Get Bahamas on the Go with New ABM App!
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A Beauty to Behold, A Land to Love – The Bahamas
Click here for A Beauty to Behold, A Land to Love – The Bahamas
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Mobile App Available from the Association of Bahamas Marinas
IT’S BETTER IN BAHAMIAN WATERS
Get The Bahamas on The GoThe Association of Bahamas Marinas announces an expansion of their digital presence by adding a new mobile app available for both IOS and Android to complement their existing website. The new offering provides users of Android and Apple devices with real time updates about all member marinas, allied service members, as well as view current information on health protocols, fishing rules and entry requirements. Payment of charter fees for commercial operators can also be completed within the app.The IOS and Android mobile apps are available for download at no charge via the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store respectively.Click below for App Downloads.
News from ABM Members
Update from Norman’s Cay Marina:While Marinas are a fixture on any island, the level of quality and efficiency at Norman’s Cay Marina is unmatched in all of The Bahamas. It currently accommodates 37 vessels with a 50’ minimum requirement and still growing to become a 63-slip marina constructed with Brazilian Ipe wood docks and surrounded by 4000 mangroves that lead to a coral stone path and lush native flora that frame the Marina. The General Store has recently opened offering a wide selection of quality provisions, freshly baked goods, homemade jams and more! Please contact the marina on channel 16 or call 1 (242) 822-0380 to make your reservation today.Find the perfect destination and marina:
For more info on the ABM contact Basil SmithBe sure to to follow the ABM on our Social Media Channels:Be the first to comment!
Lorraine’s Cafe, Great Guana Cay, Exumas
A must stop for eating when near by Great Guana Cay, Exumas, just south of Staniel Cay. Thanks to Winston Fowler for this recommendation.
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Shared Photo
Evening at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!
Comments from Cruisers (2)
- Reply to Winston
Greg, You are very kind. This photo caught the evening when most of the charters etc, were headed back to get the next load of visitors. Marina was pretty busy most of the time.
- Reply to Greg
Beautiful photo Winston – no surprise, since all of your photos are excellent.
Hope you enjoyed your time at Staniel. It is interesting to see how few boats were at the docks.
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Scenes from Staniel Cay Yacht Club
If you are in the Staniel Cay area, please come and visit Staniel Cay Yacht Club, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR! Photos were recently taken by Winston Fowler.
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Highfield Tender Spotted at Staniel Cay Yacht Club
HIGHFIELD, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is the leading builder of aluminum-hulled RIBs. Performance and strength are the key features of every HIGHFIELD RIB. Their advanced hull designs and Italian-influenced interior styling, keep alive the reputation of a dry-riding, seaworthy and stable craft that can handle rough conditions, as well as please the discerning eye.
I saw this Highfield tender at Staniel Cay Yacht Club today. Good to see their product at another Cruisers Net sponsor’s place.
Winston Fowler
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Makers Air – Book Now and Save
All Private Charters booked before July 15th for the months of November and December, 2022 will receive 10% off the Base Fare!
Book Now and SAVE!All Private Charters booked before July 15th for the months of November and December, 2022 will receive 10% off the Base Fare!GET INSPIREDPrivate Charter on N633AHWith a private charter flight on Makers Air, the dream of traveling in style is still alive and well. We invite you to join us for a truly memorable travel experience.N633AH is a custom interior Cessna Grand Caravan EX with Executive Oasis Club seating up to eight (8) passengers, unlike any in the region. With six overstuffed white leather executive seats, one (1) Divan seat for two, and executive tables, this aircraft is the perfect solution to business or pleasure travel. With its island-chic luxurious feel, your vacation will begin the moment you board.
AMPLE CARGO SPACEPrivate Charter Services aboard our Executive Commuter AircraftTraveling with Makers Air to the Bahamas or throughout Florida will leave you feeling like royalty without the complexity of traditional air travel.With four (4) Executive Commuter Models in our fleet, we have options to accommodate the luggage that comes with a family vacation, or even the fishing gear needed to finally catch the big one!Trade crowded terminals for a boutique lounge with complimentary pre-flight bites and beverages so you can start vacationing pronto.
Our dedicated provisions, cargo and freight service offers frequent, reliable service to all our scheduled destinations in the Bahamas and private freight charters to any destination from our base in Fort Lauderdale.
Scheduled Flights to More Bahamian Islands than Any Other AirlineBook Online and Save 24 hours a day!
Day trips are the perfect weekend escape from the stressors of life.Fly Makers Air and join the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and Staniel Cay Adventures for Brunch or Lunch in paradise in the Exuma Cays.
