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The
first inlet you will see is the commercial harbor.
Although it is well lit and is a port of entry, there are no facilities
for private yachts and the customs officials are at Bell
Channel Bay. Five nautical
miles east you will pass the entrance to Xanadu
Marina, which can be recognized by the unique profile of the Xanadu Hotel.
Another mile east you will also pass the entrance to the Running
Mon Marina. These are both good
marinas, but they’re not ports of entry, so more about them later.
You will also pass by the entrance to the new Ocean Reef Club, also not a
port of entry. The reefs generally
parallel the shore approximately one mile off the beach, but I usually run this
course with my radar measuring two miles off.
Other tips for staying off the reef include staying in 90-100 ft. water
and watching for where the dive boats are anchored!
The
entrance to Bell Channel is about 10
NM east of the commercial harbor and is well marked.
The marker buoys seem to be attended regularly.
I’ve watched them repositioning the buoys frequently, just like the
Coast Guard does back in the States. I
also saw them change from one red buoy and one green buoy to two red buoys.
In any case, they may be different from what you have on your chart.
Nevertheless it seems that you can usually count on the old “red on the
right arriving”, leaving the green one, if present, to port.
Naturally, as with any floating aid to navigation, if there has been a
recent storm or you suspect its position you should rely on other factors before
proceeding in a narrow channel. In
any case you should take compass bearings off a prominent landmark.
Additional landmarks which may be useful when
identifying Bell Channel
include the Lucayan Beach Hotel just
west of the channel and the new Bell
Channel Club just east of the
channel. The Lucayan Beach Hotel can be identified by the white tower which
looks like an abandoned lighthouse.
During the day there will usually be a number of tow boats pulling
parasails in front of the hotel beach. Right
over the reef and just east of the entrance to Bell Channel are two prominent
large moorings, probably for large dive boats.
There is a light east of the entry which is 36 feet high and visible for
seven miles. The controlling depth
of 6 feet MLW is located right at the entrance to the jetties, the course
through the break in the reef to
the entrance is 338°T. Once inside
the harbor, you’ll have 10-12 feet MLW all over the harbor. As you enter the
harbor the fuel dock for the Lucayan
Marina Village will be ahead and slightly to your right.
In order to clear customs, you will want to contact the dock master for a
slip assignment and hoist a quarantine flag.
You can expect quite a delay.
Freeport Marinas
There really are no suitable anchorages in the area, so once you’ve
cleared customs you’ll want to select a marina to your liking.
If you are just here for the night and planning to head out soon on the
next leg of your trip there is no need to explore any further.
Lucayan Marina Village (373-7616), has been totally renovated and
occupies the former site of the old Lucayan Marina. Not only are they an official port of entry, but they have
130 slips which is generally adequate to accommodate transients without worrying
about reservations. They sell
gasoline, diesel, and oil. They
have 50 Amp 220 V and 30 Amp 110 V electric service, cable television, and good
water. Their dockage rates are
about $1/foot/day, varying slightly based upon the season.
They have showers, rest rooms, and laundry facilities.
Ice is readily available and there is a complementary
water taxi which runs every thirty
minutes to the Lucayan Beach Resort and
Casino. There is a nice
swimming pool at the hotel which is available to marina guests.
They have twenty four hour security, but according to the other boat
owners, with whom I have spoken they’ve never had a problem.
This is one of those special places, which if you stay for more than a
day or two you may never leave. It
has everything you need from the civilized world, yet is right on the edge of
“paradise.”
If
you succumb to the temptation to stay in Freeport longer than you had planned,
you may want to check out some of the other marinas.
Each has its own personality and has something special to offer. Port Lucaya Marina
(242-373-0909) is also in Bell Channel Bay and is a much busier facility.
It seems to attract most of the large sports fishing boats and the very
large power yachts. If you’re
feeling a little proud of your vessel and need
a little dose of humility, just walk along these docks. If you’re in the mood
for a “party” atmosphere, this is the place to be.
The docks are just a part of a festive marketplace mall with shops,
restaurants, and night clubs. Although
we like to take the water taxi over there for dinner or a night out, it was just
too much noise for us on a nightly basis. Interestingly
enough they seem to stop the music at midnight every night. The restaurants
close even earlier.
The
Xanadu Marina (242 352-6182) is the
most western yacht harbor in the city. It
is much smaller and more quiet than the two previously described. It has 6 feet controlling depth at MLW, enter on a course of
025°T. To me its principle
advantage is that it is closer to town, if that is important to you.
It seems to appeal primarily to semi-permanent liveaboards and scuba
divers. They have an excellent dive shop in the marina.
Boat owners there told me that they have few if any security problems.
There is a beautiful beach nearby, which for years was quite private, when the
Xanadu hotel was closed. The hotel
has reopened and they now have a busy beach full of guests playing volley ball
and getting sunburned.
The
Running Mon Marina (242-352-6833) is a half mile east and offers 4
feet at MLW, enter the channel on a true course of 338°. It seems neat, clean,
and safe, but just seemed a little
“quiet” for our particular tastes. They
have a very well equipped marina store and, in fact, were the only place in town
open on Saturday with a 30 amp female end for a shore power cord!
