2020 Bimini Trip July 12-18th

[Julian]

I have officially Cancelled our reservations. So that means:

1. Two side by side interconnected condos are available in building 3, ocean front. 1 Bedroom/1 bath/ with living room, ocean front balcony. 2 Bedroom 2.5 bath with living room, full kitchen, ocean front and non ocean front balconies. Send me a conversation message if interested.
2. Someone (or multiple) need to lead this group(s) over.

 

[jethrof16]

I have officially Cancelled our reservations. So that means:

1. Two side by side interconnected condos are available in building 3, ocean front. 1 Bedroom/1 bath/ with living room, ocean front balcony. 2 Bedroom 2.5 bath with living room, full kitchen, ocean front and non ocean front balconies. Send me a conversation message if interested.
2. Someone (or multiple) need to lead this group(s) over.

Lenny for supreme leader!

 

[BBottoms]

Got COVID tested this morning. Hope to have results back this afternoon or tomorrow morning then apply for the travel health visa. Sounds like there was a hiccup around the 1st with the site but most seem to be getting nearly instant approvals now.

Forecast is looking pretty good to my novice eye. This is for Port Everglades:

 

[robert843]

Got COVID tested this morning. Hope to have results back this afternoon or tomorrow morning then apply for the travel health visa. Sounds like there was a hiccup around the 1st with the site but most seem to be getting nearly instant approvals now.

Forecast is looking pretty good to my novice eye. This is for Port Everglades:
View attachment 125079View attachment 125080

keep us posted on how long it takes to get results back I may have to drive out of state to get it done most places here in South Carolina are taking a week or longer which stinks

 

[BBottoms]

keep us posted on how long it takes to get results back I may have to drive out of state to get it done most places here in South Carolina are taking a week or longer which stinks

We were fortunate to find a local hospital that provides in-house PCR testing so we should have results in less than 24 hours. I've heard ranges from 2 to 10 days for tests that get sent to an outside lab for our area.

When looking for tests, especially the rapid tests, make sure they are PCR tests. We thought we found a place that provided a rapid test with results in 20 minutes but after reading the fine print it was a rapid-antigen test, even though it was advertised just as a nasal swab test. The antigen tests aren't acceptable per Bahama's guidelines. My understanding is that positive results are very accurate but it can produce a lot of false-negatives.

 

[robert843]

We were fortunate to find a local hospital that provides in-house PCR testing so we should have results in less than 24 hours. I've heard ranges from 2 to 10 days for tests that get sent to an outside lab for our area.

When looking for tests, especially the rapid tests, make sure they are PCR tests. We thought we found a place that provided a rapid test with results in 20 minutes but after reading the fine print it was a rapid-antigen test, even though it was advertised just as a nasal swab test. The antigen tests aren't acceptable per Bahama's guidelines. My understanding is that positive results are very accurate but it can produce a lot of false-negatives.

We found a local doctors care that I'm being told by others they got their results back in under 24 hours so we are going to try there but when I called they told me 7 days so I'm hopping they were exaggerating. I have debated trying to schedule testing at two different spots as I know another hospital that has a lab and I have been told they have been running 4-7 days.

 

[leonard delia]

As I posted in the 2020 Bimini Early Interest Thread, I have booked my trip for this year from Sunday July 12th to Saturday July 18th.

At this point, the following people look to be crossing this week:

1. CANCELLED - @Julian MMSI # is 338244923 Sands Unit 3D & 3F, Blue 242X, 4th Trip, Sunday 12th ~9am-Sat 18th ~10am.
2. @BBottoms MMSI# 338318337
3. @Wytiger
4. 
   
5. @leonard delia
6. @agaufillet
7. @jethrof16 338376269 Sands units 10B & 10C, 2018 242X, 1st trip
8. @Yamaha212limiteds
9. @AbuAyd Sands Unit13H Glastron GT21, 2nd Trip
10. @Rotorwash . Sands Unit 21i Mon 13th to Sat 18th. 6 of us 2015 AR240 grey/white

I chose this week as I didn't want to be over there during 4th of July (gets a bit busier there that week), and June wasn't working for family stuff.

If you haven't read the Preparing for Bimini Thread, please read that thread to familiarize yourself with what to expect. This will be my 4th trip to Bimini.

Our plan will be as follows:

1. Drive down to Ft. Lauderdale to arrive Saturday afternoon and stay in one of the hotels close to Harbor Towne Marina (we stayed at Homewood Suites by Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Airport-Cruise Port - and will likely stay in that general area again. Will post once we settle on a spot, but it isn't critical that we are at the same place.
2. On Sunday morning, get up at a rational hour (unless the forecast is suggesting EARLY AM wind/waves would be better) and head to Harbor Town (get there around 8-9am). Park at Harbor town ideally, if not FFL. (one reason for getting there EARLIER...better chance of parking).
3. Depart Harbor Town 9-10am for Bimini.
4. Arrive in Bimini around Noon.
5. Depart Bimini the following Saturday morning (weather permitting).

