Stuart Boat Show, Offers to Get You Boating to the Bahamas, and Marine Tourism

It's hard to believe it's already Stuart Boat Show time! Boy, does time fly when you are promoting tourism! (Gotcha! You expected "when you're drinking rum!")

As we did last year on the opening day of this Treasure Coast tradition, we are broadcasting from the offices of Allied Marine Group, located right in the heart of the show. Expected to draw great crowds of boating, fishing and outdoor enthusiasts, we'll give our listeners an overview of what to see and the line-up of great guests will give the inside scoop on the show and special offerings you won't want to miss.

AllSports Productions and Stuart Boat Show producer Rick Allen will share his thoughts on this year’s show, comparing it to the last several shows. The economy is getting better (they say) and people still want to have boating fun. John Smith, Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast president, will give a marine industry state of affairs update for the Treasure Coast area and share the importance of marine industries to the area's economy. Rozeta Mahboubi, executive director of the Martin County Convention and Visitors Bureau,  certainly understands the importance of marine related tourism to our area. If hotels are places where people sleep, marinas certainly are places where boats sleep. When you look at the numbers, there are probably more boat slips than hotel rooms in Martin County, so a lot of boats (and their owners) sleep in Martin County!

Of course a show would not be a Talkin’ Tourism show if it didn't have a Bahamas angle. Joining us from the Bahamas Tourist Office will be one of our favorite Bahamian ambassador's and a long time friend, Richard Treco. Richard will outline all the special offers available to boaters headed over to the Bahamas.

Then, drilling down to the “island level,” Christopher Pollock, member of the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board and representative of the Bimini Big Game Club, will share some thoughts on what the private tourism sector can do to support the efforts of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

The hour will be action-packed and informative, so hoist your anchor, trim your sails and tune your radio (WPSL 1590 AM) and Internet dials to Talkin' Tourism for a boat-load of information!

Bimini remote highlights and the return of power boat racing on the Treasure Coast

Lindsay Nickerson and Chuck Woodruff, who were on hand
this week to talk about a former Treasure Coast tradition
that is being rebirthed, are joined by Talkin' Tourism co-host
Robin Hicks Connors.

Back in the Sailfish Marina studio, as promised, show hosts Gary Guertin and Robin Hicks-Connors provided a round up on all the activities and cool places enjoyed during last week’s broadcast from Bimini Sands Resort and Marina on South Bimini. From all indications, Robin, Paul, Gary, Misti, Lynne and Joe had a “I want to go back there” weekend.

If you caught the show you know what was Robin’s favorite place for whole fried snapper, whether she truly liked (or loved) Mackey’s Sand Bar, who’s conch salad rated the best (Fabian’s or Bonefish Ebbie’s), what kind of audio-visual equipment can be found at the End of the World Saloon, where is Koko Plums, whether $hanny really gave Misti a genuine Junkanoo hat and a whole lot more! There is lots to learn about the 'Best of Bimini' and it is all right here! If you need a reason for a Bahamian adventure, replay the show and be forewarned, you'll be booking a trip in no time flat!

The main guests this week were American Power Boat Association Hall of Fame Inductee and Jensen Beach resident Chuck “Rookie” Woodruff and Lindsay Nickerson. For those of you that are “short-timers” on the Treasure Coast, Chuck described the great history of the Stuart Sailfish Regatta and the early days of power boat racing in Martin County. Why? Because a vision of  Chuck’s is to reincarnate the Sailfish Regatta to the biggest and baddest powerboat racing event around! Lindsay, gave a precursor of what to expect over the planned two-day event. In addition to world-class, sanctioned powerboat racing, attendees will enjoy live music, children’s activities, food and drink, and more. The best part besides bringing back a Treasure Coast tradition, is that a portion of proceeds will benefit three local non-profits:  the U.S. Sailing Center, the Children’s Museum and the Maritime and Classic Boat Museum. 

Last, but not least, Gary covered the record-setting pace of some of the world’s top sailfish anglers participating in two Treasure Coast tournaments.  The number of sailfish released in only one day of fishing is CRAZY! The Treasure Coast definitely rests in “Sailfish Alley”!

If you missed the show, here's the audio link for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Bimini Rewind and Power Boat Frenzy

If you missed the live broadcast from Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, you missed a great show! Radio Man and History Lady will be definitely doing a rewind of their Bimini New Year’s weekend.  From the End of the World Saloon, fried whole snapper at CJ’s, and fresh Bimini bread delivered by Santa to conch salad and ice cold Kalik’s at Stuart Conch Stand and Ebbie's Bonefish Club, flaming B52's at Mackey's Sand Bar, magic buses, and a wild Junkanoo rushout, you will hear all the details of another great Bahamas remote.

