11/2/09

Bimini Sands Halloween Party!!!


The Bimini Sands Resort & Marina is always trying to give back to community of Bimini, and especially to the children of this beautiful island. From our free Kid's Club activities for local children, to our Recreation Staff giving lectures and presentations in Bimini's classrooms, we're always looking for fun things that can involve the youth of Bimini. Our annual Halloween party is one of our favorite things though.

Hosted at the Bimini Sands Beach Club, we offer the best children's Halloween on the island. And this years Halloween party was our biggest ever!

Over 150 local children showed up this year to join us in the fun, with scavenger hunts, pumpkin decorating, costume contests and the scariest Haunted House in the Bahamas keeping everyone entertained, and sometimes even frightened. And did we mention the candy? In addition to all the other free fun-and-games, the Bimini Sands team made sure every kid in attendance got their fill of free Halloween candy.

Thank You to everyone who helped out with the party this year, and we're already thinking of ways to make next year's Halloween Party even better!!!

Bimini Sands Shark Free Marina Video

A few months back the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina signed on as the first "Shark Free Marina" in the world, and now the initiative to 'reduce worldwide shark mortality" has taken off to include more than 30 marinas in 4 different countries.

Our friends at OceanicAllstars.com recently posted a video further describing the efforts that Bimini Sands and the Shark-Free Marinas initiative are encouraging. Check out the video below for more information on this important effort, and check out the Bimini Sands YouTube Channel for more videos about the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina.


10/8/09

Bimini to be Featured on Sci-Fi Channel

Next Wednesday, October 14, the Sci-Fi Channel's hit show "Destination Truth" will air an episode filmed around the islands of Bimini.

The show's host, Joshua Gates, and his crew visited Bimini Sands a few months back and scoured the island and surrounding waters to investigate the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. Check out the Destination Truth website for more info, and tune in next Wednesday to see what they discovered!

UPDATE: Check out this great article from the Bahamas Weekly about the Destination Truth crew's visit to Bimini. Click Here!

9/15/09

"The Best Boat Ride Ever"



The Bimini Sands Recreation & Activity Department offers tons of opportunities for fun and adventure around Bimini. Whether it's our Shark Encounters, snorkeling trips, Bimini Nature Trail tours, kayaking expeditions, island tours or other possibilities, we've got something for everyone to enjoy.

For the younger adventure seekers, we even offer Kid's Club activities that both local Bahamian children and visiting guests can experience. This past weekend, our Kid's Club group took part in what can only fairly be described as "the best boat ride ever."

A group of about 15 children boarded the Bimini Sands pontoon tour boat for a fun and informative island tour with our Recreation Department staff. The children get to learn all about the history and environment of Bimini as we cruise around the islands, and there's always the possibility for exciting wildlife sightings... And there was plenty to see on this trip.

Anxious to see some animals, the group saw everything they could have asked for including sea turtles, stingrays, blacktip sharks, spotted eagle rays, a tiger shark and even a pod of bottlenose dolphins.

No matter what your age is, next time you're on Bimini make sure you check out all the possibilities this island has to offer at the Bimini Sands Recreation and Activity Center.

9/7/09

Bimini Sands New Year's Special!!!



With Labor Day Weekend coming to an end, Bimini's busy summer boating season is winding down. But that doesn't mean that you can't start planning your next visit to Bimini Sands today.

While the summer weather makes the boating and fishing fantastic around Bimini, this little island offers big fun all year round. Whether you're looking for an adventurous getaway or a relaxing vacation, Bimini Sands has everything you need to make your visit to the Bahamas a wonderful and unforgettable experience. And with our great New Year's Special Offer, your trip to paradise is more accessible than ever.

For just $95/night*, Bimini Sands is offering up a luxurious condo rental, complimentary breakfast, New Year's Eve dinner, snorkeling trip and the best fireworks show in the Bahamas. And, kids under 12 years old stay free with each paying adult.

For more information about making reservations for New Year's, or any other time, check out www.BiminiSands.com

*Price is based on double occupancy and a minimum 3 nights stay

9/1/09

Sea Turtles Now Fully Protected in the Bahamas



Starting today, September 1 2009, all sea turtles in the Bahamas are now fully protected by law.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources has amended the Fisheries Regulations to "prohibit the harvesting, possession, purchasing and sale of marine turtles, inclusive of their parts and eggs."

All seven species of sea turtles that exist today are listed as "endangered", and five of those seven species are found throughout the Bahamas. The sea turtles that are found in the Bahamas are the Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill, Leatherback, and Olive Ridley.

