RickI
Contributor
This is the first installment of a trip report to the new Guy Harvey Rum Cay Outpost in the southeastern Bahamas. Folks were into all sorts of activities beyond diving on this trip, kiting, sky diving, surfing, SUP, so there is a lot of that content in this first writeup. Sorry about that but more diving related stills and video to come. There will also be some interesting stuff from Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island which I dove on a short layover on the way back to Nassau. This is really to introduce a new Outpost and to provide a taste of things on this small island deep in the Bahamian archipelago. In many was Rum Cay reminds me of the Bahamas decades back, which is a good thing. That said, here goes.
TRIP REPORT - Rum Cay Rum Bum Boogie
A group of action sports enthusiasts were invited to participate in a boogie at Rum Cay in the Southeastern Bahamian Islands recently by Jesse Cors of Island Extreme Ventures, jcors@guyharveyoutpostrumcay.com . The event promoted both air and water sports including sky diving, kitesurfing, diving, surfing, fishing, standup paddleboarding and a good deal more.
Rum Cay is in the southeastern Bahamas about 380 miles out from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Nassau is about halfway between the two points and is usually the place where plane changes occur. For larger groups direct charter flight from Nassau to Rum works. In other cases another flight leg from the Exumas, Long Island or San Salvador to Rum connecting from Nassau is necessary.
We stayed at Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina at the southeast portion of Rum Cay. The marina is a man-made basin which serves as a pretty good hurricane hole too.
More about the Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina at Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina, Bahamas Resort
Bobby Little created this out island destination and is shown here with his animal entourage who travel the island and seas with him regularly. I shot a video interview with Bobby about Rum Cay, the operation here, what it has to offer and plans for the place. The interview will be included in the next installment.
Rum Cay is a small island with an even smaller population of 60 full time residents. Our group of 20 equalled a third of the islands population! It is a quiet place, close to and all about the ocean.
A big part of the Rum Bum Boogies is sky diving. Here is a famous Harry Parker image capturing almost the entire island in one photo. Harry is well renown for his startling sky diving images along with other commercial photography exploits and marketing, The Harry Parker | Skydiving Photography and Marketing
A sketch map overlay of a satellite image of the island with points of interest.
Kristyn roams over the nearshore sands in search of conch for the evening meal. Foraging for seafood is a daily afternoon process to provide fresh conch, lobster and fish for dinner.
Speaking of surf, Marcus is ducking under an incoming swell on his way out to the break. Look at that visibility! I shot some nice GoPro video of the guys catching rides, stay tuned for that.
Craig greases one into surface effect over water gliding into the beachside dropzone. He decides to up the degree of difficulty by dismounting his patent "jump" flip-flops along the way. The sun looks on as it slides to the far side of the earth, all is good.
One of many superlative kiting spots, this one on the salt pond just to the north of the resort. Rum Cay's current population is 60, prior to 1920 when the salt works shut down there were over 3000 souls on the island. The salt pond isn't worked anymore, except by folks on their immersion experience of Rum. It is a mighty fine place with nearby Arawak cave drawings to add to the singularity of the experience. It is ok to get mudded and rummed up first of course. More about that to come.
A look at the cut towards to ocean. Life here is as mellow or intense as you like it. Although there is a mandatory happy hour around sunset each day for an island time out.
Some of the cottages at the resort. There are several types of accommodations available from cottages, to rooms to barracks to entire houses. Still more limited accommodations are in development under the new Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina.
Back out to the break, watching the shadow surfers ride overhead.
This place is definitely good for the soul.
Bobby and Rasta prepare the evening meal daily this time aided by Jenny late of Australia. Jenny and Sam are moving around the Caribbean over the next year or so on their sailboat, taking an inside look at this unique waterworld. Foraging for food on the reefs and sand flats for lobster, conch and fish is a daily process here. The folks are expert at it and at preparing the fine repasts to follow.
The Chefs outdo themselves with a multiple course creatively prepared spread fresh from the sea and the crowd likes it!
Dinner passes, night falls and the moon rises as tropic breezes run through the palms around the central lodge. Folks sit around swap stories, plan dives, jumps, kite sessions, sample rums and basically chill out. It can become an addictive lifestyle.
Loading up the pontoon boat for forays to other parts of the island, this time to the salt pond. Some of the crew travels overland via jeep and ATV. Even going point to point can be an adventure here.
The "Rock Steady," the house fishing and dive boat ready to take folks offshore. In many ways, this place reminds me of the Bahamas of decades past. Something that will never return to some of the islands, except perhaps for here. It is well worth experiencing.
On the way north to the salt pond. Rum has exposed limestone cliffs in places breaking up the coast into bays and headlands in spots.
The sun sets on another action packed day in the Out Islands!
There is some amazing diving close by including a drop off to thousands of feet with swim throughs just beyond the marina. They have dive gear, experienced dive masters to show you the undersea wonders surrounding this out island.
Another day at Rum, jumping over Sumner Point and gliding in to land in the resort by the sea. Randy maintains his jump plane here catering to sky divers and students many months out of the year.
Craig paddles in from some SUP fishing on the reef.
