Please Share With Your Friends

Stuck In Paradise

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link below, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! I only recommend products I use or believe will be something you’ll love!

Bimini is a common place for boaters crossing the Gulf Stream to check into the Bahamas, but few cruisers linger there longer than a day or two.  In our case, with a couple of storms on the horizon, we and many others opted to stay in Bimini to wait for the weather to improve before crossing the banks towards the Berrys or Nassau.  What started as “we’ll stay a week” quickly turned into two weeks in Bimini.  “We’re stuck in paradise!” became a common phrase on the docks.

Enjoy Where You Are

In many regards, the feeling of being “stuck” was real.  After checking in at Bimini, many cruisers, us included, yearned to get to the Exumas ASAP. It’s not always easy to pivot and embrace plan B, but let’s take a look around.  We are surrounded by tropical beauty and crystal clear waters of every hue of blue. There’s an excellent camaraderie among the cruisers here.  And there are plenty of ways we can explore and learn about Bimini’s culture, food, and history.  We are determined to enjoy our time here while waiting for the weather to improve.

Quality Days

As our friend Doug on Black River said “Having a quality day is more important than getting to a particular destination”. 

How do we fill our time with quality days vs. feeling frustrated with the weather?

We turned our focus onto what makes for an enjoyable vacation or adventure wherever we are; near home or traveling international.  For us, it is a combination of seeing new places, meeting people, and learning things, along with the simple, small pleasures of everyday life but in a new location. 

So, let’s get to know more about Bimini!  Bimini is made up of two small islands: South Bimini and, a three-minute ferry ride away, North Bimini.  Our marina, Bimini Sands Resort and Marina, was on South Bimini.  After spending time on both islands, we decided South Bimini was like being in the country and North Bimini was more like going to the city.  Especially if you happened to venture there on a day a cruise ship was in port!    

Ferry Ride

We made the ferry trip to North Bimini often.  Sometimes it was for an errand to get our phone plan set up, to purchase provisions, or go to the bank.  Other times we went “north” to see a tourist highlight or grab some local food. 

The ferry ride is a short 3-minute pontoon ride across the cut.  If there wasn’t such a strong current and lots of boat traffic, it would have been a nice swim across.  We enjoyed the quiet country walk from our marina to the ferry dock and meeting others while waiting for the ferry.  Some passengers were right off a plane and heading with their luggage to their home or lodging on North Bimini.  Others rode the ferry daily as they went to or from work.  And one South Bimini teen we saw often took the ferry to and from school.  What he shared with us about the Bahamian school system was impressive.  They emphasize parental involvement to boost students’ success at school.  I agree with that!

Cell Coverage

We thought we were all set to use our current T-Mobile plans. But it didn’t take long to realize the speed was way too slow to do anything.  For our first several days in Bimini, It was a process to figure out a solution for better cell to access weather, research things to do on the islands, or stay in touch with family back home.  First, we added a global plus plan to Tony’s phone with the idea to use his as a hotspot for our other devices.  We used up that data way too quickly not realizing there’s stuff going on in the background using up lots of our data.  Another cruiser showed me how to change settings on our phones and Ipads to not use so much data in the background.  It still wasn’t quite enough so we ended up purchasing an Aliv plan.  Good thing we had brought along an unlocked phone “just in case”.

Dolphin House

For a tourist highlight, we decided to visit the Dolphin House.   The builder Ashley Saunders was so warm and personable as he showed us and another cruising couple around his house. As we toured the Dolphin House, Saunders shared history and details about the art on the walls.  We never felt rushed.  There was so much to see in the details like license plates (we found MN) and phrases in many different languages. Saunder’s love for sea life and art is evident in every glance around the home.  The Dolphin House is made of natural and recycled materials: shells, beach glass, sea fans, and items found on the beach like a hammer, an old cell phone, and bottles.  He also receives many donated materials to use in his construction.  His project began in 1993 and reminds us of the power of perseverance in our dreams and projects.  We especially loved the view from the roof and his message of “hope” with a lighthouse.  Visiting the Dolphin House gave us a unique view of the history, art, and culture of Bahamian islands.  We highly recommend experiencing Ashley Saunder’s mosaic art at the Dolphin House if you visit Bimini. 

Local Food

We don’t eat out often.  When we do, we prefer local and casual.  Our first local food destination was to get some conch salad and Goombay punch.   You can’t get much fresher conch salad than the street stands in the Bahamas.  They prepare the ceviche-style conch salad with raw conch, diced onion, tomato, and green peppers right in front of you. 

To learn which casual dining restaurants to try, we often ask a local where they go for lunch.  “The food truck” was a common recommendation so a stop at the food truck was on our list.  It did not disappoint! 

We had pizza twice during our stay at Bimini at two different restaurants.  Both pizzas had the sweet Bahamian bread taste in the pizza crust.  Edith’s pizza was our favorite with outdoor picnic tables and a waterfront view.          

We like to walk and walk and walk when we explore a new place.  Our Keens serve us well both as a boat shoe and a walking shoe!

By the time we arrived at Nate’s bakery, we had worked up an appetite and decided to eat our cinnamon roll right there.  A log on the side of the road made a perfect picnic spot to enjoy our treat!

Bahamian Bank

Time for another errand. We wanted to make a quick stop at the bank to break large bills into smaller bills. We were learning that many local businesses couldn’t make change for a large bill.  At the bank, there were chairs set up across the street for customers to wait for their turn.  And some Bahamians were sitting on the edges of the bank entry steps.  We asked someone if there was a line or should we take a number or how does this work?  “You’re after the guy on the gulf cart over there” she said pointing down the street.  “And he’s after her” pointing to someone waiting in a chair.  We concluded it was an honor system and you need to be observant of who was there before you and who came after you.  Every now and then, the security guard would come out and yell “next” and someone would enter the bank.  It was all very orderly and two hours later, we were done at the bank.     