Both Loggerheads and Hawksbill turtles even use the western beaches of Bimini for nesting.

In passing this amendment, the Bahamas has taken a significant step forward in promoting marine conservation and we applaud all who were involved in this effort.

8/26/09

Miss Universe Contestants at the Bimini Sands Beach Club & Mackey's Sand Bar



Check out the video above to see the beautiful ladies of the 2009 Miss Universe pageant having a blast at the Bimini Sands Beach Club Restaurant and Mackey's Sand Bar!!!

And for more great videos, check out the Bimini Sands YouTube Channel by clicking here.

8/9/09

Miss Universe Contestants Visit Bimini Sands
















The islands of Bimini got even prettier this past Saturday, August 8th, when 20 contestants from this year's Miss Universe competition paid us a visit for the day.

















The Miss Universe pageant is being held on Paradise Island, Bahamas this year and as a special treat for the contestants they broke into smaller groups to visit a few selected "Out Islands" for the day. And while we're sure all the contestants would have loved to visit Bimini, we were happy to welcome the contestants from Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Great Britain, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden.

Not only did the girls get to see the islands aboard the Bimini Sands "Party Bus" and our comfortable pontoon tour boat, but they also spent the end of their day the same way every day should end around Bimini, and that's relaxing at the Bimini Beach Club and Mackey's Sand Bar on South Bimini.
















Good luck to all the contestants! And for more information on the Miss Universe pageant or any of the contestants, check out www.missuniverse.com

7/2/09

Independence Day Celebration at Bimini Sands!!!

Bimini Sands is set for a spectacular 4th of July Celebration on South Bimini!

Bring the whole family, and join us for this exciting weekend full of fun and sun!

Bimini Sands always offers the best accommodations, the best restaurants and the best activities on the island, but this weekend we also offer the best FIREWORKS display on all of Bimini.

Check out the video below for a sample of last years fireworks display, and we hope to see you this weekend!



5/21/09

Memorial Day Weekend is Here!!!

After finishing up a busy winter season here at the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, we're now gearing up for the official start of Bimini's busy summer boating season, and we couldn't be more excited about it!


All year round, Bimini Sands offers the best facilities and amenities on the island. Our marina is the most sheltered marina on the island, and our floating docks make docking as simple as can be. We've got 3 restaurants and 2 bars on our properties, including the Beach Club Restaurant and Mackey's Sand Bar. Our condos offer luxurious lodging with the best views of Bimini's legendary beaches and dazzling waters. And Bimini Sands also has the quickest access to Bimini's fishing and diving destinations.

But that's just the start...

Starting this weekend, our Recreation & Activities team will be offering weekly Shark Encounters, Snorkeling Trips, Kid's Club activities, Sunset Island Tours, Free Family Movies on the Beach, Banana Boat Rides, and much, much more! We've even got the Bimini Stompers, Bimini's premiere Junkanoo ensemble, performing right on our property every week!

Make sure to check out our website often to book your room, dockage, or space on our exciting activities... We look forward to seeing you soon!

Shark Free Marinas & Baby Sharks on National Geographic

In January of 2009, Bimini Sands became the first official Shark Free Marina in the Bahamas. In an effort to help keep the oceans clean and fish stocks thriving, we're asking that our guests strictly practice "Catch & Release" with all sharks hooked around Bimini. Our Recreation & Activities Directors, Grant & Katie, are actually former shark researchers and are always willing to discuss the importance of sharks to the Bahamas, and the oceans as a whole.

Now, after just a few short months, the Shark Free Marinas Initiative is steadily gaining momentum!

More and more marinas around the Bahamas are signing on every week, and the initiative is even spilling over to other countries around the globe.

Check our the new Shark Free Marinas website here, and click the video below for more info on this important effort.




And in other Shark News, Bimini Sands was recently listed at the end of an exciting episode of the National Geographic Channel's hit show "In the Womb." The crew from Nat Geo came to Bimini last year to work with Bimini's famous lemon shark population, and like many other production companies, they chose Bimini Sands Resort & Marina for their accomodations. Click here for more info on the show.

4/24/09

Actress January Jones is Scared FOR Sharks


Ocean conservation group Oceana is starting to roll-out a new series of public-service-announcements, both print and video, to highlight the plight of the world's sharks. And if you're looking for information on sharks, what better place to come than Bimini?

