JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling July 10th to 15th 2017

[DiverB]

Upon close inspection, looks like my anchors beat the S**** out of the fiberglass inside the anchor locker. Add me to the 2017 crossing casualty list

 

[chris24]

if you take the barge over, you don't get one of these....

I think that someone should start a ferry barge service for trailer boats. Load them on the barge in Florida and deliver them to the Bahamas for splashing.... I'd pay $500 for that round trip.

 

[chris24]

Cruising home !

 

[tim h]

All back to Florida. I waited for a couple stragglers to come into the inlet, before heading on up to Harbortown. One of the gals took a blow from the handlebars. I pray it's not too serious !

I believe we were on pace for 1:45 crossing but needed to stop and regroup a couple of times, and a small delay for gman. So we made it in about 2 hours total. Cruising between 28 and 35.

Thanks @swatski , @JROD and @fromrio for the assist getting my boat back on the trailer !

Just pulled into Outback for dinner break in Ft Myers. Should be home around 10.
It was s great vacation, and I'm very glad I got to see some old friends and make some new ones too !

 

[mark_m]

Passport found at Bimini Sands in unit 15 h for Aaron J...View attachment 59595

The owner of the unit?

 

[Drift Away]

Drifted my ass all the way back to Tarpon Springs safe and sound. No damage to the boat that I could see I'll do a good inspection tomorrow while I'm cleaning it.

It was truly great meeting everybody having a few drinks swapping boat stories and telling lies.

@tim h thanks for leading the way home. @Bruce for the countless hours put in behind the scenes getting this trip ready. @Valerie your still the most gangster chick I've ever met in my life you're always welcome here if you ever feel like coming up to the sandbar.

And most importantly a very special thank you to @wallacerb and his wife for coming to get my ass and my family the first day when we ran out of gas. After the miscommunication at the Sands of who's coming to get who off the coast, once Rob figured out no one was coming out for us he immediately spring into action putting him and his wife at risk along with his boat ( reminder this is his first time as well as mine ever being over there) to come out and Save Our Ass so I'll forever be in his debt.

Time to lick my wounds and relax

 

[JROD]

All back to Florida. I waited for a couple stragglers to come into the inlet, before heading on up to Harbortown. One of the gals took a blow from the handlebars. I pray it's not too serious !

I believe we were on pace for 1:45 crossing but needed to stop and regroup a couple of times, and a small delay for gman. So we made it in about 2 hours total. Cruising between 28 and 35.

Thanks @swatski , @JROD and @fromrio for the assist getting my boat back on the trailer !

Just pulled into Outback for dinner break in Ft Myers. Should be home around 10.
It was s great vacation, and I'm very glad I got to see some old friends and make some new ones too !

Likewise, we had an epic blast! Thanks BIG for giving my long term girlfriend a roundtrip ride and for setting a good pace! Safe travel home!

 

[Edgar Almonte]

@Edgar Almonte I'm sorry we weren't able to get anything together for you to with the Friday arrivals,
please see Biminibrad's post above and buckbuck's idea of 3/8 thread with washers and double nut it.

We

Hey @Edgar Almonte make sure you let us know how everything worked out with the tow boat. We're hoping for the best.[/QUOTE


We got to FL at 3PM just fine. The water was beautiful today. I met with @swatski and he took his tower. Alrealy heading up 95N to NY. Missing Bimini ad already!

 

[upperdeck]

just radio check, but we came dead in the water and the drift cost me 2 miles to get back on my plotted course line. No biggie, they were pleasant and professional

Been there, done that, BIMINI 2011...

They had a trunk full of illegal immigrants trying to do their own kind of boat crossing. That's what the huge tarp is for on the back of the ship.

 

[Julian]

We departed at 8:45 and arrived around 11:30ish. We did 25 most of the way as we prefer a less bumpy less impactful ride....30 or over resulted in the boat leaving the water too often. We burned 25 gallons.

The early departures had only a 15 minute wait on the phone for your customs arrival #...those in the 2nd group had to wait an hour or more on the phone!!!!

We met the 2nd group because my Audi had a flat tire when I arrived, and I didn't notice....and the tire was toasted....so we had to go find a 165/50 R19 tire...which isn't a common size....called Audi, and 4 stores before we found a used one! Then back on the road to customs!

