Sunday, October 4, 2009

North Bimini and Bimini Cays


The Bimini Cays, 75 km east of Miami and Florida, mark the highest point of a submarine ridge that emerges from the turquoise water at North Bimini, and runs the length of the island along theGulf Stream. There in complete contrast to the sandy slopes of the bay side where most people live, there’s only a narrow coastal ledge before the ocean floor drops into a sudden deep. This is the fishing capital of the Bahamas, the site of the world record catches of marlin, sailfish, giant tuna, swordfish, wahoo and bonefish.

The big game fish bring divers as well as hunters to Alice Town, the commercial centre of North Bimini and the cays. It’s bisected by the King’s Highway, the main drag lined by Government buildings, hotels, restaurants, stop-at-nothing bars, shops, tattoo parlours, the Straw Market, resort and marines.

This concentration of amenities leaves Bimini’s most beautiful beaches empty: Queen’s Highway, on the island’s west, stretches past the endless sand of Radio Beach, Blister Beach and Spook Hill. Divers head for the bonanza of colourful fish on Rainbow Reef or the Bimini Barge wreck in 28 m of crystal-clear water, and the shallows of North Bimini’s enclosed bay also provide a rare opportunity to explore the extraordinary marine life of Red Mangroves.

The combination of lush tropical mangroves and the crashing spume of the open ocean proved an irresistible lure and feel the same visceral attraction to Bimini’s primal appeal.


When to go: Year-round. The fishing tournament season runs from March to September.Population: 1,800. How to get there: By scheduled air to S Bimini, from Nassau or Florida, or by weekly mailboat to Alice Town or Cat Cays, from Nassau. You should know: Tourists may rent only mopeds, bicycles or golf cars- and you must drive on the left, because British rules apply.

2 comments:

  1. images are so good , how did u get this, i like that ship image

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  2. With the exception of a few nicely painted homes, North Bimini is a ghetto. There is nothing there after the Complete Angler burned. We just came from there (last week of Sept) and found a neat aspect to the island. The not so glamorized South Bimini. The beaches were the best, less populated and my new favorite place to eat and drink (Mackey's Sand Bar). We had a great time on both islands but South had much less of the things we didn't want and more of the things we did!

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Tell me m i going on the right track or not??