A few months back, the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina welcomed actress January Jones and Oceana to the island for work on their upcoming video PSA's. January came to Bimini to work with the Bimini Biological Field Station in the hopes of getting some more hands-on experience with sharks. Now she's taken what she learned here, and is helping get that information to the public.

Check out the latest news from January Jones' work with Ocean here.

And check out the photo (above) of January Jones discussing sharks with Bimini Sands' Recreation directors Katie and Grant.


4/21/09

Broadcasting From Bimini Sands

Bimini Sands has hosted numerous film teams and production crews over the years, and most recently we welcomed the Bahamas' own ZNS Network for two days of live broadcasting from the resort.

In addition to broadcasting their regular evening news show, ZNS interviewed Bimini Sands owner Frank Cooney, facilities manager Emil Potier, and office manager Viveca Lubin.

The ZNS team and their viewers were also treated to a special visit from the Bimini Stompers, Bimini's homecoming Junkanoo ensemble. Check out the ZNS website for more info: http://www.znsbahamas.com/

4/6/09

Bimini Sands & Coastal Awareness Month

April is Coastal Awareness Month in the Bahamas. Every year during April, the Ministry of Tourism helps organize events and clean-up campaigns around the islands, in addition to making an extra effort to educate both locals and visitors about the importance of the Bahamian environment. This year, the team from Bimini Sands was asked to help out.


During the first week of April, a team from the Bimini Sands Recreation & Activity Center teamed up with the SharkLab to give a series of presentations and lectures at all three of the schools on North Bimini. First was the Holy Name Catholic School, followed by two separate presentations at the Bimini All Ages School, and finally the Gateway Christian Academy.

The goal of these presentations was not only to provide information to the students, but also to motivate them to join us in the Beach Clean-Up on April 4. And it seemed to have worked. Both North and South Bimini had great turn-outs for the Beach Clean-Up, and after a few hours of hard work we were able to remove several hundred pounds of trash and debris from Bimini's western beaches.


So far, Coastal Awareness Month has been a great success, and we've still got 3 weeks left to go!



3/28/09

Bimini Nature Trail on ESPN2



The Bimini Nature Trail was recently featured on ESPN2's hit show "George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing." Check out the clip above.

For more information about the show, check out http://www.georgepoveromo.com/

And for more exciting videos featuring the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, check out our page on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/BiminiSands

Beach Clean Up - April 4, 2009


April is Coastal Awareness month, and next Saturday Bimini is organizing an island-wide Beach Clean Up. A crew from Bimini Sands is helping organize the effort on South Bimini, while groups from various churches, schools, local businesses and others tackle the beaches on North Bimini. While there have been other clean-up efforts organized around Bimini in the past, this looks to be the biggest one yet!

Do you ever wonder what happens to that soda can that blows off your boat? Have you ever wondered what happens to your fishing line when its left tangled in the bottom? Or have you ever considered where the helium ballons let go at birthday parties end up?

Not surprisingly, they don't just disappear.

Soda cans can take up to 200 years to break down, and fishing line lasts much longer at upwards of 600 years. If no one picks it up, it stays there to pollute the ocean and destroy sea life for decades and decades. And those balloons let go into the sky?... Most of them land in the ocean where they often kill birds and turtles who mistakenly eat them, or they wash up on beaches miles away from where they were released.

The theme of this years Coastal Awareness Month is "I Care...Do You?" It's a question we should all ask ourselves not just this month, but all year. If we want the oceans to remain healthy, and the beaches to remain clean, we have to put some work into it. Bimini Sands is joining the effort next Saturday, and if you're around the island, feel free to join us for this important campaign.

3/23/09

"A Night of Laughter"

Last night, Sunday March 22, the Bimini Beach Club hosted a fantastic fund-raising comedy event to benefit Bimini's 1st Annual Homecoming celebration. Performers from around the Bahamas treated the capacity crowd to a night of laughter and helped make the fundraiser a success.


The Bimini Beach Club was packed with Biminites and tourists enjoying hilarious and entertaining performances from David Wallace (standing center in photo above), Wil Stubbs, Mavis Ellis-Saunders, and students from Bimini's Holy Name Catholic School.

The proceeds from last nights comedy show will go towards making Bimini's 1st Annual Homecoming an exciting new addition to the island's schedule of events. Make sure you're on Bimini April 10-11, 2009. Better yet, book your room or slip with Bimini Sands today!


2/20/09

Filming with Bimini Sands

As more and more people learn about all of the things that Bimini has to offer, more and more production teams are choosing Bimini Sands as their resort of choice during their time on the islands. Over the last several months, Bimini Sands has hosted an increasing number of video production teams and been featured in various film shoots.

