Bimini 2020 - June 21-28th

[Julian]

I just spoke with Steven the general manager at Self Park in Dania Florida and he said that he can accommodate pickup truck and boat trailer in his lot. The lot is fenced in and he has security that patrols at night, the truck and trailer will have to be separated because the trailers are parked in the gravel lot in the back. If you reserve the spot under jet boaters he will honor the $10 dollars a day fron previous years and then it’s only a 15 minute Uber ride back to Bahiamar. You can email him at gm@selfparkfll.com attention Steve and he will reserve you a spot and send you a confirmation email. the address is 901 Old Griffin rd Dania, fl 33004. Phone # 844-727-5355

We've used that self park multiple times for group crossings.

 

[Lowstar]

We've used that self park multiple times for group crossings.

Yea Steven remembers the group, hey Julian is there any better option than Harbour town for launching, anything closer to Bahia Mar ? And if not do you know if Harbour Town will lift your boat into the drink so we don’t have to salt the trailer or is it to much hassle?

 

[Lowstar]

Thanks!! Looks really close to Harbour towne too for launching.

Hey Jeff, I’m not sure of your situation but you said that your coming down with your 13 year old daughter and I was reading on Bahama.com
and saw this.
NOTE: Where a minor child is traveling with only one parent, a notarized letter of permit from the parent not traveling may be requested. If traveling with non-parents, a notarized letter from the minor's guardians would be required. The letter should indicate that the chaperones are authorized to travel outside the country with the minor, as well as permit the chaperones to seek medical attention for the minor, if necessary.

 

[ifly4fun]

Hey Jeff, I’m not sure of your situation but you said that your coming down with your 13 year old daughter and I was reading on Bahama.com
and saw this.
NOTE: Where a minor child is traveling with only one parent, a notarized letter of permit from the parent not traveling may be requested. If traveling with non-parents, a notarized letter from the minor's guardians would be required. The letter should indicate that the chaperones are authorized to travel outside the country with the minor, as well as permit the chaperones to seek medical attention for the minor, if necessary.

That’s interesting, we’ve been to the bahamas 5 times and they’ve never said anything to us. Maybe if we’re traveling with full passports they’re less concerned? We certainly had to jump through the divorce hoops to get her a passport.. twice.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Betik]

@Lowstar my wife entered BAhamas with our 3 and 5 year old alone. The quetion did not even come up.

Harbour towne will not lift your boat. I have done extensive research on this subject. There are couple of places that will lift your boat, but I am not sure that it is worth the trouble. If you are abdomen about lifting your boat, just let me know and I can send you more details.

 

[Andy S]

Yea Steven remembers the group, hey Julian is there any better option than Harbour town for launching, anything closer to Bahia Mar ? And if not do you know if Harbour Town will lift your boat into the drink so we don’t have to salt the trailer or is it to much hassle?

If you are going to use remote parking then you could launch from the boat ramp at 15th Street, 1784 SE 15th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316, which is about half way between Harbour Towne and the Bahia Mar.

No idea if Harbour Towne will lift your boat, there is a dry storage facility with a big fork lift right next to the boat ramps, so it would be worth a call. In the past folks have used Thunderboat Marina but that is farther up the Dania Cut from Harbour Towne and at some point they stopped letting folks park their vehicle/trailer there after they lifted and launched which isn't a problem if using remote parking. There are a number of marinas right across the Dania Cut from Harbour Towne to checkout and there also is a number of marinas around 15th Street in Fort Lauderdale that would be worth calling to see if they lift.

Hey Jeff, I’m not sure of your situation but you said that your coming down with your 13 year old daughter and I was reading on Bahama.com
and saw this.
NOTE: Where a minor child is traveling with only one parent, a notarized letter of permit from the parent not traveling may be requested. If traveling with non-parents, a notarized letter from the minor's guardians would be required. The letter should indicate that the chaperones are authorized to travel outside the country with the minor, as well as permit the chaperones to seek medical attention for the minor, if necessary.

A couple of times I have had minor children on my boat, at least one of their parents where also with me, but I have never had customs or immigration ask any questions about the children and who their parents where.

 

[BigT51]

I'm very interested in the this trip and have been working on preparations. My niece and her husband have expressed interest in joining us but she is pregnant and is due in April. For the experienced crossers, what's your thoughts on making the trip with a newborn (less than 2 month old)? I suggested the ferry might be an option or the float plane but she's excited about making the trip in the boat. Also, my understanding is the Bahamas will accept birth certificate in lieu of passport for kids under 16, has anyone actually put that to the test? I'm getting pumped for the trip.

 

[robert843]

I'm very interested in the this trip and have been working on preparations. My niece and her husband have expressed interest in joining us but she is pregnant and is due in April. For the experienced crossers, what's your thoughts on making the trip with a newborn (less than 2 month old)? I suggested the ferry might be an option or the float plane but she's excited about making the trip in the boat. Also, my understanding is the Bahamas will accept birth certificate in lieu of passport for kids under 16, has anyone actually put that to the test? I'm getting pumped for the trip.

