BiminiGatewayToTheBahamasSign LAYING LOW IN BIMINI

By Keesha Claudia Bethell

Photographs Courtesy Of Stephen Gay and L. Roscoe Dames II

There is a Bahamian song called “Lay Low in Bimini”, which simply exudes the definition of “chill”. I decided to do just that—chill with friends. It was my first time on Bimini and boy was I in for some surprises!

When I got off the plane, my friends weren’t there to greet me. I pulled out my cell phone and called them. They swore they were waiting for me. My thing was I didn’t see them at the airport. That’s when they told me they were waiting for me at the dock … in North Bimini. It didn’t register until about two minutes later that Bimini had two islands: South Bimini where the airport is, a small number of the population live, and where there is a boutique resort. Then, there is North Bimini, accessible only by boat and where everything that isn’t on South Bimini can be found—such as the majority of the population and my friends waiting for me on the dock.

When I got to North Bimini, I saw my friends but they were in a golf cart instead of a car. That’s when I learned that not many people drive cars. It wasn’t long before I figured out why—the corners were only as wide as sidewalks. A car would have to squeeze through and, well, a jeep or truck would have no luck passing through—at least not comfortably.

I had the best conch salad in the world at a spot called Stuart’s Conch Salad Stand. It was set up like a bar and extended into the shallow shores of the ocean. I have never had a conch salad with crawfish and boiled conch bubby, seasoned with salt, garlic powder and goat pepper. Eating that salad with a cold Kalik—or two or three or four—while the breeze blew on my face is probably the closest, I’ve come to heaven so far.

I packed a bathing suit in my suitcase to show off my summer body but all of the local eateries I visited had fresh fish and seafood. Don’t get me started on the bread. I’d like to take a moment to say there is no bread like Bimini bread and the carbs are totally worth it. Needless to say, my summer body was postponed to winter.

At night, we went onto the back road. I saw the beautiful glare of lights that seemed to sit atop the calm Bimini waters. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Turns out, those lights were Miami, Florida. Yep! You read that correctly—only about 50 miles of ocean separate the Bahamian island of Bimini and the southernmost tip of the United States of America.

Aside from the food, the most unforgettable thing about Bimini for me was the water. The term “crystal blue waters” is off the scales when it comes to the beauty of the ocean surrounding Bimini, in my opinion.

Here’s the funny thing—this Bimini experience I’m sharing with you happened 12 years ago. But my experience is on replay in my memory. Now that I’m writing this article, I do need another “lay low” trip. Heck, I think I’ll stop procrastinating and make Bimini my first trip in 2023. I think I’m long overdue for a visit. UA

View From Atop Resorts World