JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling July 9th to 14th 2018

[Speedling]

Just to give everyone an update, I have exchanged many emails with Peter Maury of Bimini Sands Marina Limited and The Association of Bahamas Marinas who ordered the cancellation of twelve family’s properly booked and fully paid reservations without any notice or explanation. He is consistently side stepping the issue and avoiding straight answers. I have copied the developer and his grand daughter on many of those emails.

I also have phoned and texted the developer’s grand daughter. So far without answer.

Additionally I have reached out to the Island Councellor who is effectively the mayor of Bimini for assistance.

Finally I have requested that Rentals at Bimini Sands Limited contact the developer and Peter Maury to confirm the current status of those reservations.

I will try these contacts again tomorrow morning and let you know the status at that time.

Hows the pool and other amenities?
For those not cancelled is it our call to go or not? No way am i going myself!

 

[robert843]

Possibly both depending on how everything pans out.

If your reservations are good I would just plan on Bimini the weather doesn't look impassible and the Sands isn't the Bates Motel or anything it will be a fine base camp for your family I just wouldn't expect the Ritz or anything. The pools are suitable and many of us used them everyday and the only really major issues I remember people having were AC issue which I'm pretty sure all were resolved with in 24 hours.

 

[Wisefam22]

Possibly both depending on how everything pans out.

You could take a trip from Knoxville down the TN river to Chattanooga and back if it came to it. Heard it's pretty fun trip.

 

[Bruce]

Hows the pool and other amenities?
For those not cancelled is it our call to go or not? No way am i going myself!

Talking to feet on the ground in Bimini at the moment. Pool bathrooms are still locked. Food service will not change and is run by good people. Insect management will be the best that it can. The developers grand daughter is on site so we should get an answer as to where they stand on the reservation cancellations.

Monday does not look like a good crossing day. Based on wind forecasts I feel that Tuesday may have potential.

This was setup for a homeowners cookout today and will be left for us.

 

[Bruce]

Everyone please remember when considering crossing conditions that @robert843 is ten times tougher than us and could cross in a hurricane.

 

[Betik]

Monday does not look like a good crossing day. Based on wind forecasts I feel that Tuesday may have potential.

is there any concern for the return trip ? Friday is foretasted rough and I am not sure how Saturday will pan out.

 

[robert843]

Everyone please remember when considering crossing conditions that @robert843 is ten times tougher than us and could cross in a hurricane.

Now hold on just because I could doesn't mean that I would cross in Hurricane . Remember now @Andy S and I moved the June crossing because 2ft seas and 15 mph were called for on Monday this didn't happen because we didn't think we could cross in it we just couldn't pass up the Sunday Weather. I do agree the conditions will likely be similar to 2015 or 2017 but the groups went in those conditions then not sure what would stop the group from going in them now. The 12 who have been booted from the Sands probably have a little more flexibility to adjust now but I doubt the Sands will give the rest of the group refunds based on those 12 making it a tough call but if my reservation had not been canceled I would still be planing to go to Bimini I might not be thrilled to cross and hang out in that but it would for sure still be my plan.

 

[Berrie]

@Bruce are we not looking at a Sunday crossing? Windfinder shows Sunday to be the lesser of a handful of evils....
Next Friday the weather seems to stabilize, even though that is still 10 days out.

 

[AbuAyd]

Talking to feet on the ground in Bimini at the moment. Pool bathrooms are still locked. Food service will not change and is run by good people. Insect management will be the best that it can. The developers grand daughter is on site so we should get an answer as to where they stand on the reservation cancellations.

Monday does not look like a good crossing day. Based on wind forecasts I feel that Tuesday may have potential.

This was setup for a homeowners cookout today and will be left for us.

View attachment 78171

Thank you @Bruce for all the updates and follow up. What are your thoughts on Sunday crossing conditions? I understand we still need to deal with arrangements for early arrival but if the conditions are better, is it worth it?

 

[Betik]

@robert843 are saying by implication that if Bimini Sands were to refund the rest of the group, they should not cross?

 

[robert843]

@robert843 are saying by implication that if Bimini Sands were to refund the rest of the group, they should not cross?

If Bimini Sands would refund the rest of the groups Money I would tell all to move to Resort World and cross and be done with this nightmare. What I'm saying is I wouldn't make decision based on 12 people being kicked out to cancel the whole groups trip as that would just be penalizing the rest of the group. I'm a little more stubborn then most though the second they would have told me my unit was canceled and they had nothing for me I would have called my bank and had them reverse the charges and been booked somewhere else today @Bruce for sure has more patience then I do with this. Only reason I stayed at the Sands this time after they canceled my unit and moved me was because they had a unit available they were going to fight me on a refund or I would have moved this trip.

 

[Water Girl]

Thank you @Bruce for all the updates and follow up. What are your thoughts on Sunday crossing conditions? I understand we still need to deal with arrangements for early arrival but if the conditions are better, is it worth it?

I’m willing to do a Sunday cross too

 

[Bruce]

My perspective is that Tuesday’s wind forecast looks better than Sunday’s.

2’ waves are 2’ waves but wind makes them terrible.