Is there the possibility of a revival of a great Stuart tradition right around the corner?  For Treasure Coast long timers, there are fond memories of the Sailfish Regatta Power Boat Races, which were produced by the SERTOMA Club. This former popular event drew thousands of spectators for over 20 years. Well, it appears that a dedicated group is working hard to bring back this great event. Our guests this week, Jensen Beach resident Chuck “Rookie” Woodruff, a member of the American Power Boat Association’s Hall of Champions, along with event planner Lindsay Nickerson, will unveil plans to bring back the roar of the engines.  Will they be able to pull it off? We will certainly be listening closely to what they have to say.

Talkin’ Tourism’s blog popularity brings lots of incoming tourism related emails from around the globe. Radio Man (a.k.a. show host Gary Guertin) will dig into the email folder and find some of the most interesting and unique tourism tidbits from the mailbag for your tourism edutainment.

See you at 10 a.m. Friday morning! You choose the platform:  WPSL 1590 AM on your radio dial or www.wpsltv.com on your computer.

The perfect location for "Layin' Low in Bimini": Bimini Sands Resort and Marina

The Talkin’ Tourism team was thrilled to be “laying low in Bimini”—the "island in the stream" famous for its crystal-clear waters and abundant marine life—over the New Year’s Weekend. Bimini and Bimini Sands Resort and Marina was the place to be!

Our poolside studio location, overlooking the magical and healing waters of Bimini, could not have been better!  Frank Cooney Sr., president and CEO of Bimini Sands Resort and Marina, led off our great line-up of guests on the show. He shared with listeners the evolution of the resort and the challenges faced after Hurricane Wilma.  A sushi bar (Island Sushi) on the tiny island of South Bimini? Indeed! And the food in the fine cuisine Bimini Twist and the funky Mackey’s Sand Bar (this one complete with a sandy beach floor) under the direction of Chef Edison is Five Star (just ask Robin!). Mackey's Sand Bar is truly a Bimini hot spot, as, is it's sister-bar the outdoor Square Grouper Tiki Bar.

Although we didn't personally experience the Wednesday night Karaoke at Mackey's Sand Bar, this weekly event attracts guests, Biminites, and other Bahamians from South and North Bimini and beyond. And whenever the mood strikes, dancing on the bar here is allowed.

Bimini Big Sand's first class marina, offers fuel services, customs and immigration, a ship's store, free WiFi, golf cart rentals, restaurant, shower and laundry facilities, ice, and has every service and amenity the avid fishermen and boater may need.  The marina's floating docks, freshwater connections, and minimum 8-foot harbour makes this the perfect and comfortable 'home away from home' for any size vessel.

Looking for great eco-excursions? You can find what you are looking for (and more) at Bimini Sands!  Among the great excursions available is a dolphin expedition under the direction of Geoffrey Hanan at Dolphin Expeditions. Geoffrey’s clientele comes from around the globe for this unique adventure. How about great fishing?  Captain Rick Benitez, a Bimini Sands Marina guest, described the great wahoo fishing around the waters of Bimini and he had the photos to prove it.  Representing the Bimini Tourist Office was Antoinette Stuart. As you may know, Bimini is steeped in history. From the adventures of Ernest Hemingway, to the visits of Martin Luther King Jr., Port Royale’s notable resident Adam Clayton Powell and home to Mackey Airlines (which was later sold to Eastern Airlines) founder Joseph C. Mackey, Bimini has a colorful and rich history. Antoinette made the point that Bimini is certainly a destination for lovers of history and culture and the Ministry of Tourism continues to promote the islands famed history in addition to great boating, fishing and diving.  With Bimini so close to the U.S. mainland, it is truly the “Gateway to the Bahamas”.

The show was packed with lots of interesting tidbits, including a few Robin myth-busters, so sit back with a Goombay Smash, Bahama Mama, Kalik or your favorite boat drink and enjoy a mini-vacation to Bimini Sands Resort and Marina compliments of your favorite talk radio tourism show—Talkin’ Tourism! Here's the link to the Bimini Sands broadcast.

And be sure to check out our Bimini New Year's Adventure videos (coming soon) and photo album (below) to see and learn more about this 'Island in the Stream.' There's a mixture of fireworks, Junkanoo, a golf cart ride along Kings Highway on North Bimini, a visit to the Fountain of Youth, a walk through the Bimini Nature Trail (where visitors "Experience the Other Side of Bimini") the annual Burial Society's New Year's Day parade, magic buses, a birthday celebration, lots of local color and characters, and so much more!

Many thanks to Bimini Sands Resort and Marina and the entire Frank Cooney family for hosting the Talkin’ Tourism team for this Bahamian show. The hospitality was genuine, warm and absolutely first-class! WARNING---we will be back!