Flying to the Bahamas - Anyone tried it lately?

[GeorgePerry]

I've been thinking about a winter time get away to the Bahamas and there was a pretty good article in the latest AOPA, but I was wondering if any Mooney owners had done the trip recently.  I'd like to hear about any lessons learned or procedures that made the trip go smoothly.  Interested in hearing about survival equipment rental,  Imigration friendly airports etc.  obtw, I already have an eAPIS account so I'm familiar with that pain.

Looking forward to hearing what the community has to say

[Buster1]

Reading that article now!  I'm interested too.  Need to find some trips to show the wife how great it is to own a plane...after I finally get one.

[rgaines]

I was there in May.  Fort Pierce FBO had the lowest price gas and rented rafts fairly cheaply.  Turks and Caicos is very expensive to fill up so unless you are visiting try to stay away.  Bahamas very friendly, so is Monserrat and the lesser known islands.

 

[Flybeech21]

KFPR has the cheapest fuel at self-serve pumps with Airport Tiki being the best FBO (IMO) that also has a place to eat.  The FBO is very experienced with people going to the Bahamas and can meet your needs with rafts and things of that nature. 

As far as the best Imigration, all of the Bahamas Imigration locations are more courteous than all of the U.S. locations in my experience.  In regard to U.S. locations, one is no better than the other.  I have been to all of them.  U.S. customs officials are often times very rude and expect you to know the office's individual procedures.  Each Customs location has their own procedures and the offices are not standardized so if you get used to one location and go to another, expect the officer to be confused as to why you dont know the procedures for their location.   Sometimes, you will get a helpful U.S. Customs officer but, it is just luck of the draw.  Just remember, you are not breaking the law so you have nothing to worry about.  Also, if you have a really bad experience with a Customs Officer, there is a method for reporting the event on the US Customs website.  I reported an event and got a response.

Another good idea is to call the Customs office you are going to visit and tell them that you are doing this for the first time and wanted to know what forms they want and any procedures they want you to follow once you arrive.  Dont tell them its your first time if it is not, they will look your information up and know if you have cleared through point-of entry portals in the past.  Calling ahead and asking questions has helped me.

Bottom line.   Go where the fuel is cheapest and is a point-of entry airport.  KFPR is currently the winner.

[jrjaks]

I made the trip in July and flew direct to N. Eleuthera from here in Tallahassee.  All we keep on board are the required life preservers, (as far as survival equipment goes), and the required paperwork.  Of course, coming back you have to stop at the first airport of entry.  Both times I've gone I used Ft. Lauderdale Int'l (FLL) coming back.  They are open longer hours and I had no problems with them.  I've done it both VFR and IFR, and it went without a hitch both ways.  It's a lot of fun, and makes for a very scenic trip, but be prepared to spend some money.  5 years ago, before the first trip,  I bought the Flying the Bahamas guide, (I think that's the name), and it was pretty helpful.  It not only explains all the requirements, but has detailed diagrams and information about all of the airports and the respective islands.

[jrjaks]

A link to some of the pictures from our last trip:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15960141@N06/sets/72157621413330066/

We went to Eleuthera in 2005 as well, but stayed on Eleuthera, at a place called The Cove.  It was nice, and fairly secluded, but if you didn't have a car, you were stuck there until the cab took you back to the airport.  We did ride bikes about 15 miles down the main road, visiting other towns, which was fun.  On Harbour Island, you can rent a golf cart to take you anywhere you need to go.