Memorable Dinghy Ride

If you have a fast dinghy, you can forego the ferry and take a dinghy ride to North Bimini.  Which is what our friends Doug and Amy on Black River offered to do with us.  Of course, we’d love to go! Never mind it is a very windy and wavy day.  The ride there was pleasant and dry.  We went to the northernmost tip of the island and saw the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini from the water.  Doug and Amy’s dog Crew eagerly kept watch on the bow.  It was like a ride at Disney World!  Speaking of water rides…the dinghy ride back to our marina was like being on a water park slide inside a wave pool.  We loved it!  Had it not been for Doug’s expert dinghy driving skills, it might not have worked out so well.  It was a wet and wild dinghy ride back to our marina.  Thanks Doug for keeping us safe while we were laughing and having a blast!  

South Bimini

We didn’t spend all our time in North Bimini.  We had plenty to do while on South Bimini as well.

Conch Castle

Jeff, Mel, and their daughter Ava on Caribbean Soul became fast friends during our two-week stay in Bimini.  Mel organized a group outing to snorkel at the southern end of the island near the abandoned resort.  Although the weather was too rough for snorkeling that day, many of our group joined Ava’s castle-building project.  They brought her supplies such as conch shells, a sea fan, and branches for her creation.  She made a lovely conch castle!   

Abandoned Resort

Exploring the abandoned resort was both interesting and sobering.  The pool was filled with leaves and coconuts.  Window glass was scattered around the interior of the vacant buildings.  But although the docks and beach umbrellas are deteriorating, they still prompted a vision of the warm, inviting oceanfront vacation spot this must have been back in the day.  One sailboat was tied up to the docks.  “They got a good rate for their slip” a cruiser joked.  Hope the dock stays in place during the upcoming storm.     

Braiding Hair

Who would guess that braiding hair might become part of our daily routine while in Bimini?  During one of our social times by the infinity pool, I offered to braid Ava’s long hair if she ever wanted a braid style.  Braiding hair is one way I can be creative.  I don’t draw or paint, but I can braid hair!  In the coming days, Ava gave me free rein with my braiding styles and seemed to like all of my creations.  It became an almost daily routine to see what type of braiding style I would come up with next!

After leaving Bimini, I missed our braiding routine.  But recently, when we visited them in Marquette, MI (their land home), Ava was kind to let me braid her hair again.  If you visit Marquette, check out Jeff and Mel’s sports store Down Wind Sports.

Just Float Films

Walking along the beach one day, I met a couple who were practicing with their underwater cameras.  When I asked more about their filming, they explained their next project for Just float films was about sharks.  The Bimini Biological Field Station “Shark Lab” was going to bring them to various locations to do some filming.  It was fun to see them come and go from the marina and know they were off to film sharks!  Sharks aren’t the only interesting animal they’ve filmed.  Manatees, polar bears, pika, and wolverines are also some of their topics.  We look forward to seeing their hammerhead shark film when it is completed!  

Lobster

Speaking of animals…One of our dock neighbors was a local fisherman.  It is commonplace for boaters to help one another with docking, especially when conditions are difficult.  So one afternoon when our neighbor was returning and had some engine difficulty, I ran over and yelled “throw me a line”.  That’s what boaters do, we help each other.  Later that evening, we heard a knock on our hull.  There was our neighbor holding out a bag of fresh lobster tails.  “This is for helping us dock earlier,” she said.  “That’s not necessary!” I replied.  She persisted “we have lobster all the time.  I thought this might be a treat for you”.  She got that right!  What a wonderful unexpected treat! 

Nature trail

To learn more about nature in Bimini, Tony & I took the self-guided hike on Bimini Nature Trail.  The signage along the trail provided information about the indigenous fauna and flowers of Bimini.  We took special note of the Poisonwood tree so that we could spot it on future hikes on other islands.  

Boats

The marina was bustling during these two weeks of adverse weather.  There were boats of all kinds; fishing boats, trawlers, monohull sailboats, and catamaran sailboats.   We weren’t familiar with Outremer catamaran and here were two Outremers docked next to one another.   Both with owners who became great friends.  Tony always enjoys a boat tour and the Outremer was fascinating to him.  He liked the big living surfaces, drop-down daggerboards in each hull, and the hull speed.  As for me, I was most impressed with the option of wheel and tiller steering.  Next boat?  It’s fun to dream, right?

During one of the nasty weather days, we saw two Bahamian boats help a cruiser that had lost engine power.  They towed him in even during high winds and big waves and got him safely tied up to a dock.  They might not have Towboat U.S. here, but they certainly know how to help a boater in need. 

Plenty of Silver Linings

There were plenty of silver linings from being “stuck” in Bimini for two weeks. 

We made close friendships with other cruisers.  These friendships carry on whether we are on the water together or when some of us return to “land life”.

By staying put for two weeks on our first island, it forced us to slow down our pace. That slower pace carried on throughout our Bahamas trip as we visited other islands.  Being in a hurry takes away some of the charm of visiting the Bahamas. 

And taking time to leisurely explore and learn about Bimini helped us develop an idea of what makes our visits to any port or island enjoyable.  We learned that going on any type of adventure, wherever we are, often makes for a “quality day” for us! Whether we hike around town, visit a museum, try some local food, or meet new friends, we find value in all of those activities. Even errands such as getting groceries or doing laundry often become a type of “adventure” when living on a sailboat.  And when you go about your day at a more leisurely pace, it often allows for more spontaneous conversations with others.  We met so many interesting people and learned new things!  We’re thankful we were “forced” to linger in Bimini! 

Please Share With Your Friends