I am pushing in every direction that I can to get condos for everyone. There are many good people at Bimini Sands unfortunately one bad guy is using every resource that he has to sabotage the homeowners.

 

[swatski]

Everyone please remember when considering crossing conditions that @robert843 is ten times tougher than us and could cross in a hurricane.

@Bruce is exaggerating a little bit, of course.
But not by much.
For anyone taking on this trip consider that guys like @robert843, @Andy S, @Ramblin Wreck, @1948Isaac and several others here are in their own category, their capabilities to ride FL strait and beyond are simply well above and beyond.
Consequently, what they may see as navigable/cross-able may not necessarily be so for everyone else.

There is something about FL Strait that can challenge even those experienced w/big water. The way I see it, for example, waves often just don't make sense running weird patterns. The weather can be extremely active and small storm cells (not visible on big weather maps) can pop up with little warning. I consider myself reasonably experienced as I lived in Boston for many years and boated all over from Buzzards Bay to Stellwagen Bank in small fishing boats all the time (being young and stupid, and that being in the early nineties before GPS), I have had more than one close call... But - I find FL Strait boating very tricky. Probably more tricky than NE.

This year's June group crossing conditions were, by any account, highly unusual. Typically, it is not exactly smooth sailing for small boats.

Plan B is very important, just in case the first few miles prove to be too much, as they may for some crews. It is supposed to be a pleasant vacation not an episode of "Naked and Afraid" after all, lol.
At least that's what my wife tells me.

--

 

[Girlfriend]

All this talk about crossing makes me want to go back already! Being on the jet ski makes it easier to navigate the waves than the boats can. Sometimes i can vary the speed just enough to go to the top of one wave and then just slide on down the other side! I just love the trip to and from!

 

[Pedro cruz]

.

 

[Speedling]

Just got home from work.
Tons of rain here. Gonna be packing in the rain tomorrow.
We will probably not get onto the road realistically until early afternoon due to that.

I am looking at wind finder and sailflow on the computer now.
I really think Saturday looks the best of all.
I could do that. I would just need to rush the groceries a bit honestly. I would skip seeing the SIL which is no big deal because we found out we are visiting her in October for her wedding.
I have no idea if bahia mar would push us forward for a friday night stay.
I have no idea if BS would be that flexible and/or if I would leave earlier then or what?
I'm just throwing it out there because it is saying that Saturday morning is 8/9 mph winds and 1.3 waves at 4s periods and wind sse (which again is right into our faces, but follows the current)
Monday and Tuesday currently are showing 2.3-2.6' waves but Monday showing 16 mph winds to Tuesdays 9/10 mph.
Coming back could be a bit early (or not) but Thursday- Saturday following trip is showing 2.3-3' waves.
Just throwing it all out there as the random thoughts of me before I hit the bed and get ready to load in the rain.

 

[Bruce]

@Speedling, look at Tuesday.

 

[ThatJeepGirl]

@Bruce is exaggerating a little bit, of course.
But not by much.
For anyone taking on this trip consider that guys like @robert843, @Andy S, @Ramblin Wreck, @1948Isaac and several others here are in their own category, their capabilities to ride FL strait and beyond are simply well above and beyond.
Consequently, what they may see as navigable/cross-able may not necessarily be so for everyone else.

There is something about FL Strait that can challenge even those experienced w/big water. The way I see it, for example, waves often just don't make sense running weird patterns. The weather can be extremely active and small storm cells (not visible on big weather maps) can pop up with little warning. I consider myself reasonably experienced as I lived in Boston for many years and boated all over from Buzzards Bay to Stellwagen Bank in small fishing boats all the time (being young and stupid, and that being in the early nineties before GPS), I have had more than one close call... But - I find FL Strait boating very tricky. Probably more tricky than NE.

This year's June group crossing conditions were, by any account, highly unusual. Typically, it is not exactly smooth sailing for small boats.

Plan B is very important, just in case the first few miles prove to be too much, as they may for some crews. It is supposed to be a pleasant vacation not an episode of "Naked and Afraid" after all, lol.
At least that's what my wife tells me.

--

Can not agree MORE with this!!!!! I don’t think people understand what 2’ with wind really means...it’s not fun. It’s scary. As the driver, I can’t imagine. I can tell you that @ThatJeepGuy has my utmost respect when it comes to being a captain, and I don’t doubt what he’s capable of for a second, but as a passenger watching those waves cause your bow to point to the sky you can do nothing other than pray. As a passenger, the anxiety you feel because you can feel the intensity of the situation from your captain (even if they try to not show it) is immense and seems unending as there is little reprieve during the HOURS long drive. As a captain, you may be more than capable but you really need to survey your crew. I know this year we decided to take my son over and there is NO way we would take him in the seas that are forecast. 2+’ don’t sound bad, but they quickly turn to 5+’ swells.

For those of you still thinking of going, make sure you run light and check ANYTHING that can become loose or cause an issue. Some things we didn’t think of: take bow cushions out, have NOTHING in the rear seat back compartments, if it seems like it can break it probably will (like our vhf antenna).

 

[Rod5]

OMG all the drama from the June group is creeping in now...
let’s get our reservations figured out first!