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YOUR SKI MAKE/MODEL/YEAR/TYPE: 06 Sea Doo GTX Limited SuperCharged
Advanced Certified Open Water
Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 55
Location: Winter Springs, FL
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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: Bimini, Bahamma's in May 13th -16th.. |
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I got this email.. someone else is planning this ride but I am definatly looking to go!
Saving funds already!!
Details below:
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All,
awesome video for your viewing pleasure!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqBX2wRnSQI
Some of us have already made our reservations in Bimini at the Seacrest Hotel. We have also chosen the following ramp for our departure. We are going to
try and have a little get together on Monday afternoon and get a little bit of riding in. We also will have a meeting of all riders that evening, so, that leads me to my next statement:
What I need from all of you except from Jeff and Ralph, WHO'S COMING?
► Boat Ramp Address
4000 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne , FL 33149
► Driving Instructions
Exit 195 on 1A Rickenbacker Causeway / Key Biscayne, go over Causeway, park is on south side at beginning of Key Biscayne
Go to this link for more info on the ramp and immediate area.
http://www.vantagepointguides.com.../boat_ramps_key_biscayne_cran.htm
I’m good with this:
As for the dates, if we leave on Tuesday, I think a Friday return would work out good, so basically, 3 nights in Bimini
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Brad Rice <bradrice2000@yahoo.com>
To: l0ckt1t3@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 8:43:23 PM
Subject: Miami to Bimini Trip - May 13-15/16'ish...
Doug,
Here is what we have been planning. Hotel we are staying at is: http://www.seacrestbimini.com/index.html
but people are welcome to stay where they want to. Exact departure locations will be coming shorlty.
Brad
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-----Inline Attachment Follows-----
M2B_2008
Everyone,
We’ve made some excellent progress with our planning for May. Extra thanks to Jeff…aka ‘Tofast4us10’ and Ralph…aka ‘Trawlercat’ for doing lots and lots of research. We are mostly coordinating stuff through email and phone calls, so if you want to be actively involved, just let us know, but these two fellas know what they’re talking about. I trust them and look forward to riding with them. We have the hotel information that we will be staying at. See below email for specific details, but let me point out that YOU must call individually if you are going to reserve a room. You don’t have to stay where we are, but for planning purposes, it would be nice to have everyone at the same place, especially when it comes to entering and exiting customs, etc…Go to the website, explore it, enter the coordinates into your GPS and it will take you exactly to the docks. It should be a pretty good trip!
Ralph will be in Miami shortly and will be checking out the docks to launch from. I also received a notice of a ramp where someone did this last year and said good things about the ramp. I’ll check it out and send it to Ralph to check out for us, but I’ll get back to you on this.
Chase boat – we have one lined up, but not 100% confirmed just yet. It’s a technicality at this point, but it should be a go. Will let everyone know shortly when I get confirmation.
Also, Ralph suggested what looks to be a pretty cool diving site if anyone is interested. Feel free to check out the details at the end of this page…
If anyone has any comments, suggestions or anything else we might be missing in the planning phase, please let me know. Also, I’d like everyone to give me a thumbs up as to your status. I haven’t heard from some of you for a while, just making sure everyone is still a go. Hope to see all of you on the 12th of May for a departure on the 13th. I will be making my reservations for the night of the 13th with a check out on the 15th, possible 16th depending on what the group wants to do. I’m taking off work the 12th-23rd, so please all be flexible with your dates as this is all weather dependent. Take a look below and shoot me an email if you have any questions.
From Jeff…..(our hotel info):
Hello all,
I have been helping with the trip by planning the accommodations for our stay. Below is the hotel and marina that we will be staying at. You are welcome to choose a different lodging if you wish we just need to make sure that we leave the island together for safety. I also have included the necessary customs that we will need to go through once arriving, as long as you have a drivers license and a passport ,yes you do have to have a passport, we should have no problems.
Accommodations
I have been doing some research on the hotel for our trip, the one
with the best price with a marina and a place to put our pwc's it appears
is going to be Sea Crest Hotel & Marina. It has the cheapest rooms by far
and several amenities. The cost depends on the room that you get.
$135 per day @ a room next to the marina
$99 per day for a room across the street from the marina
The dockage fee is $1.00 per foot per vessel or $35 per day minimum so for
us this will be $35 per day since it is unlikely that any of us have a pwc
over 35'
The can be reached at 242-347-3071 (its just like calling the US)
Click on the link below to go to their website
http://www.seacrestbimini.com/index.html
They are located at N25 43 430 ~W079 17 890
If you want a room you will have to call them and reserve it they told me
that they have plenty of rooms. If you wish to of course please feel free
to get whatever room that you would like anywhere you like, I know some
people said something about camping out I can't seem to find that this is
allowed on the island but I haven't seen that it is not also feel free to
research it on your own, surely with the island being so small we can
manage to meet up before leaving. Keep in mind it will be much easier to
have a hotel with a dock. Below is a link to help you with this should you
choose to take this route it has many hotels in the area. Most are more
expensive than Sea Crest and all with a Marina at them are
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/is...ccommodations.aspx?sectionid=6282
Customs
1. As for customs we will need to following, a U.S. passport (a Canadian
Passport or official birth certificate for Canadian citizens over 1 .
