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BIMINI ISLAND
What did Ernest Hemingway, Howard Hughes, Richard
Nixon and Adam Clayton Powell Jr all have in common? They were all
'hooked' on Bimini for its unparalleled big game fishing. The only island
group in the 700 island chain whose deep water side faces west, the Biminis
stretch across the Gulf Stream, sweeping the area's western shores. These
waters are rich in tropical fish such as Wahoo, Marlin and Sailfish making this
island group the big game fishing capital of The Bahamas.
North Bimini and South Bimini, the two biggest
islands, lie just 50 miles east of Miami and the entire string of the Biminis
stretches 28 miles long.
The history of Bimini dates back to Ponce de Leon's
visit to the area in 1513 during his quest for the fountain of Youth. A
spot said to be the fountain can be seen near the airport in South Bimini, and
is of great pride to locals. Many claim to have undergone a revival due to
the medicinal forces of the water throughout the islands. It is said that
the Healing Hole, a special pool on South Bimini holds the magical powers of
rejuvenation and healing. Another spot that is said to possess a mystical
element is Memory Ledge. Some say that if you lie down face up at Memory
Ledge you will be struck with flashbacks of your life..
Fabulous fishing and special waters, it's no wonder
that Hemingway was drawn to Bimini. On Bimini the famous author finished,
drank, brawled and wrote his way through several seasons.
Islands in the Stream and To Have and Have Not were
both written on Bimini while Hemingway was staying at the Compleat Angler as one
of the hotel's first guests in the min 1930's.
Bimini also offers tremendous scuba diving
opportunities. Sapona, located off the coast of South Bimini, is a
landmark heap of a sunken ship built by Henry Ford during the First World War.
Another spot to explore is Piquet Rock, a large wreckage of a Spanish ship,
complete with rocks and cannonballs. And rumor has it that the fabled Lost
Continent of Atlantis is located off the shore of Bimini. Estimated to be
between 5,000 and 10,000 years old, this dive site rests nearly forty feet below
surface level. Carvings in the 300 foot long rectangular rock formations
appear to be either a network of highways or part of a wall that has collapsed.
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