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Getting to the Bahamas

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Gulfer, Mar 31, 2021.

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  1. Gulfer

    Gulfer Member

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    I hope this isn't too far off-topic, but planes and boats go together . Traditionally we fly private into Nassau to met the boat, then on our way merry way. Traditionally, the Exumas.

    However, we're looking to explore more of what the Bahamas have to offer. Thus, starting in Nassau with time zone changes, plus reposition time makes for a long day of travel.

    Due to flying from the mid-west, we fly a midsize jet and thus Airports runways compliance is an issue for some of the smaller island. For example, I checked into flying into Norman's Cay. While the runway is long enough, it hasn't been authorized by my provider. I looked into flying out of Chub Cay, but it's a dry runway (no fuel), thus the cost sort of went through the roof as the plane had to land in Nassau for refuel then go to Chub Cay, then return to St. Louis.

    Our next trip is starting in Staniel Cay,then Cape Elthera, Habor Island, and depart from Chub Cay.

    So, in a quest to figure out the logistics. It seems the easiest and most economical method is charter a plane out of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and charter a plane to Staniel. And doing the doing the reverse out of Chub.

    Upon research, I've found the following companies.

    Maker's Air
    TIA Aero
    Flamigo Air

    But, am really very interested and hearing from others on what they've found works best for them. No reason to reinvent the wheel. I'm not opposed to doing commercial, I just found with this trip it was hard to match up departure times.
  2. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    I don't know if you've seen this or not, but it could be very useful to you for identifying carriers but also identifying the airports they use in the Bahamas. For instance, Flamingo flies to both Staniel Cay and Black Point in the Exumas, but not regularly scheduled from Fort Lauderdale. However, Makers flies daily to Staniel Cay. Major airlines fly to Georgetown. Even Air Canada has a flight from Toronto.

    https://www.bahamas.com/getting-here/flying

    Once you've identified where you'd like to and feel you can land, any charterer in Fort Lauderdale can likely get you there.
  3. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    And if you're adventurous, you can take a seaplane from Blade.

    Or a fast ferry. lol

    Add:

    Aztec

    Tropic Ocean.

    Silver has a lot of flights.

    And the one that shocked me is Air Caraibes flies from Paris to Cockburn Town, San Salvador, Bahamas.
  4. Gulfer

    Gulfer Member

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    Thanks. I didn't see that. That is very helpful.

    Owning a boat, is sort of like opening up a little travel agency that makes no money. My family & guests have no idea of all the research it takes to make the "magic" happen. :)
  5. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    It was one experience but apparently it matches the reputation. I can’t recommend Flamingo. My daughter and her husband used flamingo to fly out of Eleuthera and they were delayed an entire day and had to get a ride to another airport on Eleuthera and spend the night there. When asking around and trying to solve the issue we heard that Flamingo has a habit of cancelling flights if there are not enough people and blaming it on the weather. I would use them as a last resort. We have used Makers Air a number of times with no issues.
  6. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Flamingo is ok but it s banana republic airline... we avoid them for guests and even crew :) . if you re going to fly to Staniel, either use Makers Air, Air Staniel or TIA

    You didn’t say where you re flying from but your profile shows St Louis as home. If so, just fly to Georgetown. 5000’ RWY with fuel and customs. We ve had guests and owners flying in there on anything from charters to personal G IV

    normans doesn’t have customs so it doesn’t make much sense. We recently had guests from DC fly commercial to nas and then TIA to Norman’s. It worked

    Starting in Gtown gets you on the boat and on a beach within 60 minutes of landing. Suggestion. Don’t meet the boat at emerald. Have them anchor in Elizabeth harbor and pick you up by tender.

    From Gtown it s just 60nm to Staniel with great stops along the way.

    Don’t know thy you d want to depart from Chub. Spend more time in the Exumas, then eleuthera and fly home from harbor island.

    what size boat?
  7. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    Pascal why do you say don’t dock at emerald to pick up guests at the airport. That is our plan as of now. Is the surge that bad?
  8. Gulfer

    Gulfer Member

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    Just trying to pull everything together in a single message. I wish I could edit the original message.

