JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling June 19 to 25 2016

[Bruce]

@Jr15g, The power is back on.

@bronze_10, I suggest watching Bimini trip videos with your family. They will come aboard. Bimini is changing. Resorts World has cancelled their monstrosity of a ferry but destroyed several reefs to build a pier for it.

Now MSC cruises is converting an island just south of Honeymoon Harbor into a $200M cruise ship destination. I assume they will have boat rentals, dive trips, fishing trips, parasailing, etc from the island. These are likely to fill Honeymoon Harbor with people and overfish the reefs around Cat Cay. Dredging for the cruise ship peer(s) may destroy even more reefs.

So I suggest enjoying to Bimini as soon as you can because it may be much less enjoyable in the future.

 

[Jr15g]

@Bruce Thanks! I'm on the phone right now

 

[robert843]

i sooo want to do this trip but a few things will put it out of reach this year. 1st we are taking the kids to disney in March. i would rather go to bimini but this will be the one time we take them.... never again. Next, we have had our boat for one year... our first boat.. not sure i am ready for blue water yet.... However I am thinking of putting a bug in my family's ear for 2017. The god parents are going to disney with us so maybe next year me and the godfather can take the boat over while the wives and the kids fly........ i gotta start scheming. but for those of you who have been married for any length of time know when u suggest things outside of the norm you have to gradually build up to the full message. everyone would love being there with the boat.... it's the crossing that looses my wife!!! plus i am about top spring for a new trailer this year... so that kinda absorbs any extra funds..

See I always took a different approach by asking for to much and making the women feel like it her idea to settle back in the middle. So in this case I would tell the wife lets go to the Exumas and when she throws up all over that idea you then say your right baby we should just try Bimini first to see if its a good idea and the key is to be nodding your head yes as you say it and then watch her head start to nod yes as well and your in.

 

[bronze_10]

@robert843 I agree.. the ultimate key is to do it so it sounds like their idea..... but all that just flew out the window.. i sent her a text at work and spilled the entire plan all at once...... did i mention i reallllllly want to go?!?!?! but 2017 is the earliest. @Bruce I really hate to hear that...... that just sets my resolve. I need to learn a lot of stuff this year... and I need to focus on the important mods like the scupper and navigation stuff instead of audio and leds!! She has already said we can start making plans!!! maybe because i wore her out with the idea last year.... she prob doesnt want to go through that again this year

 

[MrMoose]

See I always took a different approach by asking for to much and making the women feel like it her idea to settle back in the middle. So in this case I would tell the wife lets go to the Exumas and when she throws up all over that idea you then say your right baby we should just try Bimini first to see if its a good idea and the key is to be nodding your head yes as you say it and then watch her head start to nod yes as well and your in.

Or... do the trip without your wife! I did this last year because my wife wasn't interested. It was just my two sons and I... best vacation ever. This year my wife and father-in-law are coming. I guess I'll have to plan to go to the Exumas next year in order to discourage her from coming. Although I truly love my wife, it's amazing how uncomplicated a vacation can be without her.

 

[Jr15g]

I received my confirmation emails with Condo # and slip. Now to other things like clearing the snow out of my driveway.

 

[Andy S]

I too just received by room (4K) and slip confirmation.

 

[Valerie]

So I got a lesson in banking today
I saw that my charge was slightly higher then what was on my confirmation emails so I called the sands and it was explained that my bank, Good ole Chase charges a conversion fee for me to use my debit card over in Bimini (even though I work at Chase)
Good to know gotta bring cash!

 

[robert843]

So I got a lesson in banking today
I saw that my charge was slightly higher then what was on my confirmation emails so I called the sands and it was explained that my bank, Good ole Chase charges a conversion fee for me to use my debit card over in Bimini (even though I work at Chase)
Good to know gotta bring cash!

Yes even though the exchange rate is 1 to 1 most card companies charge an foreign transaction fee for using your card out side of the country. Some of the higher end travel based credit cards will wave this fee my AMEX does but almost no one in the Bahamas takes Amex it seems.

 

[MrMoose]

I too just received by room (4K) and slip confirmation.

Great spot @andy07sx230ho Nice short walk to the pool and great view!

 

[Valerie]

@robert843 I should have added so much for employee perks to that post! ;-)

 

[chris24]

Just got my confirmation. @chris24 and crew will be staying in 16B.

 

[MrMoose]

I'm in 2A. Almost double the cost of what I paid last year! Bigger group = bigger condo = more money

 

[Bruce]

I'm in 2A. Almost double the cost of what I paid last year! Bigger group = bigger condo = more money

Looking at the positive, you are spending less per person!

 

[ACrews]

Are they assigning room #'s?

Happened to speak with Capital One yesterday on an address issue & while I had a person on phone I decided to ask about conversion charge & the issue of having them shut down card due to the fraud protection. Apparently Capital One does NOT charge for conversion & they stated that all a person has to do is notify customer service of their travel dates a few days before departure & they should have no problems with card not working.

 

[Bruce]

Are they assigning room #'s?

Happened to speak with Capital One yesterday on an address issue & while I had a person on phone I decided to ask about conversion charge & the issue of having them shut down card due to the fraud protection. Apparently Capital One does NOT charge for conversion & they stated that all a person has to do is notify customer service of their travel dates a few days before departure & they should have no problems with card not working.

Your condo number should be in your confirmation.

 

[ACrews]

Your condo number should be in your confirmation.

I'm not seeing one in either one. @Bruce

 

[Bruce]

Standard Horizon is offering rebates on their radios. It is $20 on several handhelds and $40 on my favorite GX1700.

Many dealers are offering a pair of HX100 handhelds for around $85 shipped. After rebate that is $65 for two handhelds. These are floating radios with a 2.5 watt (low power) output. I would not take one as my only radio but they are a good deal for communicating around Bimini Sands. These radios have some negative reviews for being DOA or rapid battery failure so I would take them out on the lake and test them long before going to Bimini. They also receive weather channels. I am ordering a set to add to our existing Uniden handhelds and will have a radio for each person on my boat.



The GX1700 is a full featured fixed mount radio with built in GPS and the ability to press a single button and send a DSC distress call. It also will route you to another boat sending a distress call and can track where your friends with radios with DSC capability are located. We have used one for the last two years and are very happy with it. It can be purchased for around $200 including shipping. If you do not want a VHF radio permanently installed in your boat you might consider using the 12 volt accessory outlet as a power supply and attaching your antenna with a clamp on mount.

 

[Bruce]

I'm not seeing one in either one. @Bruce

Perhaps reply to the email and ask which condo you are in.

 

[Valerie]

@Bruce which uniden radios do you use?