Their price was about three times what we would pay in the States, but
comparable to the electrical supply stores is Freeport.
The Ocean Reef Yacht
Club (242-373-4661)
is still one mile further east, and has 55 slips. They have the best dockage
rates in Freeport. The controlling depth is 6 feet at MLW.
Freeport
Restaurants
If
you’re only staying in Freeport one night you’ll have an impossible task!
If you’re staying a little longer, maybe you can try some of my
favorites acquired over the last fifteen years. If your time is unlimited,
make some of your own mistakes! I’m sure there are some very nice restaurants that I’ve
missed over the years.
In no case did any of the restaurant people know that I was doing
research for this guide, so my opinions were biased only by good food, good
service, good prices, and ambiance.
The
restaurant, at the Lucayan Marina
Village has typically been very good and if you’re staying there, keep it high
on your list, if only for convenience. They have a nice location in a beautiful
new setting, and you won’t find any better by running all over town.
Fat Man’s Nephew
in Port Lucaya serves very good cracked conch (about $8) in a “sit-down”
atmosphere. If your looking for more than just good food, this is the place to
go. The prices are only slightly higher than the “local” places, yet they
really haven’t hit tourist prices
yet! Unfortunately, you usually
have to stand in line to be seated-and I literally
mean stand. If you go to the bar to
wait, you lose your turn. After three years of enjoying the good food here, I
finally realized that this proprietor is actually the nephew of the man who
previously ran Fat Man’s down near the refinery.
Now that was really
a local place. Only a curtain separated the bar from the family living quarters!
You actually had dinner in a room of their house.
The original Fat Man’s was closed after Fat Man’s death, but his nephew
carries on in a fine tradition!
I believe I can say without hesitation, that the best seafood platter on
the island is at Pier One (352-6674), near the entrance to the commercial harbor.
Entrees ranged from $15-$25, but are worth it, if that is within your
budget. The restaurant sits on pilings and has a beautiful view of the harbor,
the Gulf Stream and the sunset. The
taxi fare one-way from the Lucayan Marina Village is about $18-$20, but we
negotiated a $25 round trip fare and our taxi driver just waited for us. This
makes the dinner a little expensive, so you might try to plan this for a day
when you’ve rented a car to do some other exploring.
The
Buccaneer Club (348-3794), at Deadman’s Reef is also a long trip
from the marinas, but they do provide courtesy transportation.
The driver gave us a very nice tour and history lesson as we went around
to the hotels to pick up other guests! Entrees run from about $12 for conch or
fish to about $25 for a surf and turf consisting of filet mignon and lobster.
Their steaks are the best I’ve ever had in a Bahamian restaurant. Keep
in mind these prices include the
transportation and a happy hour with complementary rum punch.
They are located on one of the beautiful beaches facing the Gulf Stream,
from which you can experience a fabulous sunset.
If you only have one evening in Freeport, this should be high on your
list of choices, but call early in the day so they have time to arrange your
transportation.
Scorpios
(352-6969) is a little off the tourist path but has in the past offered
excellent local food at competitive prices.
I didn’t make it there this year, but I still consider them on my
recommended list. They are located
about two blocks north and west of the main shopping center in town (not the
International Bazaar). They are
well within walking distance of the last stop on the public bus line.
There is a new Scorpios at
Port Lucaya, which I haven’t tried
The
Stoned Crab (373-1442) on Taino Beach is a perennial favorite of
many locals and tourists alike. The
ambiance is superb and they have a beautiful beach location.
It is a short taxi ride from the Lucayan Marina.
I suppose the cuisine is “continental”.
Even though their food has never been my personal favorite,
I still go back once a year or so. My
recommendation is not intended to sound
mixed, if you are in town for a while, give them a call and ask them to describe
their menu; if you like the way is sounds, you’ll love the way it tastes.
The restaurant at the Radisson
Beach Resort, formerly the Holiday Inn has an excellent buffet breakfast,
which I particularly enjoy on a lazy Sunday morning.
The Britania Pub
(373-5919) is the only food establishment we’ve been able to find which offers
late night service (interpret that as after 2245).
I’ve only eaten there once, so my critique of their menu is somewhat
limited, but the dinners we had were good.
Their menu had the most
variety of any I’ve seen anywhere in the Bahamas.
They had conch chowder, fish, pizza, hamburgers, conch etc. Theoretically they are open until 0200. They are on the north side of Bell Channel Bay, an easy walk
from the Lucayan Marina Village.
Freeport also has a full
complement of fast food restaurants, typically found in the States.
They have a Burger King, McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and
Wendy’s. This might not seem very important as you’re planning a
cruise, anticipating the wonderful taste of conch, fish, and lobster but,
after a steady diet of this, you may need a “hamburger fix”.
You’ll see what I mean if you stay long enough!
I think they put something in the beef which makes us do that.