2331 NW 55th Ct Hangar 19 | Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 USBe the first to comment!
2022 Letter #4 from the Bahamas by Greg and Barbara Allard
Our sincerest thanks to Greg and Barbara Allard for once again sharing their thoughts and beautiful photography from their Bahamas cruises. These photos and descriptions will have you aching to follow in Meander‘s wake! For more this excellent photography, type Allard in our Homepage search window for letters from previous cruises. For more on the OWW, see Greg Allard on the Okeechobee Waterway, June 14, 2022.
Hello everyone – This will be our last Letter from our 2022 cruise to the Bahamas. After two years of not visiting the Bahamas due to the pandemic, we were thrilled to return in March.
This trip was not without its challenges, as it was one of the windiest times in the Bahamas that we can recall.
“People who live on continents get into the habit of regarding the ocean as journey’s end, the full stop at the end of the trek. For people who live on islands, the sea is always the beginning. It’s the ferry to the mainland, the escape route from the boredom and narrowness of home.”
― Jonathan Raban, Coasting: A Private Voyage
Towards the end of May, a larger than usual number of fishing boats, center consoles and larger sportfish boats, appeared in the Bahamas from the U.S. This group had landed a beautiful yellowfin tuna. From the opposite side of the fish, they have already cut out the two large fillets which are on the table in the foreground.
Any time fish are being cleaned, sharks show up for the discarded pieces. The shark on the right is a nurse shark, relatively harmless as sharks go. However the shark on the left is a bull shark, one of the most aggressive sharks; Bahamians fear them. The bull shark has a wound on the right side of his head, likely from a spear. It is illegal to take sharks in the Bahamas.
Children on the way to school. All children in the Bahamas wear uniforms to school. With the troubled educational system in our own country, this would not seem to be a bad idea. No flaunting of expensive or trendy clothes. Every child, regardless of economic status, starts off at least on the same foot.
Bahamian Steve Johnson, the manager of the Great Harbour Marina. A hands-on accomplished professional, as well as an all around good guy.
Takiya, our waitress for lunch at the very good local restaurant Coolie Mae’s. A great smile and a terrific personality.
Once the hurricane season arrives on June 1st , cruisers in the Bahamas need to have a plan. If you are several hundred miles from the U.S., some very fast boats can “run home” if a hurricane threatens; other cruising boats do not have the speed to outrun such storms, and must find a safe harbor, dock, or anchorage. We watched as Alex, the first named storm of the season, developed into a Tropical Storm and passed over Florida. The eastern edge of Alex produced winds where we were to over 40 knots.
So it was time for us to say goodbye to the beautiful islands of the Bahamas, and begin our voyage back to the U.S. For us that meant two long passages over open ocean waters, each trip about 9-10 hours total. You can’t just leave on any day; you have to constantly monitor the weather, in particular the wind, waves and thunderstorms. Sometimes the actual weather doesn’t match the forecast, and it gets a bit “salty”, a euphemism for nasty and rough. If I am ever reincarnated, I want to come back as a weather forecaster, where I can be wrong 50% of the time, and still be paid.
After a successful passage back to the east coast of Florida, we cross to the west coast using the Lake Okeechobee Waterway. In 1937 the government created a waterway to cross the center of Florida by using the St. Lucie River (on the east coast of FL), Lake Okeechobee (a large lake in the center of the state), and the Caloosahatchee River (on the west coast). Five locks had to be built, since the lake is about 15’ above sea level, and as the boats traverse the Waterway, they have to be lifted up the level of the lake, and then down on the other side. In some places the rivers were just too small and shallow so they had to be dredged and many portions were converted into straight canals. By using the Lake Okeechobee Waterway, we save about 150 miles, instead of going around the southern end of Florida (through the Keys) and then up the west coast. With the current cost of diesel, that means a savings for us of about $1,000. The Waterway itself delivers a time-warp view of old Florida, and it’s a fascinating place.
Along the St. Lucie river portion of the Waterway, we stayed for an evening at the Indiantown Marina, a true “old Florida” boatyard. There are literally hundreds of boats stored there, on land. Some are being worked on, and are in nice condition. Others, many others, like the one in the above photo, are well past ever again going to sea.
Here is a close-up of the bow of the boat in the prior picture. The boat is made of steel, and as you can see there is “some” rust in the area of the anchor pulpit. Surprised it just hasn’t fallen off.
Along the St. Lucie, we came upon this eagle. The eagles are returning to this area, and to many other places in Florida.
We were docked in the Caloosahatchee River, part of the western Waterway, when a huge thunderstorm came through; thirty minutes later, this was the view.