Jesse poses underwater with a typically massive spiny lobster off Rum captured with his patent Hawaiian sling-mounted GoPro camera. This sling-cam shot a video of a similar speared monster lobster kicking to the bottom bottom dragging Kristyn his girlfriend down with it. These are some tough downtown bugs, handle with care!
CONTINUED AT Island Paradise Found ... Rum Cay Outpost Trip Report - FKA Kiteboarding Forums
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TRIP REPORT - Rum Cay Rum Bum Boogie
A group of action sports enthusiasts were invited to participate in a boogie at Rum Cay in the Southeastern Bahamian Islands recently by Jesse Cors of Island Extreme Ventures, jcors@guyharveyoutpostrumcay.com . The event promoted both air and water sports including sky diving, kitesurfing, diving, surfing, fishing, standup paddleboarding and a good deal more.
Rum Cay is in the southeastern Bahamas about 380 miles out from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Nassau is about halfway between the two points and is usually the place where plane changes occur. For larger groups direct charter flight from Nassau to Rum works. In other cases another flight leg from the Exumas, Long Island or San Salvador to Rum connecting from Nassau is necessary.
We stayed at Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina at the southeast portion of Rum Cay. The marina is a man-made basin which serves as a pretty good hurricane hole too.
More about the Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina at Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina, Bahamas Resort
Bobby Little created this out island destination and is shown here with his animal entourage who travel the island and seas with him regularly. I shot a video interview with Bobby about Rum Cay, the operation here, what it has to offer and plans for the place. The interview will be included in the next installment.
Rum Cay is a small island with an even smaller population of 60 full time residents. Our group of 20 equalled a third of the islands population! It is a quiet place, close to and all about the ocean.
A big part of the Rum Bum Boogies is sky diving. Here is a famous Harry Parker image capturing almost the entire island in one photo. Harry is well renown for his startling sky diving images along with other commercial photography exploits and marketing, The Harry Parker | Skydiving Photography and Marketing
A sketch map overlay of a satellite image of the island with points of interest.
Kristyn roams over the nearshore sands in search of conch for the evening meal. Foraging for seafood is a daily afternoon process to provide fresh conch, lobster and fish for dinner.
Speaking of surf, Marcus is ducking under an incoming swell on his way out to the break. Look at that visibility! I shot some nice GoPro video of the guys catching rides, stay tuned for that.
Craig greases one into surface effect over water gliding into the beachside dropzone. He decides to up the degree of difficulty by dismounting his patent "jump" flip-flops along the way. The sun looks on as it slides to the far side of the earth, all is good.
One of many superlative kiting spots, this one on the salt pond just to the north of the resort. Rum Cay's current population is 60, prior to 1920 when the salt works shut down there were over 3000 souls on the island. The salt pond isn't worked anymore, except by folks on their immersion experience of Rum. It is a mighty fine place with nearby Arawak cave drawings to add to the singularity of the experience. It is ok to get mudded and rummed up first of course. More about that to come.
A look at the cut towards to ocean. Life here is as mellow or intense as you like it. Although there is a mandatory happy hour around sunset each day for an island time out.
Some of the cottages at the resort. There are several types of accommodations available from cottages, to rooms to barracks to entire houses. Still more limited accommodations are in development under the new Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina.
Back out to the break, watching the shadow surfers ride overhead.
This place is definitely good for the soul.
Bobby and Rasta prepare the evening meal daily this time aided by Jenny late of Australia. Jenny and Sam are moving around the Caribbean over the next year or so on their sailboat, taking an inside look at this unique waterworld. Foraging for food on the reefs and sand flats for lobster, conch and fish is a daily process here. The folks are expert at it and at preparing the fine repasts to follow.
The Chefs outdo themselves with a multiple course creatively prepared spread fresh from the sea and the crowd likes it!
Dinner passes, night falls and the moon rises as tropic breezes run through the palms around the central lodge. Folks sit around swap stories, plan dives, jumps, kite sessions, sample rums and basically chill out. It can become an addictive lifestyle.
Loading up the pontoon boat for forays to other parts of the island, this time to the salt pond. Some of the crew travels overland via jeep and ATV. Even going point to point can be an adventure here.
The "Rock Steady," the house fishing and dive boat ready to take folks offshore. In many ways, this place reminds me of the Bahamas of decades past. Something that will never return to some of the islands, except perhaps for here. It is well worth experiencing.
On the way north to the salt pond. Rum has exposed limestone cliffs in places breaking up the coast into bays and headlands in spots.
The sun sets on another action packed day in the Out Islands!
There is some amazing diving close by including a drop off to thousands of feet with swim throughs just beyond the marina. They have dive gear, experienced dive masters to show you the undersea wonders surrounding this out island.
Another day at Rum, jumping over Sumner Point and gliding in to land in the resort by the sea. Randy maintains his jump plane here catering to sky divers and students many months out of the year.
Craig paddles in from some SUP fishing on the reef.
Jesse poses underwater with a typically massive spiny lobster off Rum captured with his patent Hawaiian sling-mounted GoPro camera. This sling-cam shot a video of a similar speared monster lobster kicking to the bottom bottom dragging Kristyn his girlfriend down with it. These are some tough downtown bugs, handle with care!
CONTINUED AT Island Paradise Found ... Rum Cay Outpost Trip Report - FKA Kiteboarding Forums
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