Cruising Permit Rebate for 28th Annual Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament

ABACO, BAHAMAS, 3/2011- – Competitors for the 28th Annual Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament (TCBT) can save up to $300 with the first-ever offer of a Bahamas Cruising Permit rebate. Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina in Abaco, Bahamas will host the competition on June 12-17, 2011. The rebate can be redeemed through the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. An additional incentive has been offered for early entry registrations offering 3 day’s dockage or 3 night’s hotel room for signups prior to April 1, 2011. (Explorer Chartbooks)

Bahamas SIM Card Changes

There has been a change in the plan for the SIM card for the aircard or Blackberry.  The promotion (introductory offer to get people to put data capability on their Blackberry) which gave the first 2 months for $50.00 and the following months for $40.00/mo is over.  This promotion did not require an annual contract and was actually for Blackberries only, even though some people got the SIM installed in an aircard for a few months.  BTC treated it as a prepaid card, so as long as one had money in a SIM card account; Batelco just deducted the cost monthly.  Now, there are no prepaid Data SIM cards.   Everything going forward will be annual contracts.

Boat US iPhone & Driod App

BoatUS announced last week that they came out with a new smart phone app for boaters.  


It has the ability to: 

• Text or Email your boat’s location to other boaters.
• Share your raft up anchorage or favorite fishing hole. 
• Show your boat’s near shore location on Google Maps.
• Displays your Latitude & Longitude (even out of cell range).
• Call for a tow and BoatUS will know where you are.
• Access 25 BoatUS Services for your boat’s tool bag.
• Get the hottest boating news from BoatUS Press Room.

Proposed Customs Office in Stuart, FL.

The Economic Council of Martin County has produced a report in conjunction with aviation and marine organizations to demonstrate the need for a local customs office in Stuart,FL.

As of now, boaters and pilots have to Clear Customs in either Ft. Pierce or West Palm Beach.

Shoaling in Bimini Channel

The entrance channel at North Bimini is shallower than charted on Chart BIM 3, p. 54 of Explorer Chartbook Near Bahamas, 5^th edition. A January 3, 2011, survey by the Explorer Team found the controlling depth to be 1.7 meters (5 2/3 feet) in the area of 25° 42.70’ N by 79° 18.25’ W. There was a little deeper water east of the dashed track. The sandbar west of this position has encroached on the entrance channel. Two larger buoys (red and green) are easily seen from well offshore, plus one smaller green buoy closer in to shore. The large red buoy is almost directly on the Explorer waypoint, so caution should be taken in approaching the waypoint. Channel buoys here have been unreliable in the past and the sand here is fluid and continually shifts. (Explorer Chartbooks)