Bahamas Chatter is produced by Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS NET PARTNER, which has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.

Bahamas Chatter: Visual Piloting Rules must be used entering Bimini Harbour
Visual Piloting Rules must be used entering Bimini Harbour

Posted: 29 Feb 2020 05:49 AM PST

Both red and green buoys are now missing at the entrance to Bimini Harbour. The shoal extending south from Entrance Point of North Bimini continues to extend to the south across the entrance of the channel to the harbour. Boats attempting to enter the harbour are running aground more frequently because they are relying exclusively on GPS positions on chart plotters and not attempting to look at the water and go where the water looks deeper. Visual piloting must be used here and is more important than electronic navigation in this area and others in the Bahamas. The bottom is easily seen here with good light and weather conditions.

The Bahamas Government has a long history of not maintaining aids to navigation and this should not be expected to change.

The current Explorer Chart for the Bimini Entrance was posted here on April 10, 2019. (Go to Posts, View All Posts, Click on Bimini on left menu, scroll down seven posts to “Continued shoaling at Bimini Harbour Entrance,” and click on read more.)

Expect the shoal to slowly continuing to move south.