Berry Islands - Bahamas

[GordMay]

Berry Islands

Population: 709
Size: 12 Sq. Miles
Highest Point: 80 Ft.
Location: Lat. N25 46' 00” - Long. W 77 51' 30"
Distance from Nassau: 35 Miles North
Distance from Bimini: 90 Miles East

The Berry Islands offer two places to clear entry formalities, at Great Harbour Cay and Chub Cay (presently closed for renovations by new owners June 2005).

This chain of 30 small Islands are inhabited by just over 700 people, most of whom live at Bullocks Harbour on Great Harbour Cay, the largest of the Berry Islands.

Located on the edge of the Tongue of the Ocean, the Berry Islands are popular with divers, anglers and yachtsmen. The Berrys, as locals call them, were believed to have been first settled in 1836 when Governor Colebrooke established a settlement of liberated Africans at Great Harbour Cay.

At the southern end of the chain is Chub Cay, which has a semi-private resort. It is located near the Great Bahama bank and the Tongue of the Ocean and is renowned as a sport-fishing resort for yachtsmen. At Great Sturrup Cay, another Island in The Berry’s chain, is a lighthouse built in 1863. Limited services can be found at Chub Cay, Frazer's Hog Cay, Little Harbour and Great Harbour Cay.

Cruise ships stop at Little Sturrup Cay (Royal Caribbean Cruise Line calls it "Coco Cay") to allow tourists to swim and picnic on the beautiful white sandy beaches there. Between Great Harbour Cay and the Sturrup Cays are a number of privately owned Cays, including Bird Cay, Whale Cay, Frozen and Alder's Cays, Little Harbour Cay and Little Whale Cay. The east and south sides of the Berry Islands can be extremely rough in strong onshore weather conditions and some anchorages can be uncomfortable.

[Sunspot Baby]

Gord:

Do you know if we could still do our entry at Chub Cay, even though the commercial facilities there are closed? We plan to cross to the Bahamas soon and, not having been the the Berrys, thought we would enter at Chub. Great Harbor is a little out of the way from our inteneded route.

Sunspot Baby

[CSY Man]

I always check in at Bimini, get the paperwork out of the way, have dinner and drinks in the evening, then next day sail or motor across the banks and stop in Chub for fuel or rest.

Heard the whole thing was closed for 2 years while they build the mega-yacht faciltiy, but the custom people at the airport is probably still in business.

[GordMay]

Like Dag said, I'd clear in at Bimini or Cat, just in case noone at Chubb.
I normally overnight just off the track between Russel Beakon & NorthWest Chanel Marker (Cat to Nassau), rather than Chubb.

[Harriet]

I, too, have heard that Chubb is still closed. Much as I dislike Bimini, we plan to check in there, and go down to Gun Cay to anchor for the night. Clearing in at Cat Cay can be very pricey.

Like Gord, we will anchor on the banks the following night and make Nassau the next day.

[CSY Man]

Much as I dislike Bimini,

Why dislike Bimini...?

It is a small funky place with a few lazy Negroes, but therein lies the charm: It is as opposite New York City or Hollywood as it is possible to get

I don't go to Gun Cay anymore, the anchorage in Honeymoon Harbor has bad holding and is always crowded.

Been using Paradise Point lately, quiet there and a good starting point for the banks.

Being in a slow boat, we have been anchoring on the banks in the past, but sometimes it is just too rough to anchor so we take "turns" sleeping and continue motoring into the night until we get rewarded with a sheltered anchorage.

[Vasco]

Sunspot baby,

I was at Chubb two weeks ago and you still can't clear there. One cruiser did manage to clear in because the authorities were ther for a planeload of prospective investors but that was just luck. Wait till Nassau and clear in there.

[Sunspot Baby]

Thanks for the info. I have cleared at Bimini before, just wanted to do something different. Bimini is my second least favorite place in the Bahamas thus far. I may run all the way to Nassau.

Sunspot Baby

[Harriet]

I just checked my charts and can't find Paradise Point. Where is it?

Also, just heard that the Compleat Angler burned down yesterday. Very sad to lose such a landmark.

[GordMay]

The Compleat Angler burned? Wow, bad news !!!

Paradise Point is on the Atlantic side of North Bimini (North Lagoon). The Bimini Road (rows of stone blocks) are about a half-mile offshore from Paradise Pt.

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