BIMINI,
BAHAMAS – The Bimini business community is experiencing a sharp decline in
revenue as rough seas have led to a temporary halt in the service of
Resorts
World Bimini, turning the island into a virtual ghost town overnight. The cruise
ship has brought over 40,000 visitors to the island in its first three months
of operation and now, after only a week without the service, business owners
who have become accustomed to the robust revenue generated by the daily cruise
are calling for its speedy return.
Bimini SuperFast service was
halted on October 24 due to rough seas. While the ship easily maneuvers through
the powerful Gulf Stream, the transfer of passengers from the ship to the
island via catamaran is untenable under such conditions. The establishment of a
pier would eliminate the need for catamarans, which owners could then deploy as
touring craft.
“This is the perfect example of
why the pier is such an important component in our overall plan,” says Resorts
World Bimini (RWB) President Dana Leibovitz. “The pier would eliminate the
practice of ferrying passengers to the island. Until it is complete, turbulent
water conditions will continue to be a factor.”
There has been much speculation
in the media regarding whether or not the proposed pier is welcomed by
Biminites.
RWB has maintained that the
pier is central to the success of its development and the island as a whole – a
view that is now being underscored by the present circumstances. Businesses
which were welcoming unprecedented numbers of customers from the cruise say the
flow of traffic came to a screeching halt when the service stopped.
Craft vendor Carmen Dames said
the absence of the ship for several days reminded her of the old Bahamian adage
– you don’t miss the water until the well runs dry.
“This well has run dry and we
really miss that ship!” she said. The craft market has been closing early
everyday because there is nothing happening here.” She said that while
Biminites were accustomed to this being a slow period, the ship service has now
gotten them used to expecting more. “With that ship coming in, we have
something to look forward to, but now there’s nothing to look forward to. We
really need that ship to come back.”
Bimini Undersea tour guide
Christian Small echoed her sentiments.
“It
has been horrible since the ship has stopped coming and our business has been
dramatically impacted,” he said. “It is usually like this in the winter, and
the SuperFast has really helped to keep businesses open at this time of the
year. I really hope they come back soon.”
The pier will significantly cut
down the length of time it takes to get visitors to shore. This would translate
into more time on the island for day trippers and more revenue for the island’s
business community.
“The safety and welfare of our
passengers and crew is our top priority,” says Mr. Leibovitz. “It is difficult
and potentially dangerous to transport visitors via catamaran during swells of
more than three feet. In the past several days due to very high swells it has
been impossible to transfer.”
Weather permitting, the Bimini
SuperFast will resume service on November 1.