____________
As you know, we avoid politics in these Letters; our purpose is to let you meet the people we encounter, and to see some of the beautiful places where we cruise.
That being said, we will end this year’s Letters with this wonderful quote:
“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.” ― Mark Twain
We hope you have enjoyed these Letters and we are pleased that you could join us on this journey.
Warmest regards.
Greg and Barbara
M/V MeanderCopyright Greg Allard 2022
FV: 6/21/2022Comments from Cruisers (1)
- Reply to Joseph
Greg,
I thoroughly enjoy your missives and look forward to reading them both here and in our DeFever Cruisers site.
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Temporary Website Issues, Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club, Bahamas
Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club is a premier yacht club in the Abacos and A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR! If you cruise to Abacos and Marsh Harbour area, you should consider joining this great group of like minded cruisers.
We are currently experiencing a problem with our web site domain name. In the short term you can access the Club web site using the following sub-domain name:We are sorry for this inconvenience and expect to have the situation remedied shortly.Best regardsScott ColesCommodore Pro temRoyal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club.Be the first to comment!
2022 Letter #3 from the Bahamas by Greg and Barbara Allard
Our sincerest thanks to Greg and Barbara Allard for once again sharing their thoughts and beautiful photography from their Bahamas cruises. These photos and descriptions will have you aching to follow in Meander‘s wake! For more this excellent photography, type Allard in our Homepage search window for letters from previous cruises.
Greg Allard
May 30, 2022, 11:31 AM (2 days ago)
Hello everyone – Here is our third Letter from the Bahamas for 2022.
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustav Flaubert
“In reality, you don’t ever change the hurricane. You just learn how to stay out of its path.”
– Jodi PicoultWe included this photo in our Letter from 2015; it was taken a short while after this fishing boat, Summer Place from Nassau, Bahamas, had been driven aground while trying to run from a hurricane. In normal circumstances, this boat could have been salvaged and put back into service, but the complexity of the project and the estimated costs would have far exceeded its value; it would have been almost impossible (without extraordinary expense) to have the necessary barges and equipment reach the site, because of the shallow water.
The sea is unrelenting. This is a recent photo of the same wreck, showing the effects of seven years of time, tide, gales and hurricanes. There is an upside – a sunken boat such as this slowly becomes a reef, attracting all kinds of small fish and sea life, which in turn attract larger ones. As we circled the wreck, we saw an 8’ shark who had come for dinner.
Kingsley K. Charles – His eyes say it all – windows to his soul.Every so often you encounter someone who fits the category of “One of the most interesting persons I’ve met.” He is known as “King” and he’s a native of Great Harbour Cay; his parents live here, and they had eight children. Some of his brothers and sisters now live in Nassau, Freeport, and a couple are in the U.S.He is far from typical. His father, a minister, wanted him to be a lawyer, and he received a scholarship with help from an ex-pat on the island whose company provided it. He attended Liberty University in Virginia for three years, then began working in a bank and eventually for a brokerage company, all in the U.S. While in the U.S. he married and moved to Nashville, but the union did not work. At one point in his life he toured around the world.He returned to Nassau, and began serious work on the passion of his life which is music. He is an extremely talented and creative musician, who then worked in Nassau for three years in the industry, including the creation of an album, which he has not finished. He was engaged to a Bahamian woman in Nassau, but that broke off.So many young men and women who grow up on small Bahamian out-islands follow a pattern: when they finish high school (or before), they leave the island and do not return. This is where King differs: after his music work in Nassau, he said that he “Wanted to come home” to Great Harbour Cay. He mentions “home” often; this is his home. This is where he feels most grounded.He just turned 40, is smart-smart, reads philosophy and has a high level of intellectual curiosity. He is looking for his next path in life, but he is not in a hurry.Currently he is the Assistant General Manager at the marina on Great Harbour, a job he does extremely well.And finally, he is a truly nice and good person. It has been a pleasure to know him.
King, performing a number of his own songs at a Friday night bar-b-que event at the marina.
Most of our photos are taken with a Nikon D7000, a superb professional level camera. But our back-up camera is….an Apple iPhone. It has one big advantage over the Nikon – it is light, goes in your pocket (so it’s always with you); plus it takes really good photos in most situations. It also has a panoramic feature: press the button, and start to pan slowly from left to right, standing in one spot and only moving the phone with your hands and arms. This photo shows a 180 degree view. When you are done scanning, the camera seamlessly stitches the whole thing together into one photo.
The mailboat has arrived, the lifeline to the cay. Yes the water is shallow for such a large boat, which is why the captain prefers to arrive and dock at the upper half of the 3’ tide. Sometimes offloading takes too long, the boat starts to sit on the bottom, and it has to power its way back out. There is a mini-van on the midship deck, being transported to some island.
