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That appears to be the correct information, actually.
When we were waiting for our Bimini 2016 customs clearance, a group of us stroke a conversation with a nice gentleman from TX who lives in Bimini part time. We asked him if he has ever been tempted to skip Bahamian customs upon his re-entry. His answer was pretty short: "They WILL take your boat".
The channels to Port Everglades, South Bimini, North Bimini and the Resorts World Ferry Terminal are marked by lighted buoys. The buoys on the channel into North Bimini are particularly important as rocks are found on the edges of the channel on both sides. These buoys and their navigation channels are well marked on most plotter charts. Most of the time, most of us will use our plotters and daylight visibility to navigate these channels. However not all of us will have plotters and in some instances those plotters or the GPS signals they rely on will fail. So we need to read and remember the contents of the U.S. Coast Guards Aids to Navigation System.
FRS Caribbean has launched their new service between the Port of Miami and the ferry peer at Resorts World Bimini. They are operating a several day a week at a cost of around $190 for a less than 3 hour crossing. The route is operated by the 400 passenger, 170ft San Gwann. She is propelled by four jet drives. There are no requirements to stay at Resorts World to ride the ferry. Tickets can be booked through their website.
Can you tell us more about your seaplane trip? Where did you book it? What was the cost? Would you do it again? I assume your stuff was on Dirk's boat but did they allow for luggage?
HELL YES! (seaplane! Took off from Ft Lauderdale, but landed in the water behind RWB)
We could've taken all the luggage in the world, but I recall the site saying one carry on and one stowed bag. We booked 35 minutes before flight, we were the only ones aboard however (not counting pilot/co-pilot). I believe the plane would typically seat up to 10. Tons of room available. Really cool experience.
HELL YES! (seaplane! Took off from Ft Lauderdale, but landed in the water behind RWB)
We could've taken all the luggage in the world, but I recall the site saying one carry on and one stowed bag. We booked 35 minutes before flight, we were the only ones aboard however (not counting pilot/co-pilot). I believe the plane would typically seat up to 10. Tons of room available. Really cool experience.
Ah yes but this is like the MasterCard commercial. Taking your jet skis to the Bahamas $1000 in fuel and slip rental but taking a sea plane to the Bahamas and having @DieselCamel chauffeur you around in his new World Cat the whole time down there priceless.
@Bruce I've posted this on the various annual Bimini threads, might be a good adder for your first section under Scuba diving.
When I was renting equipment one year from Neal Watson he showed me this sheet..SNAPSHOT !! I don't know what the A,B,C in column 1 means. We've rented twice from him, very positive customer experience.
It all depends on the sea conditions. Last year we had fantastic conditions and @tim2808 crossed as well as us in 23' and 24'. However, on previous trips we have experience some 3-5' waves with an occasional 4-6' thrown in for good measure and all the boats 21' to 24' handled them just fine. To me the difficult part of crossing in a 19' would be the refuel in rough seas, otherwise the only thing that will limit you handling the rough seas is you and your crew.
Before others chime in, I would say those are ALL rolling waves, at least with conditions we would venture out. I don't think we had any instances of a boat struck by a breaking wave, certainly not on the last trip (2016).
So, all good? (unless the wave is breaking, the boat should ride up and over the wave regardless of the wave height in comparison to the boat length and the boat’s orientation to the wave) -- Yes, in theory. But that is not to say that it will be comfortable or possibly cause the boat to go out of control.
What I found most interesting is this:
1. our boats like to launch and catch some air; while an outboard will usually stay planted in water, our jet intakes are out (which makes for some interesting effects on take off and landing); so, the dominant period is very important
2. the Atlantic coast off of FL waves are just different...
they are just not paced with any sort of regularity and can roll in different directions; that was at least my perspective from the helm of a 190, LOL.
I don't know that I would call them rollers over the last two trips more like 2-4ft chop in 2015 and 2-3ft chop in 2016 really not that bad just rough. 3-4 ft breakers would be a different story I would probably delay my trip if the winds were strong enough to have breakers. In 2015 we had plenty of white caps but I never saw anything actually break.
Pretty sure it's the fact of being in it for 2.5 hours that gets to you. I went out in 6 foot rollers once but we also threw anchor and swam to shore so we didn't feel the brunt of it. A little freaky when u watch your boat disappear behind the waves though!
Only in 2013 did I experience actual waves at 3'-5', all other trips the sea conditions were rollers. On the 2013 trip the wind was out of the east, blowing the waves right at us and causing them to break over. Luckily as we got closer to Bimini the waves laid down some and becoming rollers not waves. On the trip there were only 4 boat; 2 - 21' (@upperdeck & @justason), my previous 23', and a 24' (@sstegh). The captains and crew were all of similar capabilities and we made the trip to Bimini in 3 hours, just kept the throttle set at 20 mph through the roughest part and toughed it out.
Only in 2013 did I experience actual waves at 3'-5', all other trips the sea conditions were rollers. On the 2013 trip the wind was out of the east, blowing the waves right at us and causing them to break over. Luckily as we got closer to Bimini the waves laid down some and becoming rollers not waves. On the trip there were only 4 boat; 2 - 21' (@upperdeck & @justason), my previous 23', and a 24' (@sstegh). The captains and crew were all of similar capabilities and we made the trip to Bimini in 3 hours, just kept the throttle set at 20 mph through the roughest part and toughed it out.
Only in 2013 did I experience actual waves at 3'-5', all other trips the sea conditions were rollers. On the 2013 trip the wind was out of the east, blowing the waves right at us and causing them to break over. Luckily as we got closer to Bimini the waves laid down some and becoming rollers not waves. On the trip there were only 4 boat; 2 - 21' (@upperdeck & @justason), my previous 23', and a 24' (@sstegh). The captains and crew were all of similar capabilities and we made the trip to Bimini in 3 hours, just kept the throttle set at 20 mph through the roughest part and toughed it out.
it's not me I'm worried about. I'm an experienced Seaman with about 4 years of driving boats for the military. It's my family that I'm worried about that wouldn't be able to take the waves and make it a dreadful ride and get seasick on the way there. But we all get seasick it's not if you get sea sick it's when you get seasick. I would be afraid that she would never want to go again. I have a 20 foot Tahoe inboard outboard. It is a deep V the Q7 ski and fish boat. When I was stationed in Alaska I'm going out to 21 miles in a little 17 foot boat the waves were like 4 foot rollers and it was no problem at all but I didn't have my family with me it was just me and a bunch of military buddies we had a great time lots of salmon.