Sorry Americans must have passport birth certificate will not do.
2. Photo ID
3. Registration for vessel (original will be the only accepted no copies)
The Charge will be $150 per vessel, this will be good for 1 year or until
the vessel has left the Bahamas.
Please review the customs for yourself to make sure I missed nothing also
but I called and spoke with them and they verified this.
U,S.A
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/is...15&level=2&toplevel=59782
Canada
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/is...21&level=2&toplevel=59782
If you need you can also call them at 242-347-3100
For everyone's notice once we arrive in Bimini we are to first go to the
hotel where they will give us all of the paperwork for customs. Once we
have filled that out (we do have to stay on the vessel or the dock during
this). Then we will ride 2 minutes over to the customs office and where the
"captain" of the vessel ,which I figure will pretty much be all of us" will
be allowed to go and get the customs cleared. They will then check all
passports and if anyone has any gun's they must then register them (these
will not be permitted to leave the vessel during the stay in Bimini). Then
we are free to go and do as we please. It's really not that big of a deal
to go through so don't sweat it too much. I don't know everyone going of
course but it would likely be for the best if no-one brought a gun then
there is not suspicion to be aroused not to mention that it would be just
left unprotected on the storage compartment on the pwc all night anyway
since it can't leave the vessel.
I hope that this helps everyone and I look forward to seeing you in Bimini!
Jeff
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I’ve heard “The Yachtsman’s Guide to the BAHAMAS” is a must have publication for arriving via boat to the Bahamas. I found it at: http://www.landfallnavigation.com/-bi005.html for $39.95. The 2007 version is the “57th edition. I’ll be ordering mine this week. Does anyone else know of any other good information?
Description:
The 2007, 57th.annual edition "best seller" The worlds largest selling and "hands down" favorite All Bahamas Cruising Guide. Nearly 500 pages chocked full of island details & information. Including updated cruising information & sketch charts, new color ground and aerial photography added every year. Also includes cruising information for Turks & Cacus as well as The Dominican Republic. Since the first issue was published in 1950 The Yachtsman's Guide to the Bahamas has been updated and revised every year and remains the premier Bahamas Cruising Guide with the most up to date boating information. "Don't plan your trip, or leave the dock without it".
We have another addition to the trip. Check out Joe’s info below:
“I've been riding and doing my own maintenance on watercraft for 14 years now. I have raced stand up for the past 6 years, at the pro-am level for the last 3. This year took a 3rd and 5th in different classes at the world finals.
I am an electrical engineer, however recently got laid off in the automotive industry and plan to stay unemployed for a while as I am converting a warehouse I own into warehouse loft apartments. Doing all the design and construction myself...lots of fun and the reason I hope to be able to do the ride to Bahamas as I don't have any set schedule these days.
I'm 30 with a steady live in girlfriend.
I'm not an experienced ocean rider, only fresh water river and lake riding for me except for a few trips to Daytona to jump waves over the years.”…Joe Durocher
That’s all we have for now. Remember, we’re going to start looking for actual arrival port(s) and lodging come the first few weeks of January. Enjoy the rest of your Holidays!!!
The current participants so far:
Name
PWCTODAY Username
Email
Phone
Location
Ski
Brad Rice
Jabberjaw
Bradrice2000@yahoo.com
410-903-8083
Cambridge, MD
’06 Honda Aquatrax
Mike & Jamie Fregeau
Bits&Bytes
Mike.Fregeau@bentley.com
256-781-4480
Guntersville, AL
Two HO ’06 Cruisers
Adam Salzburg
Crazyglue23
Crazyglue_21@yahoo.com
904-753-1781
Yulee, FL (JAX)
?
Ralph Perez
Trawlercat
ralphhperez@cox.net , or rhperez@uspis.gov
323-228-7958
San Pedro, CA
2007 GTX Limited with a RIVA Stage 1 performance package
Mike Tuttle
KingTut
orlgolf@aol.com
407-466-2625
Saint Cloud, FL
06 yam fxho cruiser
Raphael
Mr Waverunner
rafyytata@msn.com
2002 XLT 800
1998 XL 1200
1990 19' Bayliner Capri Bowrider 3.0L
Jeff and Elizabeth Young
Tofast4us10
tofast4us10@yahoo.com
336-240-0945
Lexington, NC
2007 Seadoo GTI 3 Seater
Joe Durocher
JD
Joedurocher2@hotmail.com
519-791-4490
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
97 GTI
Details:
WHO: PWC Offshore Riders
WHAT; PWC ride from Miami to Bimini Ride
WHEN: May 13- 15, 2008.
WHY: If you have to ask this ride not for you.
Q: Organizer is back in Maryland and the four other committed riders are in the east coast. One PWC rider living in the Bahamas has also offered his assistance.
"If it's gonna happen, it'll happen out there says Cap’n Ron. That’s why I’m bringing up a trip we’re planning on PWC’s for May 2008. It’s a trip to an island called Bimini. Latitude 25 42.08 Longitude 079 18.58 (50 miles) from Miami, Florida.