    Good Resource from Bahamas Travel - Getting There

    Maker's Air
    • Both commercial (Scheduled) and charter flights available
    • US: Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE)
    • Bahamas: Andros Town (ASD), Chub Cay (CCZ), Congo Town (COX), North Eleuthera (ELH), Exuma International (GGC), Great Harbour Cay (GHC), Marsh Harbour Abaco (MHH), Rock Sound Eleuthera (RSD), San Andros (SAQ), New Bight Cat Island (TBI), Staniel Cay Exumas (TYM)
    TIA Areo
    • Looks to be only Chartered
    • US: I don't see any mention of departures from the states.
    • Bahamas: Lots of options, looks like it has an airport they can get you there.
    Flamingo Air
    • Both commercial (Scheduled) and charter flights available
    • US: I don't see any mention of departures from the states
    • Bahamas: Lots of various options available options.
    Aztec Airways
    • Both commercial (Scheduled) and charter flights available
    • US: Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE), Key West (EYW), Marathon Key (MTH)
    • Bahamas: South Bimini (BIM), North Eleuthera (ELH), Governoors Harbour Eleuthera (GHB), Marsh Harbour Abaco (MHH), Treasure Cay Abaco (TCB)
    Tropic Ocean
    • Both commercial (Scheduled) and charter flights available
    • US: Fort Lauderdale
    • Bahamas: Bimini, says Andros and Berry Island (coming soon) -
    Silver Airways
    • Looks to be only commercial (Scheduled)
    • US: Lots of various options
    • Bahamas: Several Options, plus includes deep Caribbean locations (St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, St. Thomas)
    Staniel Air
    • Looks to be only Chartered
    • US: Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami
    • Bahamas: Chub Cay (MYBC), San Andros (MYAN), Fresh Creek (MYAF), Congo Town (MYAK), Staniel Cay (MYES)
  9. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The surge is bad sometimes so timing is critical. When people get up early, drive to the airport, fly in for a few hours, clear in and drive to the boat... the sooner we get them on a beach or sandbar... the better.

    If we anchored in Elizabeth harbor, they will have sands between their rows within 60 minutes or
    Touching down at GGT

    from emerald, it’s another hour to a good anchorage...

    What we ve done many time too, especially if the sound is fought, is anchor off Barraterre (north end of Great Exuma) and pick them up with the tender at the gov dock there. It s slightly longer ride from the airport but beautiful area (especially if you draw under 6 1/2’)
  10. Gulfer

    Gulfer Member

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    Yes, St. Louis is home for me. Which in terms of commercial air travel, has become increasing difficult or least inconvenient. Thank God for Southwest. After TWA sold, and American moved most operations to Chicago, you can't get anywhere from here without going through Chicago (nightmare) or Atlanta.

    Good Point on Norman's (or any other smaller island) in terms of customs. Since we've been mostly been flying into Nassau, it's never been a concern or thought. On this trip, I was reminded that of that little sticking point. In fact, I'm looking at Maker's Air at the moment, and we have to stop (sorry I forget where) to clear customs before going to Staniel.

    You raise an interesting point about flying into GTown and motoring up. I'll look into that option.

    Long and short of Chub and the Exumas. We have a charter going from Nassau to Staniel next week. Then our usage, and the next Charter starts in Nassau. So, it's sort of a round about way to returning to Nassau

    So, in a effort to keep engine times down. (Let's just say, our first couple of years we were just sending the boat everywhere without regard to reposition hours operations and associated costs. Out of sight, out of mind sort of thing. We're trying to balance our repositioning to more cost-efficient manner. My guess, we'll go to far the other way. And eventually find a balance. It's a learning curve for me. We're coming up on 4 years, and still fine tuning the program.

    As for the Exumas. Love them. But, truthfully we've been there a lot on recently. We just want a change and explore. At the end of the day, I'm sure we'll find it's hard to beat the Exumas. But, new fishing spots, different dive locations, and well sometimes you got to change things up to keep it fresh and exciting.