I MAY have a one bedroom condo available to rent for that same period (we are trying to determine who is going with us). Send me a conversation message if you are interested.
[HASH=3471]#bimini[/HASH]
[HASH=3472]#bimini2020[/HASH]

I have officially Cancelled our reservations. So that means:

1. Two side by side interconnected condos are available in building 3, ocean front. 1 Bedroom/1 bath/ with living room, ocean front balcony. 2 Bedroom 2.5 bath with living room, full kitchen, ocean front and non ocean front balconies. Send me a conversation message if interested.
2. Someone (or multiple) need to lead this group(s) over.

i will lead them over, I will be staying at Bahia mar and if anyone needs to call me I can be reached at 954-598-3812. I will be at the hotel around 7pm

 

[BBottoms]

Got COVID results back first thing this morning for my wife and I. Both negative. Submitted for travel health visa and received basically instant email approval indicating we are considered low risk based on the information we provided. Our two other crew members will submit later today.

 

[Julian]

i will lead them over, I will be staying at Bahia mar and if anyone needs to call me I can be reached at 954-598-3812. I will be at the hotel around 7pm

I would put your phone number in a private message (conversation) vs on a public forum.

Also, can you specify what day/date/time you plan on crossing. I know some people were looking at Sat, Sun or Mon. Some planning to Launch that morning, others getting slips.

 

[leonard delia]

I would put your phone number in a private message (conversation) vs on a public forum.

Also, can you specify what day/date/time you plan on crossing. I know some people were looking at Sat, Sun or Mon. Some planning to Launch that morning, others getting slips.

Sunday the 12 th 7 am

 

[BBottoms]

Just for everyone's information, I confirmed my dockage reservations and rates this afternoon with Bimini Cove/Sands (their reply email still says Sands):

Rate is $2.75/ft + 12% VAT + 7.5% resort - so somewhere around $3.30 / ft per day.

I also asked about fuel prices and gas is $4.26/gal currently

 

[Julian]

Just for everyone's information, I confirmed my dockage reservations and rates this afternoon with Bimini Cove/Sands (their reply email still says Sands):

Rate is $2.75/ft + 12% VAT + 7.5% resort - so somewhere around $3.30 / ft per day.

I also asked about fuel prices and gas is $4.26/gal currently

Wow....that is more than double what we paid last year.....$550/week! Then there is also the new Resort fee, which will add up to another $155. Last year (admitedly a strange year due to the power situation) we paid $250. This would be $655! Ouch.

 

[BBottoms]

Wow....that is more than double what we paid last year.....$550/week! Then there is also the new Resort fee, which will add up to another $155. Last year (admitedly a strange year due to the power situation) we paid $250. This would be $655! Ouch.

No doubt it's higher than I was expecting. They told me $1.25 / ft back in January when I first made the reservation, although they did make it clear that the price was subject to change. I suspected it was increasing with the new ownership. Regardless, compared with some of the prices I've seen for dockage in North Bimini, and even in Florida, I don't feel it's all that bad, just would of been nice to prepare for.

I hate resort fees. I'd rather them just raise the damn price. But it's becoming the new normal unfortunately. If all the facilities are up and running like I hear (pools, food, etc), then I think I won't care. If things are still closed, it'll piss me off.

 

[Julian]

No doubt it's higher than I was expecting. They told me $1.25 / ft back in January when I first made the reservation, although they did make it clear that the price was subject to change. I suspected it was increasing with the new ownership. Regardless, compared with some of the prices I've seen for dockage in North Bimini, and even in Florida, I don't feel it's all that bad, just would of been nice to prepare for.

I hate resort fees. I'd rather them just raise the damn price. But it's becoming the new normal unfortunately. If all the facilities are up and running like I hear (pools, food, etc), then I think I won't care. If things are still closed, it'll piss me off.

I posted my feelings on the Bimini Cove FB page. Personally I feel that they should only charge a resort fee once. If we are paying one for the condo, then we don't pay the dock resort fee.

 

[BBottoms]

Looking to cross this morning. Getting I've then headed to Harbour Towne. Weather looking pretty good. If we have any concerns once we get out we'll head back and wait for the group tomorrow.

Have my InReach set up. Will update every 10 minutes.

MapShare website: https://inreach.garmin.com

Password: Yamaha

 

[BBottoms]

If you plan to park at SelfPark FLL instead of Harbour Towne beware that they were very understaffed today, killing about an hour of our time. Plan accordingly if you are launching and leaving. In retrospect I should of just paid the $20/day to park at Harbour Towne instead of trying to pinch pennies. There was plenty of parking.

 

[jethrof16]

What time is the push from the Port Everglades buoy tomorrow morning? We are staying at the Bhia Mar Doubletree tonight. Plan to get there around 7 PM. Send me a DM and I will reply with my cell [HASH=5]#[/HASH]

 

[ThatJeepGuy]

Looking to cross this morning. Getting I've then headed to Harbour Towne. Weather looking pretty good. If we have any concerns once we get out we'll head back and wait for the group tomorrow.

Have my InReach set up. Will update every 10 minutes.

MapShare website: https://inreach.garmin.com

Password: Yamaha

Looks like you’ve been making good time!

 

[tim h]

I’m so jealous !
Enjoy your trip !

 

[CokeZero]

Looking to cross this morning. Getting I've then headed to Harbour Towne. Weather looking pretty good. If we have any concerns once we get out we'll head back and wait for the group tomorrow.

Have my InReach set up. Will update every 10 minutes.

MapShare website: https://inreach.garmin.com

Password: Yamaha

That is REALLY sweet! How much fuel did you end up using? How was the water?