MIDNIGHT EXPRESS OWNERS RENDEZVOUS

Story by Stu Jones | Photos courtesy of Midnight Express

After its early beginnings in 2019, when the Midnight Express factory offered its first owners’ Rendezvous from Miami to Bimini, the event has gained great momentum. Fast forward to May 2022, and a record 40 Midnight Express owners rallied from two locations, Lake Boca in Palm Beach County to the north, and Haulover Marine Center to the south, a marina with a large concentration of Midnight owners in rack storage. The mid-May weekend offered a favorable Gulf Stream crossing, and by late Friday morning the 40 teams and more than 200 guests settled in at Bimini Bay Marina, on the doorstep to the Resorts World Bimini Hilton.

For many reasons it’s understandable that Bimini has become an extremely popular weekend getaway for South Florida boaters, and many of the first-timers soon discovered why. The short ride from Miami at just 50-plus miles for the Gulf Stream crossing made for an easy one-hour ride, but it was surely the wide variety of exciting waterborne activities, including snorkeling at the concrete shipwreck Sapona and anchoring along the sandy beach at Honeymoon Harbour, that took the wow factor up just a few more notches.

The fun did not stop when the boats were docked and guests took to land, as Midnight Express organizers pulled all the stops with a lavish owners’ appreciation dinner high-atop the Resorts World Hilton in the Monkey Business ballroom. It was a time to kick back, share experiences and photos with fellow Midnight owners, enjoy the breathtaking views in all directions, and dig into a hearty buffet dinner featuring fresh lobster caught and prepared by local Biminites (a term used to refer to natives on the island of Bimini).

By Sunday, the departure from Bimini offered two options, to either head back to homeports in Florida, or the alternative…an adventure eastbound to Chub Cay and the landmark Atlantis Resort, on Paradise Island. While many of the teams were content to enjoy the two-day Bimini experience, about a dozen Midnights headed east across the Bahama Bank, for the 90-mile trek to Chub Cay for fuel and a quick dip in the pool. The final leg, just 41 miles to the south ended a great day of boating, with all teams settled in at Atlantis Marina, the most popular boating and yachting destination in the Bahamas.

Participants might have been content to park the boats and enjoy two full days of worldfamous amenities of Atlantis, including lavish rooms at The Cove, the Rapids River adventure, epic waterslides, The Dig underground aquarium, a vibrant Atlantis casino, and endless dining… but Midnight Express organizers made boating a top priority on the agenda.

" The trip was phenomenal-we will be back every year. The friendships we made through Midnight Express made it even more fun! " -Shelby Mattingly-

For the next two days in Nassau, boating excursions included a 200-mile roundtrip to the Black Point in the Exumas, followed by another daytrip to Spanish Wells, about 45 miles east from Paradise Island. The cruising agenda was headed up by Nassau native and area boating expert Captain Jordan Lampkin, who, along with a team of local guides, created an experience that was beyond all expectations for so many who joined in!

FPC Member Deris Ceresa, who attended the event with first mate Amanda Ennis and friends in his black and blue Midnight Express 43, shared their experiences. Amanda recalled, “It was amazing how well planned these daily excursions were!"

"We had local guides taking us places we would never imagine going, and we saw parts of the Bahamas we could never see otherwise!” Deris added, “We went to this far off island in the Exumas and pulled up for lunch…and at first, I wasn’t sure the locals liked any of us. I cranked some Bob Marley on my JL Audio bullets and threw out some cold beers, and next thing you know, everyone’s partying!”

While so many participants enjoyed an experience that provided great lifelong memories and created new boating friendships, the Midnight Express Bahamas Rendezvous event proved that “owning” the boat is just the first step of the boating lifestyle experience. Getting out and USING your Midnight Express for an amazing adventure in paradise, is what makes it all worthwhile! Thanks to Midnight Express owners Eric & Harris Glaser and their team, for offering a fantastic experience, as appreciation to their loyal Midnight owners. SJ

Deris Ceresa - Team MIDNIGHT