    We're bring some friends that have never been. So, we plan on doing a day of "highlights" of the Exumas, Pigs, Lizards, Sharks, Aquarium, and Thunderball. Then head to Eleuthera to fish the bridge. Last week, I was in the Exumas (Compass Cay) went out 4 times out and didn't catch a **** thing. Arg! I've been told there are some good diving along the way.
  11. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    We ve had charter guests coming here with us for the last ten years and still find a couple of new places to take them to every trip. Have you been to:

    Sandy Cay (tip of little Exuma),
    Pigeon key off little Exuma
    Moriah harbor national park
    Flip Flor shop and the sound side beaches of Stocking
    the blow holes on Boyse Cay
    Lee stocking and its amazing cliff walk
    Rudder cat
    Big Farmer
    Little farmer
    The cave by oven rock on great Guana
    Jack’s bay cove
    Castle bay

    and that’s just south of Staniel... forget the boring highlights every boring charter captain brings guests to :) try this instead :

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CM4kJ7LLnIo/?igshid=s5ayie3pqe8w
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Makers air is safe and reliable. Flamingo air, you better make sure your life insurance is paid up. I flew on them a few years back, and between the oil running down the wing, the pilot that flew without his headset on for 30 minutes and the grossly overloaded plane, never again.
  13. ychtcptn

    ychtcptn Senior Member

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    Makers air and Tropic Ocean are good options.
    Fly to FLL executive then take Makers Air, they will stop in Chub for Customs then onto Staniel.
    From What I hear they are the most reliable.
  14. Gulfer

    Gulfer Member

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    This has been all very helpful. FYI, I contacted my plane charter broker and got a bid, and one from Makers Air. There price was very competitive and the equipment was superior from what the broker was able to provide.

    My only comment is you submit your request to Makers for a charter, then they send you a quote. I signed it, and I thought I was done. However, that’s doesn’t mean you have a plane yet. They told me they gets a lot of requests that die on the vine. So, signing that, starts the next step of them making sure they have a plane and a pilot available. Not a big deal, but the process seems to take a few days, which tells me it’s to plan ahead. Again, not a big deal once you know the process.
  15. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Indeed Makers Air is top notch

    if you re going to Eleuthera, the government just announced mandatory PCR testing is now needed to leave Eleuthera followed by a 5 days rapid test. No inter island health visa if you don’t upload the PCR

    So same as when traveling from Nassau except that at least from Nassau you don’t have to do a PCR when staying less than 24 hours.
  16. Gulfer

    Gulfer Member

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    I apologize, but I'm not sure I understand. I'm very familiar with the Bahamas Health Visa Process & 5 day rapid test. Is this new process above and beyond that requirement. Or is just for "locals" or you Captains that are in the Bahamas for extended period of time.

    On a completely different note, or list of airlines in the Bahamas just found this one

    Titan Air
    • Private Charter Company for The Bahamas and the Caribbean with daily flights to Andros Town according the website
    • Bahamas: Staniel Cay, Black Point, Nassau
  17. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    There are various requirements to follow. All involve getting a health visa on line including uploading test results

    - Coming into the Bahamas: PCR test within 5 days of arriving, international visa followed by a rapid test on day 5 (or later if you are not near an island where you can take the test)

    - traveling from GB or NP to other islands: PCR test within 5 days of traveling, domestic visa. No follow up rapid test required on day 5. If you have been in GB or NP less than 24 hours you do not need the PCR test

    - traveling from Eleuthera to other islands: PCR test within 5 days of traveling, domestic visa plus follow up rapid test on day 5. No exception of were on Eleuthera less than 24 hours

    the above apply to all, whether traveling by air or by boat, whether private or commercial. The only exception is for COMMERCIAL flight crew.
  18. zen

    zen Member

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    Looked at the same route a few years ago. Most economical and convenient was KSUS to FXE, then Makers charter to destination unless you needed a float plane in which case Tropic Ocean.
  19. KoffeeCruising

    KoffeeCruising Member

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    FLL and FXE are great hubs for all the places you mentioned; and Georgetown GGT has many flights back to FLL or MIA. you could fly private there then take Makers or silver — or on way back fly commercial nonstop from GGT to FLL, then private home. Hell, I’ll show you ; you can drop me off in KC on the way back, or I’ll bring some Amigjettis for the ride down with you.... I’d feel comfortable in a G IV just so you know. ......