When the boat docks, dozens of trucks and cars descend on the government dock to take away their goods. It is organized bedlam. This pickup truck, heavily loaded with food, is one of the last to leave the dock area.
Few restaurants in the out-islands of the Bahamas look like a major American chain restaurant. This charming but unassuming place is called Brown’s Garden, and the owner Ronnie is the excellent chef. He has no inside tables, just a bar under the blue umbrella, and a table on the other side of the road, from which this picture was taken. Fortunately for the rooster and some nearby chickens there was no poultry on the menu.
Ronnie Brown. He served us some excellent cracked conch, and a delicious salad. Unfortunately we learned that the lease on “this old building” was soon to be up, and he would not be continuing his restaurant. The pandemic was particularly hard on him, as there were almost no visitors to the island, and the economy affected the locals who had less to spend on locally cooked meals.He intends to return to his prior career in fishing.
One day, at the Beach Club, our waitress Clinique (whom you’ve met in prior Letters) offered for us to taste a dilly. A dilly?? It is a small fruit which grows on trees, and once it is ripe it is delicious. We’ve never had one before. It’s full name is Sapodilla. (We ate it so fast we forgot to take a picture of it, so this is not one of our photos.) You can see a full sized dilly under the open one.
This is Leonard Wright, who has a long and talented career in art. He recounts that while in school he was always drawing things, and was bopped on the head by the teacher more than once for “doodling and drawing” and being distracted from “real learning.” When he was young, he went for six months to a specialized art school in Freeport, on Grand Bahama, which is the only formal art training he received. He has self-taught to work in all media including painting, (oils, acrylic, water), drawing, glass etching and wood carving.He is 59 years old, and has four children, two boys and two girls named Bernice, Bernette, Bernard and Jeremiah. He has a private pilot’s license. He and his wife are passionate about the need for their children to have an strong education. His oldest daughter just finished law school and is preparing to take the bar exam. Two of his others are in college, one studying construction and engineering, and the other electrical engineering/aerospace. His youngest son is in high school.He has developed a fine specialty in creative engraving on bottles. His work is superb. A truly creative, well-spoken, talented and engaging man.
A Leonard Wright creation – a beautiful beach scene on a repurposed tequila bottle. My favorite is the hogfish in the lower right. This is only one of the three sides he engraved on this square bottle. After engraving, he uses a white engraving compound to highlight the drawings.Two of the cruise ship lines have nearby islands they stop at, about five miles away. He and his wife have a small booth there, where he sells his beautiful engraved bottles to the passengers. He can customize existing ones, or create new designs in an hour or two. When they depart, I hope they appreciate that they have left the island with an authentic craft by an extraordinarily talented Bahamian artist.
A nice home, owned by the family that runs a good local restaurant, Coolie Mae’s.
There is still a great deal of poverty on these islands. This house looks better in the photo than it does in real life. Curious how the color of the car matches the building.
One day, while visiting Ruth Adderley-Rolle’s neat little Bahamian shop, this gentleman entered. He’s Chief Sherman, Assistant District Superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. He is the responsible for all of the Berry Islands, a large area with multiple islands stretching thirty miles from Great Harbour in the north to Chubb Cay in the south. He does so with 5-6 officers. He has been with the RBPF for twenty-five years. He rotates throughout the Bahamas on assignment, and his current one has him in the Berrys for two years. Police Officers here patrol unarmed, and their 4WD Jeep police vehicles don’t have flashing lights – and likely not even a siren. There are no traffic lights here, only a handful of stop signs
A few days later, while at the outdoor Beach Club tiki bar and restaurant, Chief Sherman remembered us, came over to our table and chatted with us for a good while. He was not in uniform, but likely was on-duty. He has an engaging personality and from our observations, has built strong relationships with the people he serves.
The next time you are boating in the U.S. and complain about how the Aids to Navigation (buoys and channel markers) are inadequate or improperly placed, remember this photo of what passes for a channel marker. These are quite common. The problem with this one is that there is shallow water all around it, for some distance. Perhaps it is just a reference point, and the locals know to “go 50 yards to the west.” In some of the larger harbors there are good channel markers, but this one adds local flavor, if not navigational aid.
There are hundreds of these private little beaches.
No words necessary.Warmest regards,Greg and BarbaraCopyright Greg Allard, 2022Final – 5/30/2022Comments from Cruisers (1)
- Reply to Alan
The photos and the definitive explanations accompanying each of of them of this sojourn through the Berry Islands are non-pareil!
