We have been enjoying our time in Bimini since our arrival last Sunday.
Bimini is somewhat unique (as are most of the islands). It is some ways one of the more 'Americanized' islands, due to its proximity to the US, but still retains a unique culture. There is quite a bit of poverty and no industry outside of tourism. Many cruisers seem to use Bimini to clear customs/immigration and get out as soon as possible; we have typically lingered longer and have grown to enjoy it quite a bit.
First we stay at Weech's Bimini Dock which hosts few cruisers. Other marinas in Bimini offer many more amenities such as wifi, locked gates, picnic areas, pools, etc., but Weech's has a long history and is much more a part of the community. First it is run by the Weech family which were one of the early settlers of Bimini and staying here gives you an opportunity to get to know them. Secondly, it is the marina most open to the community. For example, it is not uncommon to see local fisherman cleaning their catch at the docks and on several nights this week we had two women fishing off the dock right outside our boat. While this might make some uncomfortable, we find it is a great opportunity to meet some locals.
While the Weechs are white, the vast majority of Bimini residents are black. And it is remarkable, especially given the proximity of the island to the US, that the locals are distinctly African, in skin color (very dark), features, and culture.
Culturally, for example, we have learned that Bahamian houses are often nicer on the inside than the outside. While we are far from anthropologists, I think that this stems from the community nature of African culture. I learned the most about this concept from a story told by a pastor from our home church. The church has developed a relationship with a group of national pastors in Ghana and the relationship has grown to regular 'mission' trips to Ghana by members of the staff and congregation. While in Ghana, the pastor observed that there were many 'free range' chickens in a village and that the residents had to go to great lengths to retrieve a meager number of eggs. He made a suggestion to one of the men. Why don't you build some cages, buy some feed, raise chickens and sell the eggs; you may make a little money and everyone will have more eggs - a win-win. Oh no, exclaimed the man, I could not do that! If I had more eggs than I could use, my family and neighbors would expect that that I would give them my excess - it would not cross their mind that they would pay and I would be considered an evil man if I tried to sell them. So to borrow a saying from another more egalitarian culture (Australia) - no one wants to be a 'tall poppy'. Even though it is only 50+ miles a way, it is a different universe from Coconut Grove (Miami) where everyone must drive the most expensive car possible.
Last night we went to the second annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony here in Bimini. Like good Americans, we were there at the advertised starting time and found only a few people gathered at that time - we never seem to learn :-) It started about 45 minutes later and moved at a glacial pace. There were numerous musical and other presentations and it seemed like everyone that wanted to be a part of the program was welcome to participate. But overall it was a neat experience:
- While it lacked the 'professionalism' that seems be mandatory at similar events in the States, almost every presenter addressed the real meaning of Christmas (Christ's birth) including the Island Administrator - try that in the US.
- The program ended with a 'Junkanoo Rushout'. Junkanoo is a very African-inspired form of Christmas celebration with similarities to 'Carnival'. The 'band' consists of mostly drums and other rhythm instruments with a few horns. They marched around the seating area and ended up in the road. The beat was absolutely hypnotic! People old and young were dancing to the beat. We stayed for quite a long time, in part to see how long they would go on, but they outlasted us and were still going strong when we headed back to the boat. Vigorously beating the drums, particularly the big ones, must be exhausting and in fact we did notice that they traded off playing these.
- As always, the kids were very cute, especially as they danced to the Junkanoo!
Now a few more mundane items (food of course):
If you get to Bimini, you must try the food at the Taste of Heaven Bakery. It is THE staple for box lunches/breakfasts for the locals. Many traditional Bahamian dishes (curries, steam fish, chicken, etc.) for lunch ($6 for a small; $8 for a large including rice and 2 sides) and simple breakfasts (mostly grits and a meat) for $2, $3, or $4. Lunches are not ready until around Noon and usually gone by 1:30 or so.
Also, in the 'don't judge a Bahamian food provider by the building' category - GREAT conch salad at Stuarts.
Currently we hope to leave Bimini on Monday morning and travel north across the NW Providence channel (heavy shipping lane) to West End, Grand Bahama, where we will probably wait out yet another cold front - well it is December!
Tom
Docked at Weech's Bimini Dock
North Bimini
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