Norman’s Cay Exumas customs

Just spent a month plus there. Was very impressed.

My new recommendation is to clear through Chub. Airport and club "membership" hassle aside, the airport team is genuinely friendly and easy going. Splits the difference in travel quite nicely. Easy run to Exuma from there...we left in the afternoon from Ft Pierce Inlet and ran to Isaac through the night, arrived for coffee... Still need to click2clear

Agreed on Chub speed. Very slow, but I'm happy to spend the day and leave at next coffee, especially after the overnight run. Worked well to Kamalame. Worked well to Exuma. Worked well coming back from Briland so that I could make a retrieval. Sort of added a bit of relaxed comfort to the routine. Otherwise, just 24 hours to Briland and clear there...

Geez, That is a lot of work and expense..
Been a while, We used to come in from Ft Peirce, Make Great Sail and anchor that night.
Head to Spanish, clear their, stay for lunch and make for a nice anchorage anywhere that night.
Usually never stopping at a dock again.

I'm sorry the Abacos were bombed from that "cane" a few years ago. They still have not recovered well.
By my reading, seems politics has been involved and hence the delays.

If I have to pay BUCKS to tie on a dock to clear customs, I'll just keep the Q flag up and never make land fall....

Why would you pay .70/kWh for power? isn’t it cheaper to just run your gen when power is that expensive? And at $7/ft/day I supposed most people anchor? At $7/ft it would cost me the same there for one week as I pay for an entire year.
I thought about shipping my boat over and cruising Bahamas and Exumas at some point but maybe I need to reconsider.

I know these lil islands have one or two of their own container sized gen-sets. It's not FPL and power expenses need some help,, but not to pay for it.
THEN the cost of docking with the pretty path ways.
Tourism money is to help them, not pay for it all.

Abacos have to get it in gear soon or we will be doing the Tortugas again and more of west FL this year.

The Abacos, all of the marinas for the most part are back to normal.

WHY on earth did Normans cut off all of the pilings on a fixed dock? I wouldn't want to be there if the wind is really blowing.

I wish Sampson Cay would re-open to the public. That was my favorite marina in the Exumas by a long shot.

Running a generator isn't cheaper than $0.70 a KWH shorepower when you count the fuel, maintenance and then amortized replacement of the generator. I agree $0.70 a kwh is pricey though.

For us swamp people, is there a dock that we can clear with customs and not have to roll out da bux?
Been dreaming of heading that way for years but I'm to old and poor to bend over at these fancy docks.

West end, Bimini.

I guess Bimini would work on our approach angle.
Been so long since I've been there, Just never thought about Bimini.

Making the Abacos from Ft Peirce, We make a straight line to Great Sail the first night and clear at Spanish the next day.
I'm still concerned about the Acacos after that storm.

I remember Rosies from 25 years ago running thru in my buds outboard.
Anchored out next to Strangers one calm night in our Bert about 10 years ago.
Pretty area. Hope they did well in that storm.

Always wanted to return to lower Eleuthera. Not been there since 2 weeks after Andrew.
May bob around west of there To Andros.
Norman's Cay rite in between. For fuel of emergencies, Don't think I can afford a hand-shake around there.

Has anybody used the Click2Clear option yet?
https://www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs/visitor-info/marine-vessel-declarations-cruising-permits/

Also have a copy of each passport with address written on the page, and boats registration and everything right in front of you, because if you linger too long it will kick you out.