Coco Cay to Alice Town, North Bimini

Big Game Club Resort & Marina, Alice Town, North Bimini, Bimini Islands

May 8, 2024

Dear Family & Friends:

We left Coco Cay at 7 am on May 6 and began the 70-mile crossing to North Bimini in the Bimini Islands. The trip took 10 hours. The winds were not favorable to the use of sails, so we moved under the power of Living Right’s twin Yanmar 57 HP engines. We set anchor just offshore on the east side of Bimini Island. On May 7, we moved to the west side of the island and entered the Big Game Club Resort & Marina, where we had reserved a slip at the dock for Living Right. The 10 mile trip took two hours. The Resort and Alice Town gave us access to all the necessary amenities, including restaurants, markets, laundry, water and trash removal. We stayed at the Resort on May 7 & 8. The Resort’s claim to fame is that it was one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite places of lodging during his fishing trips to the Bahamas.

Bimini comprises a chain of islands located about 50 miles due east of Miami. Bimini is the closest point in the Bahamas to mainland USA. Bimini’s largest islands are North Bimini, South Bimini and East Bimini. We were anchored at North Bimini which is about 7 miles long and 700 feet wide. North Bimini is home to Alice Town, the capital of North Bimini. Bimini claims that it is the sport fishing capital of the world. From the King’s Highway, which runs north and south, the entire length of North Bimini, we could see the ocean on both sides of the island. On May 8, we walked several miles north along King’s Highway. The houses along the road were cheerfully colorful (pink, red, green, orange and yellow), but many of them were abandoned or in a state of disrepair. Many of the houses, or portions of the frontage of the houses, had been converted to makeshift storefronts, selling food, liquor, clothes and souvenirs. All of the locals we met were friendly and welcoming.

The King’s Highway was crowded with cars, golf carts, motorbikes and people. As we proceeded further north, the lots became larger and the houses more modern and attractive. Eventually, we reached Fisherman’s Village, which is where the cruise ships dock and passengers disembark and support the local economy. Not far from Fisherman’s Village is the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini, which is an enormous signature Hilton Hotels resort. The resort is home to many high end homes and condominiums.

After our walk on King’s Highway, we spent several hours cleaning Living Right from stem to stern. What a beautiful home this has been for the last two weeks! After cleanup, we swam in the saltwater pool at Big Game Club Resort & Marina. Pizza was our dinner.

Tomorrow morning, we raise the sails and head for Miami.