Letter of congratulations to Karen Bond, winner of the Dive Bimini “Name That Boat” contest, from Guy Harvey and Neal Watson: Karen’s submission, Bimini Blue, won out over several hundred …
Bimini Road Named#1 Underwater Travel Experience By AOL
13 Oct 20105:33 PM
Are the rock formations off the coast of Bimini really part of the Lost City of Atlantis? No one knows for sure, but the dive site is so unique & the mystery so compelling that AOL recently named the Bimini Road as the #1 Underwater Travel Experience. Dive it now with Neal Watson’s Dive Bimini, a Guy Harvey Outpost Dive Center and draw your own conclusions!
Pro team Member
Related Articles
Pro Team
Connect & Follow
Connect & Follow
General
Bon Appetit
Conservation Corner
Dive In
Got Photo
Get Hooked
Outdoor Adventure
SURF-UP
Travel Tips
![](mailto:?subject=Bimini Road Named#1 Underwater Travel Experience By AOL&body=<a href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/diving.htm"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-146" title="Dive Bimini" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/divebiminilogo.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="173" /></a>
Are the rock formations off the coast of <a title="Official Bimini web site" href="http://www.bahamas.com/out-islands/bimini" target="_blank">Bimini</a> really part of the <a title="Wikipedia entry for Atlantis" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis" target="_blank">Lost City of Atlantis</a>? No one knows for sure, but the dive site is so unique & the mystery so compelling that <a title="AOL web site" href="http://www.aol.com" target="_blank">AOL</a> recently named the <a title="Wikipedia entry for the Bimini Road" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimini_Road" target="_blank">Bimini Road</a> as the <a title="AOL's List of the Top Ten Underwater Travel Experiences" href="http://news.travel.aol.com/2010/08/05/top-10-underwater-travel-experiences/" target="_blank">#1 Underwater Travel Experience</a>. Dive it now with <a title="Neal Watson's Dive Bimini web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/diving.htm" target="_blank">Neal Watson's Dive Bimini, a Guy Harvey Outpost Dive Center</a> and draw your own conclusions! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bimini-road-named1-underwater-travel-experience-by-aol/){kind=link}
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/official-letter-of-congratulations-to-dive-biminis-name-that-boat-contest-winner/&media=https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bond-letter11.jpg&description=Official Letter of Congratulations to Dive Bimini’s "Name That Boat" Contest Winner){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Kent Ullberg Visits with GH Outpost at Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show&body=The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is billed as the world's largest boat show, and it certainly lived up to the hype on Friday as huge crowds packed the exhibit areas. The Guy Harvey booth was swamped the entire day, with industry pros and Average Joes alike extending their well-wishes and congratulations on the reopening of the Bimini Big Game Club.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/flbs-kentullberg.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-233" title="Kent Ullberg and friends at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/flbs-kentullberg.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="224" /></a>
One of the many industry celebrities that passed through to visit with the Guy Harvey Outpost team was famed sculptor Kent Ullberg, who delighted fans of the BBGC with his tale of how he came to select a swordfish for display in front of the IGFA HQ in Dania Beach, and how the sculpture came to be cast in stainless steel rather than the traditional bronze.
Kent originally won the job after the IGFA conducted a worldwide search for the right artist and design. Kent's concept was inspired by memories of catching swordfish from his family's commercial fishing boat in his native Sweden, a selection that also fit well within the scope of the IGFA due to the swordfish's iconic stature in big game fishing. The IGFA's architect wanted the sculpture to match the stainless steel exterior of the building, but the technology for casting in stainless steel didn't exist at that time. However, Kent rose to the challenge, figured out the correct process, and is now considered the world's leading expert on casting in stainless steel.
Kent's talents will again be put on display when he designs the Lerner Trophy, a perpetual award that will be given each year at the Bimini Big Game Club's blue marlin tournament, an annual event that will kick off this coming May 18th. Stay tuned for more details. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/kent-ullberg-visits-with-gh-outpost-at-ft-lauderdale-boat-show/){kind=link}
 Bait Box for Sailfish&body=<img class=" size-medium wp-image-3352 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/1916104_202726822733_7371996_n.jpg?w=300" alt="1916104_202726822733_7371996_n" width="300" height="200" />By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost Staff Writer
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
Miami-based charter fishing captain extraordinaire Ray Rosher -- a Guy Harvey Outpost Outfitter--didn't reach the top of the industry by following the leads of others. Rosher-- whose teams have won top honors in just about every billfish tournament circuit from South Florida to the Bahamas, to the Caribbean and beyond--is an innovator who's not afraid to try something unorthodox to reign atop the fleet.