It is believed that this tiny island was once part of the road system to the Lost Continent of Atlantis and the site of Ponce De Leon’s Fountain of Youth. The part I care about is that the island has some of the clearest waters in the western hemisphere with underwater visibilities of over 100 feet and you get to ride there and back on your PWC. I sailed there at age 15, scuba dove and spear fished to my hearts delight and have never gone back.
The island is only a couple of miles long and a few hundred yards wide. Elevation is roughly one palm tree high with dirt roads named the King and Queen's Highways. No cruise ships visit and there are no shopping malls. There are golf carts but no golf courses and no traffic.
Weather permitting, we are tentatively scheduling a ride for the week of 12 May departing Miami around sunrise 13 May with a return of either 15 or 16 May 2008. Before you commit, keep in mind, this is a 50+ mile event, each way. At this time a chase boat may or may not accompany the group and there are certain requirements like:
1) getting you and your PWC to Miami
2) Valid passport
3) PWC should be 2002 or newer model with a 14 gallon or greater fuel tank
4) PWC must be equipped with all USCG required gear
5) You must be in sound physical condition
6) Must have made several crossing across the open ocean to Catalina or similar islands
7) $140 Bahamas entry fee (Bimini Trips)
Yellow “Q” flag (foreign trips)
9) Bahamas Courtesy Flag (Bimini Trips)
10) Insurance Policy Proof (in case of “accidents
11) GPS and backup
12) Fixed or handheld Marine VHF Radio with at least 16 hours worth of batteries
13) Tool box with basic tools
14) Bimini Cruising guide
15) American Ensign
16) A 406 EPIRB. Starting at roughly $700, they’re not cheap but worth every penny. If cost is a barrier, you can rent one from BoatUS for $40 per week.
If you Google (Bimini Road Rally) you’ll find info on a premium PWC package that took place last year for a price of about $2200.00 per person. This package also includes the required Bahamian Boating License ($150), Meals, fuel, hotel accommodations in North Miami and in Bimini, dockage in Bimini, and secure tow vehicle parking.
The largest islands are North Bimini and South Bimini. The District of Bimini also includes Cay Sal Bank, more than 62 miles (100 km) further south, which is geographically not a part of the Bimini Islands but a separate unit.
North Bimini is about seven miles (11 km) long and 700 feet (210 m) wide. Its main settlement is Alice Town, a collection of shops, restaurants, and bars surrounding a single road known as "The King's Highway."
South Bimini houses an airstrip, South Bimini Airport, and offers a quiet alternative to the slow bustle of North Bimini. South Bimini is also home to the world famous Bimini Biological Field Station, known locally as the SharkLab. Bimini is located about 50 miles (80 km) east of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and is the closest point in the Bahamas to the mainland United States.
One of the world’s great ocean currents, the Gulf Stream runs roughly south to north as it squeezes between the U.S. and the Bahamas in the Straits of Florida. Whenever the winds are out of the north, northeast or northwest they run head on into the ‘Stream.
The result is never pretty. Waves become large, steep and closely spaced — exactly the conditions mariners try to avoid. During strong northerly winds the Gulf Stream becomes impassable regardless of vessel size.
From a calendar perspective, summer generally produces the best conditions for a small boat run to Bimini. An analysis of historical wind patterns off of Miami dramatically illustrates this point. Bottom line, summer is the season if you want to do this ride on a small boat.
BOOKS AND CRUISING GUIDES
The VantagePoint Guide to Bimini. At 200 pages, it is the most in-depth source of information available for the island of Bimini. It has everything you need to know to make a trip safe and successful.
Things to do prior to departing and upon arrival
File a float plan before leaving Miami
Contact Customs
Reservations for hotel/campground/whatever your pleasure is for your stay, though it would probably be nice if we were to find somewhere we could all stay at as a group.
http://www.myoutislands.com/bimini.php
www.biminibiggame.com
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/ab....aspx?sectionid=26171&level=2
http://jetski.blip.tv/file/246068/ just for ideas.
http://yachtsmansguide.com/store/...=2659999eb0e835aafc1d4aaef738ec5f
http://www.waterwayguide.com/Merc...reen=CTGY&Category_Code=Books
Miscellaneous:
Dive Site: This looks pretty cool. Could be a very good warm up run on Monday or even a day or two after…. Thanks Ralph! I’m up for it!
The Neptune Memorial Reef project is the largest man made reef ever conceived and provides an extraordinary living resting place for the departed, an environmental and ecological masterpiece, a superb laboratory for marine biologists, students, researchers and ecologists, and an aesthetically exquisite, world-class destination for visitors from all walks of life.
> The most innovative concept in artificial reef design is currently emerging in 50-feet of water, 3.25 miles east of Key Biscayne, Miami. Wrapped in the silence of the clear blue ocean a new reef is evolving. The Neptune Memorial Reef is attracting recreational scuba divers, as well as homeless fish while enhancing the costal environment and reducing demand on other fragile natural reefs.
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Tina O'Connell
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Florida Jet Riders.com
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