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I have kind of given up diving Too scary, especially if you don't have an amazing dive buddy :-(Diving mishaps are very effective on putting safety as the top priority.
I have been trapped in an uderwater cave while solo diving. For 10 minutes I could not go forward, backward, up or down. I could only rotate and that required removing tanks and harness.I got lucky because it was the beginning of the dive and less than 500feet from the entrance.
From Bimini your looking at approximately 450 miles round trip. Cruising at 30 mph that's 15 hours of non stop running. I don't think a day trip would be possible and while I certainly would encourage you to take a trip to the Exumas, it should be a final destination where you spend several days enjoying the islands IMO.
As @Ramblin Wreck mentioned it's an awesome trip but one you will want to devote it's own time to. I would not go back again with out planing to spend atleast 5 nights there alone as you would be selling yourself short. It's a full day travel each way in ok conditions with no hiccups which is a huge if. Chub Cay or Nassau would even probably be a three day deal a day for travel a day there and a day for return.
I figured fuel cost would be high. I did not read about the fuel shortages from the last expedition. Staniel Cay may be our next destination next year.
Yes sir!
If you planned fuel appropriately and had good sea conditions you could go straight from Bimini to Nassau and skip Chub. Some might discourage that but it's certainly possible. When we got to Chub their fuel was delivered that day and due to the sentiments in the fuel tank they will not sell gas until 24 hours after the tanks are filled in order to allow the sentiments to resettle. What I found interesting returning from Exumas is that when we got back to Bimini it was like we had arrived stateside. While many may feel Bimini is remote coming from Fort Lauderdale, it does not compare to the Exumas. There's a lot open water from Florida to Exumas so you would want to really plan it out and take a significant time off to enjoy it all. Alot of things can happen that are out of your control (fuel, customs, weather, breakdowns, etc.) so you don't want to be in a hurry rather have the time to adapt and adjust.
I do highly recommend it! It was an adventure of a lifetime and we as a group had a blast doing it. Everyone and everyones vessels came back with bumps and bruises and issues but I don't think anyone with us would not have gone. Biggest thing I can recommend is if you do plan it do so with only a few boats don't open it up to large group as it is not the kind of trip that works that way. If anyone on any of the crews is not up for a 15 hour beating fly them over its not worth the headache. We had an awesome crew and all handled it like champs and that is something that is tough to get together.
All Great points. I am really looking forward to meeting you guys on this trip.
I am more for the adventure of getting there. My wife is all for those pigs! So the Abacos may be an option.
I'm much like you. It's the adventure that gets me excited. The destination is just icing on the cake.
So about the same cost for a family of 6 to feed Mickey Mouse for 5 days. But so much cooler.
Hahaha...isn't that the truth. @GMAN2015 check out the thread below. @robert843 & @Andy S organize this weekend trip and it's a ton of fun. It's all glass water for the most part, but super fun. Several of us will be departing Wacca Wache Marina in Myrtle Beach to boat down the ICW to meet the larger group in Charleston before heading up the Cooper River. Y'all should come join us and we can tell you more then you probably want to know about the Exumas.
You can just follow me down @GMAN2015 . Looks like we're neighbors.
Ha! I was just going through the Charleston cooper river run posts. I think it would be a good run to test my boat before Bimini. Definitely interested.