a West End gathering on the way back from Abaco, if the timing worked out. I could arrange to be passing near about the weekend of July 9-10. All too iffy to plan around that, just putting in my 2 cents.
Late June would probably work, but you run some risk of having an unpleasant amount of wind and wave on the nose running due east. Start from a bit farther south and you can get around that problem. |
One thing you can count on with the weather on a certain time is that you can't. For many years, I took vacations in June, due to the usual calm winds and less chance for storms for my boating. It seems to me that its becoming less certain.
The weather man can't tell you what the seas will be six days from now, much less six months from now. |
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The picnic table was the only dry body bag. I believe I saw the Wood family floating by just before sunrise... |
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I totally agree about the need for an open weather window when crossing over to the Bahamas. I started sailing there with my family in 1974. We got caught in a tropical storm off of West End. We turned around and went back. We ended up flying home a few days later. I think everyone that understands the crossing knows the drill. Those who do not understand the crossing at the very least have a lesson in front of them. |
I've done this several times with the Bluewater guys when I had my bluewaters. we would cross together, then from west end we would run to Treasure. the crossing is only about 55 miles from lake worth inlet. but as bumpdraft said, it is tough to plan such a trip. the way we did it was it was a full week long event, so most scheduled vacation around the event. usually went from a wednesday to a wednesday. so if was rough on wednesday, the group would look at thursday, etc.. usually at that time of year, it is descent crossing weather, as long as you leave super early. once the sun got up good, at times the wind would pick up with it. the guys like me, who trailered several hundred miles, would go even if it was rough, just take it slow and easy with another buddy boat.
with that being said, it is easier to plan a keys trip. no crossing, no stressing over who has passports, and regardless of weather, there always is a good bar to belly up to in protected waters without going in the ocean. either way, if you guys plan it, and i have a seacraft by then, I'm all in. |
I agree with Blackfin
I made over a Dozen crossings in my 23' SeaCraft with the WPB Fishing Club. Other things to consider: -Customs , Fishing Permit, Cruising Permit is a PITA -Fuel extremely expensive -Ice $20 plus a bag -Rooms Expensive and no guarantee the A/C will work -Its a long way home if the weather turns nasty -You need to carry extra parts, props, Bait, fuel separators, pumps etc. flying them in is out of the question - Make sure you have a good mechanic with your group - I can catch more fish in the Keys! :D |
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