BOO HISS!!!! (I THINK 😉)

So Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages cruise line is now making a stop in Bimini…BOO HISS!!!!  We were told by Fabriese at Stuart’s that they pull in, they have their own private beach (Bimini Beach Club) for their passengers, and they tell their passengers to NOT go to the “real” Bimini because it is dangerous.  Seriously????  They want to keep all of the money at their beach club, the casino, restaurants, and bars.  I did investigate their itinerary and it looks like they offer a “historical tram” tour of Bimini.  I saw one tram the day the ship was here.  Fabriese also said that Carnival makes a stop in Bimini now and dumps out 3000 passengers on the island.  They rent golf carts and run all over the island so at least they spread their money around.  Carnival is due to come today so I will have an opinion about that after today 😬 

Covid took a hard hit on the Bahamas and the economy.  The Bahamas were in total lock down for months.  A health visa is still required to enter.  One of the requirements is a negative Covid test within 3 days of entry making it difficult if not daunting.  Masks are still required on the island but hardly anyone wears them including the residents. There are places that do require you have one to enter so we are carrying masks in our backpacks just in case.   So obviously I have mixed emotions about cruise ships in Bimini.  I think the local economy could sure use the money post Covid albeit Virgin Voyages doesn’t contribute to the local economy.   But, I hate to see 3000 people on the Carnival ship dumped on the island for the day.  

The “real” Bimini is what has always appealed to us…the people, the culture, the crystal clear turquoise water (as you know my favorite color 😬) and of course the fishing.   I am so afraid cruise ships will spoil that.  Maybe I was just born 50 years too late.  Ernest Hemingway spent 3 summers here in the 30’s.  He stayed at the Compleat Angler.  Our first trip to Bimini was in June of 2006 and the Compleat Angler burned in December of 2005 so we never got to sit at that bar where Hemingway sat so many years ago. 

  Bimini, “An Island In The Stream” would surely have been an unspoiled wilderness and a site to see 😎

Catch you on the flip flop…

CJM