"Don't be afraid to try new techniques," he advised. "I've had more success doing things a little unconventional."
With sailfish season hitting its stride along the Florida east coast and Keys, captains and anglers might want to consider changing things up from their usual practices.
For example, Rosher says, many fishermen believe that the only consistent method of catching and releasing sailfish between Miami and Jupiter is to drift waters with a drastic color change-- usually 80 to 200 feet deep-- using live bait on kites-- typically goggle eyes (big-eye scad); threadfin herring; or sardines.
But Rosher said winning tournaments in the Pacific waters of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico taught him a thing or two about the effectiveness of dead-baiting.
Trolling a dead bally hoo on a spinning outfit behind a Mylar dredge, Rosher has enjoyed days of multiple hook-ups amid a fleet of live-baiters off Miami.
"That stuff about 'they won't eat dead bait when there's live bait around' is baloney," he said. "Don't get pigeonholed thinking you have to catch sailfish in Miami on a live bait."
Referring to his dredge/dead bait set-up, Rosher said, "I don't care what [sailfish] think it is when they're five feet away. It's too late; he's got a bait swimming by him and he eats it."
The captain points out that live baiting for sailfish generally works well between Jupiter and Miami because of steeper, narrower bottom contours that funnel the fish through predictable corridors as they feed into the northbound Gulf Stream current. In the Stuart-Fort Pierce area, he said, trolling dead baits is preferable because the gradually-sloping bottom necessitates covering lots of ground to locate fish.
In the Keys where waters tend to be clearer and calmer and currents less consistent, fishermen look for showers of bally hoo being harassed by sailfish near shallow reefs such as Conch Reef and American Shoal.
"Fish that might be out in 100 feet of water come into the reef to feed," Rosher said.
The 2015-16 sailfish season has been a roller coaster ride so far, ranging from days where it's difficult to get a bite to double-digit releases. The onset of cold fronts to the north usually propels pods of sailfish south.
And if this year is anything like past sailfish seasons, Rosher predicts a consistent push of fish into South Florida and the Keys well into May.
BOOK YOUR OWN SAILFISH CHARTERS with Guy Harvey Outpost Outfitter Capt. Ray Rosher by calling GHO Reservations at 800.513.5257, or email sales@guyharveyoutpost.com.
*****************
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
**********
Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/thinking-outside-the-live-bait-box-for-sailfish-2/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Happy 4th of July!&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/709.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1369" title=""Sail America" - Guy Harvey" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/709.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="676" /></a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/happy-4th-of-july/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Mako: Your Ultimate Dive in Isla Mujeres&body=
You're standing in an underwater cage only about three feet below the ocean's surface, breathing from a hookah when, suddenly, a streamlined, 600-pound torpedo armed with lots of teeth comes shooting by. Then, without warning, it does a 180 and swims straight toward you. What do you do?
If you are Dr. Guy Harvey--marine scientist, artist and conservationist--or cinematographer George Schellenger, or one of the many guests who've chartered the Keen M Blue Water fleet in Isla Mujeres, Mexico over the past decade, you thank your lucky stars for this opportunity to observe the shortfin mako shark up close.
"It was cool," Harvey said after a trip last year. "Most of them are really interactive. You have a fantastic opportunity to film mako sharks."
Then, after your dive, if you're not ready to say goodbye to the fastest sharks in the ocean, Keen M owner/operator Captain Anthony Mendillo will take you on a catch-and-release fishing excursion. Trolling with lures and natural baits will usually result in a hook-up, and if you keep alert, you can snap a photo or video clip of a mako breaching the surface.
"A lot of adrenaline," Mendillo noted.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/makocage.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4523" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/makocage.jpg" alt="makocage" width="960" height="539" /></a>
The mild Caribbean waters off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula are the prime destination for mako catching and diving between mid-March and early May. Harvey plans to be back there for about two weeks in April when he and Mendillo and scientists from the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University will try to implant some makos with satellite tags in their dorsal fins. These SPOT tags transmit the shark's location to a satellite whenever the fin pops above the surface. That movement data is then downloaded to computers at the institute near Fort Lauderdale where researchers post it online at the <a href="http://cnso.nova.edu/sharktracking/">GHRI shark tracking web site</a>. Mendillo built a special mobile platform on the stern of his boat so the sharks can be tagged in the water-- minimizing stress on the animals.