Im pretty sure they stopped taking birth certificates and even the infant will need a passport I know mine needed one. I took my 9 month old to Abaco with me but they flew in while I crossed. I would not cross with an infant it can be rough and could result in injury to a child that small. Once there I think they would be fine but for sure I would send the infant on a plane or the ferry. If you daughter really wants to cross with you send the infant on the ferry with another member of your group maybe.

 

[Betik]

@BigT51 I want to add what @robert843 noted.
off course the infant should be on the ferry, but in my opinion even younger kids should ride the ferry. The reason is that a crossing for them can be traumatic while for you and me might be fun. Kids are very good at reading stress from our body language, but they are terrible reading our minds. So if you flying over 1.5 footers but you are stressed because you want to take a leak but dont want to stop the group, the child will think that daddy is stressed because he wants to pie, but rather something is not right with the crossing.
In my opinion on their first trips kids should have nothing but fun and reduce the exposure to risk. In 2017 we had 14 years that refused to get on the boat and spend the entire week at the pool.

 

[amccoy]

If you launch at Harbor Towne and park at Self Park, how do you get back to your boat, Uber? I see that it's only 1.6 miles, just asking.

 

[Andy S]

If you launch at Harbor Towne and park at Self Park, how do you get back to your boat, Uber? I see that it's only 1.6 miles, just asking.

In the past Self Park will shuttle you over, just tip the driver.

 

[Lowstar]

If you launch at Harbor Towne and park at Self Park, how do you get back to your boat, Uber? I see that it's only 1.6 miles, just asking.

In the past Self Park will shuttle you over, just tip the driver.

Andy S is right, The manager of self park said they will shuttle us back to the marina

 

[Lowstar]

@Betik , @Andy S is there any access to a hose nearby to rinse the trailer down ?

 

[Lowstar]

@robert843 great video series on crossing to Bahamas. I never put 2 & 2 together that you were the voice behind boneheaded boaters, the wife and I Iove watching your videos. It will be nice to get to meet you, to think I might get to meet a star ?

 

[ifly4fun]

@robert843 great video series on crossing to Bahamas. I never put 2 & 2 together that you were the voice behind boneheaded boaters, the wife and I Iove watching your videos. It will be nice to get to meet you, to think I might get to meet a star ?

I was thinking the same.. I watched the bimini series and then wasted an afternoon at work with boneheaded boaters running continuously.

 

[Andy S]

@Betik , @Andy S is there any access to a hose nearby to rinse the trailer down ?

Yes there are 2 long hoses next to the ramp closest to the dry storage building.

 

[Lowstar]

I think they changed the customs fees.
as of Oct 2019 it reads as follows
Pleasure Vessels
Applicable to:

Pleasure Vessels (Arriving Under It’s Own Power)

Pleasure Vessels Imported By a Bona-Fide Visitor



The following documents are required:

1. Inward report pleasure vessel – Form C2A
2. Cruising permit (Form C39) issued by Customs after clearance
3. A pleasure vessel arriving in The Bahamas shall be subject to a fee of BS$150.00 Dollars up to 35 feet and three hundred BS$300 dollars for vessels more than 35 feet. If the vessel departs and returns within 90 days, it is exempted from payments of fees. This fee is to cover the cost of a Fishing Permit, a Cruising Permit, Attendance Fee and transportation fees payable to a Customs and Immigration Department.
4. Where a pleasure vessel under paragraph one carries more than four passengers, every additional passenger of or above the age of six years, who is not a resident of the Bahamas, shall be subject to a tax of BS$15.00 as specified under The Passenger Tax Act.

so I guess now it’s only $ 15.00 dollars for over four passengers per boat.

 

[Betik]

@Betik , @Andy S is there any access to a hose nearby to rinse the trailer down ?

harbour towne marina does have a hose and members in the past have used the hose to rinse the trailers.

 

[amccoy]

I talked to the dock master at Bimini Cove, they are still not yet taking reservations. He took my information and said he should know more by next Tuesday and would give me a call. He said they will most likely still have a 30' minimum charge for a slip. Also, he thinks that they will offer a group rate if we want to organize it that way.

Do you have to make any kind of reservation at Harbor Towne to launch? Or can you just show up, launch, and tie off to a courtesy dock while parking at self park?

 

[Andy S]

I talked to the dock master at Bimini Cove, they are still not yet taking reservations. He took my information and said he should know more by next Tuesday and would give me a call. He said they will most likely still have a 30' minimum charge for a slip. Also, he thinks that they will offer a group rate if we want to organize it that way.

Thanks for the info on Bimini Cove , I will call later next week for my needs.

Do you have to make any kind of reservation at Harbor Towne to launch? Or can you just show up, launch, and tie off to a courtesy dock while parking at self park?

No reservations available, first come first serve for launching and parking there. Yes you can tie off on the seawall dock while you go to self park.