Whether arriving by air or sea there is no mistaking the incredible shades of blue, painted from the shoreline to the depths of the Gulf Stream, around the tiny islands collectively known as Bimini. Despite being small geographically, these “Islands in the Stream,” have a rich and eclectic history decorated with rum running, big game fishing, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Bermuda Triangle. They are also home to amazing ecosystems both above and below the surface. From mangrove forests to coral reefs, creatures both delicate and mighty can be found. Amazing scuba diving, offshore and flats fishing, a world famous shark research station and incredibly diverse wildlife encounters have for decades, defined Bimini’s appeal to visitors.
Bimini is one of those rare places on the planet where the raw beauty of nature, uninfluenced by human hands, can still be found. Bimini is a place where the senses are heightened by sights, sounds and smells often lost in the daily shuffle of life. Whether weaving a kayak down a mangrove channel deep in the heart of the island or watching sharks glide past as you sit on the white sand bottom, there is a quiet connection to nature, uninterrupted by traffic jams, strip malls or fast food restaurants. In Bimini, the whip of the line on your fly fishing rod as you cast across the gin clear water of the flats can still be heard. The ocean breeze, the earthy aroma of a mangrove forest and freshly baked Bimini bread permeate the island.
In January of this year, the Bimini Blue Coalition was created to help promote and protect the natural beauty and wildlife Bimini is renowned for. Together local residents, homeowners, community leaders, and stakeholders are all working towards keeping Bimini’s waters the bluest in the Bahamas. Although the idea for the Bimini Blue Coalition was conceived as a way to further promote the growing ecotourism industry, we also feel it is a critical part of our mission to address and confront issues that threaten the sustainability of our economy and environment.
The livelihood of our islands and the people who call Bimini home rests upon tourism and at the heart of tourism is the beautiful blue water. Change and development are inevitable in the hustle and bustle of modern life and our environment is too often the victim, suffering drastically from the ever present need to build more and build bigger. Sadly, Bimini is not immune to the consumption of land and natural resources at any cost. We love our islands and want future generations to swim with wild dolphins, explore the mangroves and reel in sustainable fish. This is all possible if we work together in the fight to Keep Bimini Blue.
The Bimini Blue Coalition is made up of local residents, homeowners, community leaders, and stakeholders, all working towards keeping Bimini’s waters the bluest in the Bahamas. For more information on how you can help please visit www.biminibluecoalition.org and find us on Facebook.