 

[Valerie]

I am trying to pull the photos off my phone before it completely dies. Insurance promises me I will have a new one by Monday. I will post up all I have in the other thread. Anu suggested we start a Facebook for Jetboaters Bimini Fling 2017 this way we can better match up faces, names and boat names plus share those amazing photos and stories there too.
I had such an amazing vacation. I met so many great people this past week. Thank you guys for the offers to carry my stuff back and forth and the empowering kind words you all had. I hope we all can do it again soon, with smoother seas
I live right by the St Johns River and run to the Glen regularly if anyone wants to come this way I have a spare bedroom!!
Thanks again for the memories!!
Pictures to come soon!!

 

[DiverB]

Been there, done that, BIMINI 2011...

They had a trunk full of illegal immigrants trying to do their own kind of boat crossing. That's what the huge tarp is for on the back of the ship.

Yep. I was flying down in the Keys in support of the Coast Guard in February when we spotted a raft made out if hollow 50gal drums lashed together.

 

[Bill D]

We

Awesome man! I'm glad to hear that it worked out good for you all. We had a great time meeting your family.

 

[Bennie]

Didn't @Bruce say he was going to cross back today?

Does anyone have his INreach information?

 

[Bruce]

@Bennie, @GMAN2015 is on the way back now with @Ryuc14911 and his Florida Jetski group.

@Glen, @Kevin, @Majorsmackdown and @MrMoose are planning to return on Tuesday.

My family is planning for Thursday. Our inReach is https://share.garmin.com/PropLess

We plan to explore Cat Cay today.

 

[swatski]

those in the 2nd group had to wait an hour or more on the phone!!!!

We were on hold for just under four (4) hours. What a waste of time. We had other business to tend to in the meantime, meeting our savior @Edgar Almonte across town at the public boat ramp to pick up my f@@@ing tower, but being on hold with US Customs while trying to do something else while OOT is just not much fun.
I believe @Rob9550 was answered at 3h45min and @Jason Winn was not far behind at 3h15min or so.

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[swatski]

Many many thanks to @tim h for leading the second group crossing. Could not find a more conscientious and considerate person with these types of skills if you searched the whole planet!

And I tell you, when you jet boat - there is something reassuring - following a big a@@ boat regardless.


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[Ramblin Wreck]

Brittany and I had a great time this year. It's always nice to see some familiar faces @Bruce ,@MrMoose , @swatski ,@chris24, @JROD ,@tim h , etc. As in previous years I wish I would have made more of an effort and/or had more time to meet many others that made the crossing. Maybe we could add a 2nd group lunch/dinner to the week in the future. This really is a great group of people. Big thanks to @1948Isaac for inviting and making this trip happen for us. @Lou4 & @Hamp made our trip that much more enjoyable. After what personally was my most annoying/roughest crossing to date from Miami to Bimini on Wednesday, the ride home yesterday (even with getting stopped by the Coast Guard ) was fantastic and IMO helps keep you yearning to make the crossing again. We've been very fortunate and are grateful for the contributions from this forum and it's members. We've experienced things I doubt we ever would've if wasn't for this forum. @Andy S, @robert843 you guys were missed.

I think its pretty awesome seeing my delorme map over the past 2 years.

 

[swatski]

We departed at 8:45 and arrived around 11:30ish. We did 25 most of the way as we prefer a less bumpy less impactful ride....30 or over resulted in the boat leaving the water too often. We burned 25 gallons.

The early departures had only a 15 minute wait on the phone for your customs arrival #...those in the 2nd group had to wait an hour or more on the phone!!!!

We met the 2nd group because my Audi had a flat tire when I arrived, and I didn't notice....and the tire was toasted....so we had to go find a 165/50 R19 tire...which isn't a common size....called Audi, and 4 stores before we found a used one! Then back on the road to customs!

@Julian That's awesome. It was such a pleasure to finally meet you up in person, you and your brother. I think Alister thought you well , he seems like an older brother I always wanted!

We were crossing a bit faster and seeing mostly 30s, with several stops and all. I admit I sped up a little bit towards the end (but still under 40) as I did not want to hold @tim h back in Harbor Towne - as he was ferrying Kate and Gosia, our youngest. So we ended up making pretty good time with @Amar Nanduri, @Jadams0527, @fromrio, and (I think) @jayasaki138.

I must admit I cheated a bit - and used my tabs throughout.

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[2nazt]

All these photos make me wanna go back next month during my school break! Glad everyone had a safe and smooth crossing back thus far!