Our most recent television appearance was on George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing on ESPN2. George has made many visits to Bimini Sands over the years, drawn by our comfortable accommodations, fantastic amenities, and the quickest access to Bimini's legendary fishing grounds.

Earlier this month, we hosted the ocean conservation organization Oceana while they filmed a public-service-announcement with celebrity spokesperson January Jones. January has teamed up with Oceana to help educate the public on the plight of the world's sharks. Click here to see January talking about her visit to Bimini in People magazine. All images from the shoot are being held until the PSA is released, so check back to the Bimini Sands Blog for upcoming info on this exciting and educational video.

And most recently, Bimini Sands just bid farewell to the crew from the Sci-Fi Channel's hit show Destination Truth. Host Joshua Gates and his team spent 4 days on Bimini interviewing locals and investigating the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. Click here for more information about Destination Truth, and stay tuned to the Bimini Sands Blog for more information about when Bimini's episode with air.

2/4/09

Valentine's Day Special


Enjoy Valentine's Weekend at Bimini Sands in the Bahamas. Special package includes romantic dinner for two on Valentine's night, Sunset Island Boat Tour and complimentary breakfast each morning.

Package is just $199 per couple per night with a two night minimum stay. For more information, please call (242) 347-3500 or email katie@biminisands.com


Offer valid from 2/12/09 to 2/16/09. Package based on limited availability and cannot be combined with any other offer. Rates based on double occupancy with minimum two night stay. Airfare, taxes, gratuities and ground transportation not included. Kids under 12 stay free with paying parent.

In the event of bad weather, Nature Trail Tour will be substituted for Sunset Island Boat Tour.

1/27/09

Bimini's Manatee is Heading Home



Vacation time has finally come to an end for a large manatee that has spent the last several weeks around Bimini. First spotted back in November, this large male has been quite a spectacular site for people to see. Unfortunately, Bimini is not considered suitable habitat for manatees, so a decision was made to return this gentle sea cow back home.

Together a team from the Bahamas Department of Marine Resources, US Fish & Wildlife, the Miami SeaQuarium, the US Coast Guard, U.S. Geological Survey & the Dolphin Communication Project developed a plan to capture the manatee and return it to Florida for further evaluation.

Once in Florida, the team will be able to genetically test the manatee to determine exactly where it came from, and as long as it’s healthy, return it home.

Crew from Bimini Sands, Bimini Undersea, the Sharklab and even a passing fishing boat also joined the effort to safely capture and transport the manatee last Saturday. In fact, the manatee was found and captured right off the beach in front of Bimini Sands.

Further updates can be found on the Dolphin Communication Project website by clicking here.


1/17/09

Bimini Marine Protected Area Declared

A few years back, Bimini was proposed as the highest-priority site in all of the Bahamas for a Marine Protected Area, and last night a team of esteemed dignitaries from Nassau visited North Bimini to declare that the MPA had officially been designated.

By establishing Bimini's MPA, the government of the Bahamas has taken a bold and highly encouraging step towards building a sustainable future for the islands of Bimini, and well beyond. As the only marine nursery habitat on the western Great Bahama Bank, Bimini's mangrove nurseries replenish thousands of square miles of the ocean. By securing this MPA, Bimini's marine ecosystem will forever have a foundation to grow from.

The benefits from Bimini's MPA should be widespread and long-lasting, hopefully including a sustained sport-fishing and eco-tourism industry, as well as sustenance for local Biminites and habitat for a wealth of native wildlife.

Check back to the Bimini Sands Blog for more developing information about this exciting news...

1/11/09

Bimini Sands is now a "Shark Free Marina"

Bimini Sands is excited to announce that we are officially the first marina in the Bahamas to join the Shark Free Marinas Initiative. The purpose of the initiative is to educate the public about the importance of sharks in our marine eco-systems and promote 'Catch & Release' practices to our guests.

We feel that the harvesting of sharks for photo images or souvenir jaws is not in the best interests of the Bahamian people or Bahamian tourism. By asking vessels not to arrive at our facilities with sharks, we hope to encourage responsible sport fishing, thereby ensuring a lasting and healthy population of sharks in Bahamian waters for future generations and contributing to the overall health of the Caribbean.

The decision to support this initiative is not based on sensationalistic media reports, but rather the best available science that proves that sharks play a critical role in balancing the health of the ocean and, in fact, pose very little threat to people.

