****New Poll****West End / Gathering?

[kmoose]

Originally Posted by dave s

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

I saw their site and it looks great but has limited dockage (5). Five boats going would be a good trip and likely all that could handle the logistic in open schedule. I certainly could put more than Mel and I on my boat. So who's in so we can get this ball rolling?

[kmoose]

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.

[cdavisdb]

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.

[rcnight]

Sorry, I seem to have lost the trail. Are you talking about West End or Bimini?

[kmoose]

Switched to west end.
Mods, feel free to change the title.

[flyingfrizzle]

Originally Posted by kmoose

Switched to west end.
Mods, feel free to change the title.

Tittle changed per your request...

[jnamowitz]

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

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by jnamowitz

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

West End is 60 nm from Palm Beach/Lake Worth Inlet, bearing ~90 degrees true, although you'll have to head about 95 deg (at 20 kts) to compensate for 2.5-3 kt Gulf Stream current. If you launch further south and use Boynton or Boca Raton inlets, you won't have to fight the current, although those can be much trickier inlets if wind is opposing the current!

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!

[NoBones]

Originally Posted by Bushwacker

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!

That means GFS is all yours Denny !

He usually travels with his own body bag..

[Bushwacker]

[QUOTE=NoBones;241100. . . He usually travels with his own body bag.. [/QUOTE]

That should pacify the customs guys!