Hi Girls & Guys,
Bimini Island is unique in the Bahamian chain of islands, with a mixture of fishermen, rum runners, pot smugglers and tourists. Ernest Hemingway lived here, wrote books here and fished here. The museum in Alice Town has a section on Hemingway's exploits on the island, along with stories of his life on island. Sport fishing was one of his favorite pastimes and Bimini is a world class sport fishing paradise.
Bimini Island is 60 nautical miles from Florida just a hop, skip and a jump. This makes it a great jumping off point for today's human smugglers. My first visit to this tiny island was in 1977 as Master of the M/V MUSCAVADO. Her home port was in the British West Indies. Originally built for the British Coast Guard, her hull was double diagonal planked with teak and her decks were teak. She was  converted to a yacht at Trumpy Yachts in Baltimore for a well to do Englishman. He used her to smuggle cannabis. He hired me to smuggle cannabis into the United States from Columbia. If it was anything but cannabis I would have  refused the job. I have never looked at cannabis as a drug simply because God does not make drugs, only man is capable of making drugs. In the enlightened twentieth century, pot has been found to cure many human ailments.
On a bright sunny day in June, 1977, MUSCAVADO was loaded loaded with five ton of cannabis anchored off North Riding Rock waiting for the off- loaders to come over from the states. Back in the day, this was the offloading point for big boats coming up from Columbia. The big boats would anchor off North Riding Rock located at the then vacant northern end of the island. They would wait for the off-loaders to come in their cigarette and cigar boats loaded with money. They would give us the money, load our cannabis and speed off to the Florida market. The Bahamian government could care less about your pot habits. They wanted your money. Once the mission was accomplished, it was six nautical miles to Alice Town. The smugglers were flush with money & time. Now it was time to party, relax and enjoy the quiet laid back island life until the next mission. That day In June of 1977, we had waited for six long days for the off loaders to arrive. Our generators were running out of fuel, the main engines were on fumes. The last fuel we took on board was off the coast of Columbia, delivered at night by fishermen in dugout canoes with 55 gallon drums standing up from stem to stern. They transferred thousand of gallons using nothing but hand pumps. The dugout canoes had make & break Briggs & Stratton gasoline engines, which meant they had no transmission and would have to stop the engine and restart it in reverse. We could hear the put, put, put of their approaching canoes, then would come the gentle "bump in the night" upon their arrival. During the day the DEA was flying piper cub aircraft overhead documenting the boats assembled along the coast. (Your tax dollars at work!) During our two-week stay off the coast of Columbia, these fishermen by day, spent their nights loading pot on one side of the M/V MUSCAVADO and fuel on the other. All this was done by hand at night. At any one time there were about twenty ships within sight of us lying on their anchors waiting for the sun to set. They were loading everything from coffee, sugar to mary-juana. The Columbians hate paying export duties on anything they produce. There was never any money changed hands in Columbia. The deal was the pot was owned three ways, 1/3 for the Columbian supplier, 1/3 for the boat owner and 1/3 for the warehouse operation. The Columbian would pick up his share in product once it was safely in the states at the warehouse. There is no market for pot in Columbia.
When the offloading boat was a no- show I called the boat owner, in Florida. The MUSCAVADO was documented in the British West Indies and he assured me the Customs people would not board us or bother us. When the owner arrived by small plane in Alice Town, he asked me if I could bring the boat to New England. I assured him I could and gave him a contact for off-loading and warehousing. We took on 4000 gallons of fuel and then it was party time for us in Alice Town. Albeit it would be a short party as we still had a mission to accomplish. The streets of Alice Town were paved with smugglers, money and bars. No credit cards, Â just cash brought over by the off-loaders. After six weeks going and coming from Columbia we needed some stress relief. We were disappointed that this was not a payday for us but he gave us a fistfull of money to party and look for charts. This was not mission accomplished. We still had a long journey of well over a thousand miles to home, always in danger of being arrested and thrown in jail for thirty years. We spent all the money partying & looking for charts. No charts of New England were found but we did pick up an adventurous young lady, named Michelle to cook for us on the passage north. It would be up to me to bring MUSCAVADO to Buzzards Bay using only a loran (C) and my memory. None of the crewmen had ever seen the green water of New England.
Today, North Riding Rock is built up with timeshares, tee shirt shops and swimming pools. This once deserted part of the island is the landing port for cruise ships and the daily tourist boats coming from Miami. There are no cars on Bimini, only golf carts and bicycles. Unfortunately, the tourists are never encouraged to venture south to explore the real Bahamian culture.
When I radioed Weech's Dock in Alice Town, a familiar voice gave me my dock assignment. When I approached the pier I had expected to see Hank Weech standing there to catch my lines but no it was Owen of the S/V KOKOPELLIE. I had met Owen & his wife Sandie in Marathon, FL (Boot Key) a year or so ago! I ran into them again in Alice Town last year and now here he is catching lines for the TERN!
I love the people of this tiny island on the southwest corner of the famed Devils Triangle. The people here are poor and rich at the same time. In the harbor, the water is clean, clear and loaded with fish of all types. The conchs are plentiful, drinks and food are cheap. Imagine sitting on a beautiful deserted white sand beach eating a whole fish while watching the sun set over the Gulf Stream as it rushes by at four knots.The tourist industry is only the frosting on the cake for the natives. They get to live an idyllic life daily. There are no factories, highways or cars, just the mail boat once a week and small planes carrying tourists. Here, if you don't have a drum for the Junkanoo Band, you can make one from a cardboard barrel. The cardboard drums have a unique sound that is far better than a store bought one. The only way you would believe how good these kids sound is to go to Alice Town and listen! These people know how to get along with little to nothing and enjoy every minute of it! Â That old saying goes "Life is What You Make it".
The island was busy with the arrival of families coming home for the Easter weekend. This year, a Junkanoo band performance on Saturday and a pig roast on Sunday were the highlights of the weekend. A Junkanoo performance is street music with a little jazz thrown in. The pics are from sat. afternoon rehearsal. On Friday night the party begins with lobster, conch and all kinds of fish. We came in a week before Easter to rest and relax before the culture shock of returning to the USA with its polluted water and hectic lifestyle. The Bahamian people are very religious and take Easter very seriously in their fashion with a big Block Party all weekend reminiscent of the partying 70’s with wine, women, song and all God given herbs.
Easter Sunday starts with sunrise services. When they were finished were finished the Tern and I set sail bound for the USA, adhering to the age old adage "Sunday Sail, Never Fail". The sail to Manatee Pocket in Port Salerno, Florida was an exceptional day sail. Upon arrival we were faced with no more swimming, snorkeling, or fishing. Now the projects would begin at Ken Ziegler's house in Manatee Pocket. Winter is over. From here on out, it would be dirty air, dirty water, dirty work painting and varnishing until departing for the clean waters of the Great Salt Pond on Block Island RI. Â Stay tuned for our projects with Ken! Hope you enjoy the gallery?
Ciao! For now,
Mike