Bimini Sands asks for your support in ensuring that the waters of the Bahamas stay healthy, clean & teeming with fish for generations to come.

For more information about the Shark Free Marinas Initiative, contact Grant Johnson at grant@biminisands.com or Patric Douglas at sharkcrew@gmail.com

1/4/09

Bimini Sands Featured on Upcoming ESPN2 Show!


The Bimini Sands Resort & Marina will be featured on an upcoming episode of ESPN2's hit show, George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing.


George and his crew have visited Bimini many times, drawn by the fantastic fishing and excellent accomodations. When talking about Bimini Sands, George recently noted, "Bimini Sands Resort & Marina is the place to be when visiting Bimini. The facility has everything from upscale accomodations to eco-tours."


The upcoming episode will feature George and contest winner from Idaho, whose prize was an exciting fishing trip with George Poveromo and a stay at Bimini Sands.


The show is set to air at 7:30 am (EST) on February 8, 2009 with a repeat showing at 6:30 am (EST) on Valentine's Day.


Be sure to watch, and for more info about the show Click Here!

12/30/08

Happy New Year !!!

Happy New Year from the Bimini Sands Resort!

We've got a great holiday schedule lined up for this week including a free family movie by the pool, snorkeling trips, fantastic food and drink specials, and the best fireworks show on Bimini!

It all starts Wednesday night at the Bimini Beach Club on South Bimini.

The Beach Club is offering a terrific dinner special, as well as tons of fun for the whole family to enjoy. We'll have Live Entertainment all night, a bonfire on the beach, champagne & beer specials, party favors, and of course, the amazing fireworks show.

Thursday night we'll be showing a free family movie poolside on our 12 ft movie screen, don't miss it!

And Saturday, we'll be heading out on the water for one of our exciting snorkeling excursions!

To get a taste of what to expect on New Year's Eve, check out the video below to see our 4th of July fireworks display... And have a great 2009!

Happy New Year!!!

12/5/08

Manatee In Bimini

For over a week now, a large manatee has been seen slowly patrolling the shallow waters around Bimini. First sighted near Radio Beach on North Bimini, the manatee has been making regular swims up into the Alice Town harbour, hanging out under the docks and creating quite a sight for both locals and visitors.

While manatees are not found in large populations in the Bahamas, there are some islands that report regular sightings of these gentle marine mammals. By most people's accounts, the last time a manatee was seen in Bimini was over a decade ago.

A team of workers from the Miami Seaquarium is already on site, trying to assess the health of the manatee and determine if it should be relocated to Florida. So far, the manatee looks healthy and is behaving fine.

For more information on manatees, click here.

12/1/08

13th Annual Cacique Award Finalists


We are honored to announce that the Bimini Sands has been named as a finalist in this years 13th annual Cacique Awards.

The Cacique Awards are presented by the Ministry of Tourism each year to recognize those who "are exemplary in their field of work as it relates to tourism." This year, the Bimini Sands Recreation & Activity Center has been named one of the top finalists in the "Sustainable Tourism" category for their work developing the Bimini Nature Trail and other eco-tourism opportunities around Bimini.

For more information on this years Cacique Awards finalists, click here.

The award ceremony will take place on January 30, 2009, so check back soon to the Bimini Sands Blog for more information on this exciting news!!!



11/24/08

ESPN2 at Bimini Sands


George Poveromo, from ESPN2's hit show "George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing" recently made another trip to the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina to film for an upcoming episode.

George and his crew have made several trips to Bimini in that past, drawn by the legendary fishing and fantastic accommodations. George Poveromo recently noted that, "Bimini Sands Resort & Marina is the place to be when visiting Bimini. The facility has everything from upscale accommodations to eco-tours."

During his last visit, George stayed with us while filming his "Bimini Shootout" episode. Stay tuned to the Bimini Sands website, and George Poveromo's website (www.georgepoveromo.com) for more information on the upcoming Bimini show.

Bimini Guide Book Now Online - Free


The VantagePoint Guide to Bimini, which has been popular with visitors, has been put online by its author. You can view the entire book for free - just visit the site below.


It's a great resource on Bimini.

Shark Feeding



Check out our Shark Adventure on YouTube. For more information, please contact the Activities Center at Bimini Sands (242) 347-3500. Just ask for Grant or Katie.

New Year's Getaway Special


Come celebrate New Year's at Bimini Sands. We are offering special New Year's packages starting at just $95/night. Ring in the New Year on the island of Bimini.

For more infomation, click here.

Hope to see you soon!