Bimini Bound

[b-rad]

Im headed to bimini this eveneing for the holiday weekend. Im leaving from miami and couldnt ask for abetter forecast. Wind s sw 12-14 knts and seas 2-3 feet. Im not worried so much about the crossing as I am about the entrance to the harbor. Anyone done it recently and have any advice? Im staying at browns on north bimini.
Thanks

[Waterway Guide]

The channel was dredged in February to accommodate the new ferry service and for bigger boats for the new marinas. Here's a recent chart from Bimini Bay Resort: http://www.biminibayresort.com/media...on-Chart.pdf.I would hope that they maintain the markers to this channel...historically, they haven't. This is a new channel created several years ago. Hope this helps! Have a great time...I love Bimini!

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by b-rad

Im headed to bimini this eveneing for the holiday weekend. Im leaving from miami and couldnt ask for abetter forecast. Wind s sw 12-14 knts and seas 2-3 feet. Im not worried so much about the crossing as I am about the entrance to the harbor. Anyone done it recently and have any advice? Im staying at browns on north bimini.
Thanks

Right now 24th of May at 9:30 am it's raining like hell with no visibility at all.....
wait until tomorrow afternoon.
and be carefull on staurday the wind is turning North and the crossing will be difficult...
Did you have a look at the weather forecast?

[rtbates]

Good weather??? Not from the weather map I'm looking at..

[denverd0n]

This is what you call good weather for the passage to Bimini!?!

[AnchorageGuy]

I'm with everyone else on this one. There is nothing I see that would lead me to believe it's a good window to cross. I think the OP needs a good weather source before leaving. Winds at Fowey Rocks showing 29-40 with gale warnings offshore until midnight. Tomorrow is forecast to lighten up, but don't count on that and look for a much different forecast tomorrow morning. Chuck

[welshdiver]

We were there 10 days ago & dont follow the markers, as you head in about 300 yards from shore, stay to the right side & close to the beach about 70 ft off as the sands have moved a little. We are now in Nassau. We also stay'd at Honeymoon bay Nr Bimini. was great as there are loads of Nurse sharks there that take fish from your hands. pics on our web S/V Catatude.us
PS The cray fish were from a month ago.as they are out of season now.

[b-rad]

Well that was the forecast when I left to work. Guess its changed a bit. Lol. I did get a routing from Chris Parker so ill wait for that......

[Dave852]

Either go in the old route to the south lined up with the range markers and follow the beach being careful of the area right in front of Bimini sands. Or if you choose the new route between the markers to the north then be sure to aim for a little south of Bimini sands after you pass though the markers then swing towards it as you get closer and then north along the beach. 2 weeks ago when we went in there was a boat aground just off Bimini sands, he had turned north to soon while using the new route. Of course best to watch the water and you won't have a problem.

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by b-rad

Well that was the forecast when I left to work. Guess its changed a bit. Lol. I did get a routing from Chris Parker so ill wait for that......

You certainly have to change your weather forecast source! When did you left for work? Last month? Year? :-)))))

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by b-rad

ill wait for that...

Glad to see that you didn't go. When I saw the time of your original posting, I was afraid that you were already out there in the middle of it, dealing with conditions FAR worse than you expected.

[CSY Man]

Came from the Bahamas to Florida yesterday, had a good crossing with NE @ 10 knots.

There was a dredge in the Bimini entrance channel so I did not go in:
Anchored of Radio Beach and took the dink in instead.
Custom wanted the boat at a dock but I refused and they gave in a wrote me a permit any way.
The bad news is that the prise has doubled: Now $300.00 for boats 30 feet and over, it used to be $150.00 up to 35', then $300.00 for any biggger boats.

If you are going to dock in Bimini, make sure ya go at slack tide, easy to loose control when the current is running strong and you are trying to dock.
(Not that it ever happened to me..)

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

The bad news is that the prise has doubled: Now $300.00 for boats 30 feet and over, it used to be $150.00 up to 35', then $300.00 for any biggger boats.

)

Not aware that the regulation has been changed. Are you sure it wasn't a scam?

[CSY Man]

I was nor aware either.
Check the web page.
Temptinf to cheat now..:-(

[b-rad]

We left miami a few hour later then scheduled, thursday night/friday morning at 1:00 am, had 2-3 kts n for the start and the first 10 miles or so once out into the stream we had 8-11 n ne and seas were 1-2 that held till within in 9 miles of binimi when the weather picked up and we had 14-15 ne seas were still 1-2. Went in the new channel althoug there are only 2 markers. Headed straight in toward bimini sands and then made a north turn following the water color. I never saw less then 9 feet . Had a great trip beauftiful island. We left monday morning at 8 am, the dredge was blocking 90% of the channel and i had a pretty scarry moment going around them with the shallow water alarm going off but once back in the channel no worries. Then on the ride home we had 12 -15 S seas were 1-2 quick ride back misjudged the return angle a little bit and wound up near haulover and had to motor south along south beach in some heavy chop and 20 kts of s wind, that wasnt to pleasnt.

Csy i checked in on thursday the boat was 30 feet and I had 3 others on board i paid 150 for the boat and 20 for the 4th person so 170 out the door.