THE BIMINI ISLANDS
Bimini is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Bahamas”: it is the closest point of the Bahamas to the US mainland, just 49 miles due east of Miami. It has two main islands, North and South Bimini, a few rocky cays and a massive area of sand flats used by sports fisherman hunting bonefish. Anglers coming to Bimini are able to take part in several fishing competitions during the year with deep water catches of Barracuda, Tuna, Wahoo, Sailfish and Marlin a specialty.
Bimini is rich in legends, notably that it is the supposed location of the mythical Fountain of youth, which Ponce de Leon sought here. More fantastically it is also claimed
To be the location of the lost city Atlantis a theory supported by the discovery in 1968 of the Bimini road, a huge formation of column like limestone blocks at a constant depth 20ft which are clearly visible from the air. Certain similarities to ancient Greek constructions, as in perfectly cut parallel square grooves in one of the underwater piers, have given rise to speculation that the road was built by an ancient civilization.
The Bimini had their heyday during US Prohibition, when the islands became legendary for running rum to the Florida mainland; the wreck of Sapona on the Turtle Rocks is testimony to this trade. The writer Ernest Hemingway also popularized the islands, where he found inspiration in the islands to write his Nobel Prize acceptance speech and fished regularly with the famous local bone fisherman Ansil Saunders. He told him, I feel I can reach up and touch the face of God in this peaceful Place.
THE DIVING
Much of the diving here is done around the shallow inshore reefs and cays, which are home to some of the largest schools of fish to be found in the Bahamas, with sightings on every dive of reef sharks, nurse sharks and barracuda. Bimini Undersea also offer two other exhilarating underwater experiences: the first is to dive in the strong north-running Gulf Stream off the edge of the continental shelf by hanging onto a vertical, buoyed shot line which drops 150ft into the blue; the other is to snorkel with a pod of wild spotted dolphins at a location several miles to the northeast of Bimini.
All of the Bimini dive sites have permanent moorings buoys attached which have been paid for and placed by Bill and Knowdla Keefe’s Bimini Undersea. Donations towards
the upkeep of these buoys and lines are welcomed.