I’m not even a fast food junkie, but I walked into the Burger King at
Freeport one day and ate three double Whoppers ordering them one at a time
before I could help myself. I’ve
never done that before in my life!
Transportation
Once
you’re docked and adequately fed, you’ll probably want to get around town to
buy provisions or spare parts. You may even want to do some sight seeing or exploring.
Courtesy
transportation.
When you read my section on restaurants, you may have noticed that the
Buccaneer Club offers courtesy transportation.
They are not the only restaurant which offers this service, invest a
quarter to inquire. I also mentioned the courtesy water taxi which runs back and
forth between the Lucayan Beach Resort on the south side of Bell Channel Bay and
the Lucayan Marina resort on the north side of the bay.
This water shuttle operates until midnight every night.
Public Bus.
Freeport has an excellent public bus system, although every effort is
made to keep this from the tourists! If you would like a good laugh, ask one of
the bus drivers why they don’t go to the airport! For 75˘ you can ride the entire route from the Lucayan
Marina, around to Port Lucaya, passing the new Winn-Dixie, into the
International Bazaar, ending near the Post Office.
From the terminus at the Post Office, it is a two block walk to the other
bus line which goes west by the airport, toward High Rock and West End.
This means that for $1.50, round trip, you can go almost anywhere in the
city, except the airport! The
West End Bus does have a bus stop two blocks south of the airport, but don’t
expect anyone to volunteer this information.
The buses run about every
five to fifteen minutes.
Taxis are readily available, most places in Freeport.
Typically a fare from Lucayan Marina to
the airport is $10.40. From Port Lucaya to the airport
expect about $12.00. Either
marina to the International Bazaar should be about $8.00.
The ride from most of Lucaya
to the commercial harbor is about $18 for two or $6/person for four or more.
Rental cars
are more readily available in Freeport than in many of the smaller islands.
You can expect to pay about $55-$60 for a subcompact.
Freeport has some of the best roads in the Bahamas, making this a nice
way to explore some parts of the island. If
you drive east on East Sunrise Highway, you will find High Rock to be as quaint
and picturesque as any of the little settlements in Abaco.
Driving the other direction, you’ll discover Eight Mile Rock.
Don’t forget to drive on the LEFT.
The major rental companies have offices at the airport, Avis also has a
location in Port Lucaya.
Beaches
Freeport
has some of the finest beaches that you’ll find anywhere. Some like those
along the road to West End are deserted, but will require a car or scooter to
get there. Following the road to
West End, just try any of the side roads not marked “private”, and take your
pick. Lucayan
Beach is in front of the Lucayan Beach Resort and the Radisson Beach Resort,
it’s busy but not really crowded and getting there is easy.
Just catch the water taxi from Lucayan Marina, or from Port Lucaya, just
walk across the street. The Xanadu
Beach can be busy like the one at
Lucaya, but is very attractive and is easy to get to if you’re staying at the
Xanadu Marina. Taino Beach and Barbary
Beach, east of town are my favorites, but you need a car to get there.
Diving
If
you like to scuba dive, you should allow a few extra days in Freeport to check
out some of the diving opportunities. There are two diving facilities, UNEXSO
and the Xanadu Dive Center. The
former is located in Port Lucaya, the later in Xanadu Marina.
Both offer numerous dive packages, including a resort course for the
non-diver. This course will permit
the non-diver to get a taste of the sport without investing the time to get
“certified”. Other courses
include beginner and advanced SCUBA.
In
addition to the customary night dives, wreck dives, and cave dives, UNEXSO
offers a shark experience where the experienced divers may observe a shark
feeding frenzy first hand. The
sharks are fed by the experienced dive master.
A Dolphin experience is also available.
Activities
There
are two casinos in town, one at the Princess Hotel adjacent to the
International Bazaar and the other on the beach at the Lucayan Beach Resort.
Shopping is plentiful at International Bazaar, Port Lucaya, and
downtown.
There
are numerous golf courses in the
area.
Sight-seeing should include the Garden of
the Groves, dedicated to Wallace Groves, who founded the authority which
developed Freeport. The garden
located 5 miles east of Freeport consists of 12 acres filled with waterfalls,
flowers, shrubs, trees and a wide variety of birds.
Also located on the property is a museum, filled with the history of this
unusual new city, which is operated under a contract from the government, more
like a private business, than like a municipality.
The
Lucayan National Park is located about 15 miles east of Freeport on
the Grand Bahama Highway. There you will find picnic areas and a nature trail
which takes you past a mangrove swamp and to the entrance of a cave, which is
thought to be the world’s largest unexplored underwater cavern. Allow at least
an hour or two in order to fully enjoy this attraction. Rand Memorial Center, five minutes east of Freeport on East
Settler’s Way is a 100-acre memorial to James H. Rand. The former president of
Spery-Rand invented the telephone dial system and later moved to Freeport where
he lived aboard his yacht. He
founded the Grand Bahama Clinic, the name was later changed to bear his
name--the Rand Memorial Clinic. Hydro Flora Gardens is a garden of dense tropical foliage, flowers
and fruit trees.
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