IT’S SAD, SO SAD

March 20, 2012  Dateline: Port Lucaya, Grand Bahama, Bahamas

The purpose of this posting is not to knock the Bahamas or any place we visited.   It is a statement on how the US ecomony effects the rest of the world, in particular those countries that are dependent on the US for Tourism.  The Bahamas are not to be missed.  Port Lucaya, Nassau, Chub Cay, Great Harbor, and Bimini are great places to visit.

I am giving Rich the opportunity to write today’s posting as not much happened in my world.

For the past several years, The United States has suffered through some tough times with high un and underemployment.  One forgets the impact that those tough times have on the rest of the world.  When Carol and I were here on Election Day in 2008, there was great enthusiasm for The United States new president and what he was going to do for his country and therefore the positive impact those actions would have on the Bahamas.

Fast forward almost four years later and the Bahamas are feeling a worse impact than the States.  Each island that we visited has many property developments that were started but have not been finished.  There are empty buildings, closed and abandoned hotels, half complete marinas, never completed casinos as well as private dwellings that were stopped as some stage of completion.

The only area that seemed to be impacted to a small degree was Nassau.  The Atlantis was full---but that marina does not want boats under 50 feet.  The marina at Atlantis is the place to back your mega yacht into its slip, have dinner on the aft deck and be seen by all the people walking by.  On the other hand the hotels there were not very full and this was during Spring Break.

Port Lucaya seems to have been very adversely impacted by the slowdown.  One major hotel closed down, completely.  Another has stripped a number of rooms so that they are now see-through.  The marina is in a state of disrepair.  Shops are shuttered all around the area.  Even the casino is lacking customers.

On Great Harbour Cay abandoned buildings were burned so squatters would not occupy them.  The marina had few boats in it and the staff was hoping that the rest of the season would pick up.  The 9 hole golf course was in a state of neglect and the club house was not open.

At Bimini Bay Marina and Resort 90% of the slips were empty.  Real Estate development has stopped other than contracted homes.  The Casino is not going to be completed, the resort restaurants were barely open, and of course the business was limited.  Again the shops at the marina village were closed.

All in all it is sad very sad. But nevertheless, we’re having great time!