Harvey and colleagues Mahmood Shivji, Jeremy Vaudo, Michael Byrne, and Brad Wetherbee recently published a first-of-its-kind research study on 26 shortfin makos that they tagged and tracked for up to two years in the Western North Atlantic and the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The sharks-- tagged and released off Isla Mujeres and Ocean City, Md. -- travelled through the waters of 17 nations where at least seven were harvested by commercial fishers. The scientists warned that makos-- prized commercially for their meat and fins and recreationally for their fish-ability--may be at higher risk of being overfished than previous conventional tagging studies suggest.
Harvey and his colleagues recommended a "cautionary interpretation of past stock assessments" of the shortfin mako and the need for close cooperation among Western North Atlantic nations to devise "regionally and seasonally-specific management strategies"-- in other words, not taking a one-size-fits-all approach to conserving the species.
To book your adventure interacting with makos go to <a href="http://www.GHOExpeditions.com">www.GHOExpeditions.com</a> or call the Outpost Travel Desk at 800-513-5257. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/mako-your-ultimate-dive-in-isla-mujeres/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Red Hot Blue Marlin with Guy Harvey Outpost&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/duncanbrakeburningmarlin.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2061" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/duncanbrakeburningmarlin.jpg?w=300" alt="All Lit Up!" width="469" height="308" /></a>
Artist Bobby Little’s Burning Marlin sculpture at <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">Guy Harvey Outpost’s</a> Bimini Beach Bash Bonfire & Tournament. Above, Duncan Brake’s photograph captures the marlin in full furry. The event marked Guy Harvey Outpost’s return to Bimini after two years of growth around Florida, the Bahamas and Beyond. <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/bimini-bahamas/bimini-sands-bimini.html">Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, a Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Lodge</a> hosted the three day event.
Barefoot skydivers from Island Extreme Adventures kicked things off, landing on the beach in front of the Infinity Pool. There was scuba diving with the legendary Neal Watson, fabulous food and ace fishermen. Captain Bouncer Smith, recently honored at the IGFA as a “Legendary Captain,” and young Victor Bermudez the event’s Top Angler teamed up to take top honors in the fishing tournament.
Stay tuned for more photos and details or check the latest on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost">Outpost Facebook page</a>.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/red-hot-blue-marlin-with-guy-harvey-outpost/#more-2060" class="more-link">(more…)</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/red-hot-blue-marlin-with-guy-harvey-outpost/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=World’s Largest Spear Fishing Tournament to be Held in St. Petersburg&body=By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost Travel Journalist
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
As many as 400 spear fishers from throughout Florida and the U.S. will gather in St. Petersburg Aug. 19-21 for the St. Pete Open-- the world's largest underwater hunting contest and one of the beach's biggest parties of the year.
Spearos will compete on scuba gear or simply dive down holding their breath using pole spear, Hawaiian sling, or spear gun to try to bag the biggest fish in each of seven categories. At stake are some $50,000 worth of prizes and trophies to be awarded at a huge public weigh-in party at the Magnuson Marina Cove Hotel & Resort.
"It's one day of intensive, bust-your-bottom spear fishing. Dive, dive, dive!" said Charlie Barnes, president of the St. Petersburg Underwater Club, which is putting on the contest for the 51st year. "We love the competition. We love the camaraderie and it's the biggest party in town."
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/22449399003_8ec1ba2817_b-e1471009118288.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4188" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/22449399003_8ec1ba2817_b-e1471009118288.jpg" alt="22449399003_8ec1ba2817_b" width="599" height="400" /></a>
Divers will fan out in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean hunting for mongo specimens in the categories of grouper; snapper; pelagic; hogfish; cobia/barracuda; lobster (hand-caught only; no spears); and sheepshead. New this year is a prize sub-category for lionfish. The tournament has no boundaries; however competitors must be in the weigh-in line by 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 20. Late comers will be disqualified.
Barnes, a veteran spear fisher himself, said the best strategy is to shoot fish in each of the categories, since only one fish per category can be entered. He said it's common for contestants to run 50 miles offshore to their hot spots, diving as deep as 200 feet in the hunt for big fish. Competitors must abide by all state and local fisheries laws, such as bag and size limits and closed seasons.
Entry fee is $100 per diver. Less than 300 slots remain open, so go <a href="http://www.StPeteUnderwaterClub.com" target="_blank">HERE</a> to register now!
For great deals from Guy Harvey Outpost, including the 'Suite Summer Saver Deal' at Guy Harvey Outpost in St. Pete Beach, visit our <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/specials/" target="_blank">SPECIALS PAGE</a> now!
**************
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
**********
Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/worlds-largest-spear-fishing-tournament-to-be-held-on-st-pete-beach/){kind=link}
TRAVEL DESK : 800.513.5257
Connect & Follow