Thanks for your generosity in sharing them!AVC
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Dinghy and Snorkeling Guide to Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, Bahamas
Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park was established in 1958 to preserve and maintain the delicate ecological balance of marine life in the Bahamas.
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New Updated Travel Advisory 1/5/2022
This is the latest update from Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM, INVESTMENTS & AVIATION STATEMENT ON UPDATED TESTING PROTOCOLSThe Bahamas has suspended the mandatory RT-PCR testing requirement for vaccinated travelers, which was expected to take effect on 7 January 2022. Vaccinated persons, as well as all children ages 2-11, may continue to present either a negative Rapid Antigen Test or negative RT-PCR Test.
In addition, effective 4 January 2022, all persons remaining in The Bahamas for longer than 48 hours will be required to undergo a Rapid Antigen Test, regardless of vaccination status.
To see more details of these protocol changes, please click the ‘Learn More’ button below.
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Uodated Bahamas Travel Advisory – 12/24
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation has taken note of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases around the world and is implementing new testing requirements for all persons entering The Bahamas as a precautionary effort to continue to keep the destination safe.The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation has taken note of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases around the world and is implementing new testing requirements for all persons entering The Bahamas as a precautionary effort to continue to keep the destination safe.
Effective Monday, December 27, 2021, the following protocols will take effect: a) All those travelling to The Bahamas from other countries, whether fully vaccinated or unvaccinated, will be required to obtain a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of arrival to The Bahamas.
b) Vaccinated travellers can present either a Rapid Antigen Test or RT-PCR test, while unvaccinated travellers must present a RT-PCR test.
Effective Friday, January 7, 2022, the following protocols will take effect: a) All those travelling to The Bahamas from other countries, whether fully vaccinated or unvaccinated, will be required to obtain a negative RT-PCR (including PCR, NAA, NAAT, TMA or RNA) test, taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of arrival to The Bahamas.
b) Rapid Antigen Tests will no longer be accepted. All travellers must obtain a RT-PCR test.
For full details on our entry requirements please visit our website by clicking the button below.
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Copyright © 2021 The Islands Of The Bahamas
1200 South Pine Island Rd., Suite 450, Plantation, FL. 33324Comments from Cruisers (1)
- Reply to Rasselas
What are the requirements if arriving by boat. Consider the fact that it could take 4-5 days Jacksonville, FL to the Bahamas on the ocean or you could blow a 3 day test waiting for an appropriate weather window to leave FTL or , WPB or MIA and cross to the West End or Bimini.
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New Fee Schedule from Exuma Cays Land and Sea National Park
From our partners at Explorer Chartbooks, the following updates for Exuma Park fees. The 176 square mile Exuma Cays Land and Sea National Park, created in 1958, was the first land and sea park in the world and is one of the most successful marine parks.
EXUMA PARK MOORING FEES
Up to 39’11” – $30 • 40’ – 49’11” – $40
50’ – 59’11” – $50 • 60’ – 69’11” – $80
70’ – 89’11” – $120 • 90’ – 119’ – $150
120’ – over – $170
Landing Fee – $10/pp (visitors9not on mooring)
ANCHORING FEES (Daily)
under 90’ – $0.50/ft
over 90’ – $1.00/ft
Check www.bnt.bs for latest info.
Comments from Cruisers (1)
- Reply to Edwin
Shame that the cruising fees have double , Don't mind the park fees.
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Updates, Deals, and Dreams with Makers Air, Ft Lauderdale, FL
With commercial airlines limiting and cancelling flights, Makers
Air is continuing to schedule flights with every safety precaution in mind. Growing from its initial operations servicing Staniel Cay, Makers Air is today’s premier air service to and from the Out Islands of the Bahamas. Staniel Cay Yacht Club, a longtime CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is a favorite destination for cruisers in the Exumas.Click here for Updates, Deals, and Dreams with Makers Air
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Highfield Dinghy Spotted at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, Exumas, Bahamas
Cruisers Net Team Member, Winston Fowler, took this photo of a dinghy from Highfield Boats, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, also a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!
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A Link to The Islands of the Bahamas
Find everything you need to know for boating to the Bahamas.
One reason to go to the Bahamas. This photo was taken on Money Cay in the Berry Islands. Photo by Greg Allard
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Bahamas Chatter goes MOBILE
Bahamas Chatter is published 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.
Click here for Bahamas Chatter goes MOBILE
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New Moorings at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, Exumas, Bahamas
Staniel Cay Yacht Club, a longtime CRUISERS NET SPONSOR and a favorite destination for cruisers in the Exumas, is excited to announce the addition of 21 new moorings balls in the vicinity of their marina.
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