GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND — There has always been a strong connection between Treasure Coast boaters, anglers and divers and the nearby island nation of the Bahamas.
Its close proximity is a strong selling point — just 68 miles to Grand Bahama Island. Its crystal clear, pristine and warm waters welcome visitors. And the diversity of marine life available to catch, observe, spear, collect and dine on has captured the imaginations of many an outdoors lover. Friendly Bahamians reinforce one’s decision to travel there with an eagerness to please.
The hardest part about traveling there is deciding when to leave.
For Gary Guertin the bond between boaters and the Bahamas has always been a no-brainer.
As host of Talkin’ Tourism — a weekly radio show broadcast each Friday morning on WPSL 1590AM and at WPSL.com — Guertin can be heard championing how easy it is to travel back and forth across the Florida Straits for a tropical paradise getaway.
Last week, Guertin and wife, Misti, traveled with the Knapp family of Palm City aboard their 42-foot Sea Ray to Grand Bahama Island. For the fourth time in the show’s history, Guertin broadcast the show live from the Bahamas out of Port Lucaya Marina.
“It was a great trip,” said Guertin. “Cruising at 20 knots we made it from St. Lucie Inlet to Bell Channel at Grand Bahama in five hours.”
In stints as general manager at two Stuart marinas and as past president of Martin County’s Tourist Development Council, Guertin has worked since 1995 to develop a close working relationship between the Treasure Coast and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. The effort has resulted in Guertin achieving recognition by the Bahamian government to designate area marinas as launch points for “Boating Flings,” a program that promotes travel by groups of boaters from Florida to the Bahamas and back.
This spring, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism designated Sailfish Marina at the gateway to the Manatee Pocket as one of its two Florida launch points. The other is in Fort Lauderdale.
“Boaters can stop by Sailfish Marina and pick up all the forms necessary to prepare their check-in process into the Bahamas,” Guertin said. “You can pick up customs and immigration forms, vessel declaration and passenger manifest forms to get it all done before leaving on a trip.”
