Exploring Bimini - "Hemingway's Islands in the Stream"

Back to Bimini! Read more our blog about Bimini: https://catamaranguru.com/bimini-island-hemingways-islands-in-the-stream/ These tiny islands have captured my heart ever since my first visit years ago. Stephen and I have cruised many of the Bahamas' islands, but Bimini is the one we keep coming back to. It may not be the biggest or flashiest destination, but there's something about this little spit of sand - its tranquil vibe and unspoiled charm - that feels like coming home. Bimini is only 50 miles from Miami, just a short hop by boat (a fast boat can make it in 2-3 hours), yet it feels a world away from the city. That proximity makes it a popular weekend escape for Floridians, but despite being so close to the US, Bimini has managed to hold onto a slow, island pace that instantly relaxes you. North Bimini is the island's lively heart is a stretch of small towns and marinas where most of the action happens. As we walk down the main road in Alice Town (North Bimini's main village), golf carts and bicycles zip by, and brightly painted houses line the street. My friend Linda, offered to show us around the beloved island. Radio Beach is a gorgeous expanse of white sand meeting clear turquoise water. One of the best beaches in Bimini. The ocean here is shallow, calm, and so crystal-clear you can see your toes wiggle in the sand. As we drive through Alice Town, Linda points out local staples: a bakery where the sweet Bimini bread scent drifts out, a little straw market with handmade souvenirs, and the Bimini Big Game Club, a historic marina and bar where big-game fishermen gather. This island might be small, but it's rich with stories. In fact, North Bimini is steeped in legend and history at every turn. I imagine Hemingway himself walking these streets: coming back from a day of fishing, laughing with locals over gin at the bar, or scribbling notes for Islands in the Stream. Hemingway loved Bimini It's a connection through time. This tiny island has hosted adventurers like Hemingway and even rum-running bootleggers during Prohibition (Bimini's proximity to Florida made it a perfect smuggler's haven in the 1920s). And long before that, in the 1500s, Spanish explorer Ponce de León was lured here by the legend of the Fountain of Youth The Dolphin House. Tucked on a side street in Alice Town, this building looks like something out of a fairy tale or a castaway's dream. It's a colorful, whimsical two-story house hand-built from shells, sea glass, and driftwood collected from the shores of Bimini. The walls are a mosaic of conch shells, coral, license plates, polished sea glass, and even old bottles, basically any flotsam the builder could find. It's a living artwork that has been evolving for decades. We meet the creator himself, Ashley Saunders, who comes out to greet us. Ashley is a retired teacher turned artist, historian, and poet - truly a man of many talents. He began constructing the Dolphin House back in 1993, and remarkably, he's still adding to it over 30 years later. With pride in his eyes, he shows us around his labor of love. "There's nothing here from Home Depot," Ashley laughs, "the beach is my Home Depot." Sure enough, every tile in the mosaic, every ornament embedded in the walls was found on the island. He points out pieces: shards of pottery, bits of mirror, conch shells, coins, dominoes, marbles - each with a story of where he discovered it. The result is stunning; the Dolphin House is like a museum, art gallery, and memoir of Bimini all in one. He's a self-professed "dolphin-inspired artist," building this monument out of gratitude for the dolphins that have inspired him. In one room, he's painted murals of dolphins and tucked little dolphin figurines into the walls. On the second floor, he shows us a guestbook and proudly mentions that travelers from all around the world have visited. "Find your money on the table, find your language on the wall," he says, meaning people leave behind currency from their countries and write greetings on the walls - a truly international collection. For lunch, Linda brings us to her favorite spot: Stuart's Conch Stand, an unassuming little wooden shack right by the water. This is the place to taste Bimini's most famous dish: conch salad. In the end, Bimini taught me something profound in its subtle way: the best treasures in travel aren't always the biggest or most famous places, but the small islands and moments that steal your heart and never let go. Visit for more of our Cruising Stories: https://catamaranguru.com/lifestyle/cruising-stories/ Catamaran Guru is your safe harbor for yacht sales, yacht ownership, liveaboard lifestyle and sailing education, and charter management. Visit our website for insider details on how to own and operate a yacht for less than you think! Get expert yacht buyer assistance to ensure your buy the right boat for you and your dream.