JetBoaters.net Bimini Fling June 19 to 25 2016

[Diana24]

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2016/apr/06/fly-infestation-rise-south-bimini-dump/

 

[tim h]

Hopefully they will do something about the flies before our trip...

 

[chris24]

Interesting read. I had explored the whole South Island last year, and I don't remember any flies. I remember little tiny Sand Gnats would bite my ankles walking around the resort in the evening time.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I would worry about this ......
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2016/jan/28/national-health-officials-advise-bahamians-explosi/

 

[Bruce]

There was a giant trash heap last summer as well. Resorts World has significantly increased the volume of trash created.

Zika is scary as is Chikungunya, Actually Chikungunya scares me more. I am not aware of either being contracted in Bimini. Both have been contracted elsewhere in the Caribbean. Bimini Sands new management did a great job of handling the mosquitos in 2015. I expect they will this year as well.

 

[shane hric]

Working on getting nav setup for the trip. What unit do you guys use and which map card?

I'm using a Samsung 8" Tablet with the Navionics app and I purchased a cup holder anti-vibration tablet mount! I already owned my tablet and the cup holder mount was $17.00 on ebay so I couldn't beat the price!

 

[SFThoen]

I'm using a Samsung 8" Tablet with the Navionics app and I purchased a cup holder anti-vibration tablet mount! I already owned my tablet and the cup holder mount was $17.00 on ebay so I couldn't beat the price!

do you run a separate GPS receiver or do you use the gps on the tablet?

 

[shane hric]

No the app requires a GPS tablet to track your locations. The app was $49.00 and it covers A LOT of lakes even my small lake in my neighborhood is covered. It's updated regularly, so everyone said it does really well!

 

[SFThoen]

No the app requires a GPS tablet to track your locations. The app was $49.00 and it covers A LOT of lakes even my small lake in my neighborhood is covered. It's updated regularly, so everyone said it does really well!

I have the navionics app on my phone and tablet so I've used it before. Just didn't know how well the gps on the tablet works out in the ocean. There's a Bluetooth gps antenna/receiver that the tablet pairs to that's supposed to work really well to increase GPS reception. Pilots use it for their tablets to track their flight path. Not entirely sure if I need it or not

 

[shane hric]

I would say it's just fine from what friends tell me, but @Bruce should comment here or a few others who use this on their phones or tablets. This is all I'm going to use, if that helps!

 

[Andy S]

Your phone & tablet should be just fine. Going there and back you will be in a group of boats so there should be plenty of GPS units for follow plus your own. Your phone & tablet will mainly be used around Bimini to find specific spots of interest, otherwise while there you will never be out of sight of land.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Your phone & tablet should be just fine. Going there and back you will be in a group of boats so there should be plenty of GPS units for follow plus your own. Your phone & tablet will mainly be used around Bimini to find specific spots of interest, otherwise while there you will never be out of sight of land.

Isn't that what Skipper told Gilligan right before their cruise?

 

[Bruce]

I used a Nexus 7 as a chart plotter for a year. It worked well except for a mount that failed in 3' seas at night leaving me holding a tablet in one hand the steering wheel in my second and the throttles in my third.

I prefer the less expensive tablet version of Navionics to the more expensive chart plotter version. However I bought a fixed chart plotter soon after the three handed experience.

Something to watch out for is that some tablets do not have GPS receivers. So make sure your does.

Also you should download the Navionics charts for areas you plan to travel in advance.

 

[Jim Hernandez]

Jim Hernandez has registered to captain H with a crew of two adults. They hail from the home port of Williamsburg Va.

 

[Bruce]

Jim Hernandez has registered to captain H with a crew of two adults. They hail from the home port of Williamsburg Va.

Jim, there is information on how to make reservations in the first post of this thread.

 

[Bruce]

This video has some great historical info about Bimini.

 

[tim2808]

30+ BOATS GOING THIS YEAR!!!! I didn't even bother to count the number of people! WOW! It's going to be a heck of a time. We had 11 boats in 2014 and that was a lot I thought then. This might actually be the first year we don't make it to Bimini one way or another. You never know though.

 

[robert843]

30+ BOATS GOING THIS YEAR!!!! I didn't even bother to count the number of people! WOW! It's going to be a heck of a time. We had 11 boats in 2014 and that was a lot I thought then. This might actually be the first year we don't make it to Bimini one way or another. You never know though.

It should be a good one! I think only about 16 or 17 of those registered have units booked at this time though.

 

[tim2808]

It should be a good one! I think only about 16 or 17 of those registered have units booked at this time though.

ahh, good point. I didn't count those, just the list. For those of you that have never been... boating on a lake when you get home will...well....... basically suck for the rest of your life LOL. Bimini is a trip of a lifetime and you will always want to go back to those beautiful clear waters.

 

[Valerie]

This is so very true