X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:38:18 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from vms173019pub.verizon.net ([206.46.173.19] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.4.3) with ESMTP id 5334508 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:58:52 -0500 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=206.46.173.19; envelope-from=n5zq@verizon.net Received: from p6520y ([unknown] [173.72.178.191]) by vms173019.mailsrvcs.net (Sun Java(tm) System Messaging Server 7u2-7.02 32bit (built Apr 16 2009)) with ESMTPA id <0LX6006QXQ0WUJR0@vms173019.mailsrvcs.net> for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:58:09 -0600 (CST) X-Original-Message-id: From: "Bill Harrelson" X-Original-To: References: In-reply-to: Subject: Re: [LML] Cat Island X-Original-Date: Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:58:03 -0500 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_013D_01CCC956.8BD6C3A0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-priority: Normal Importance: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Windows Live Mail 15.4.3538.513 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V15.4.3538.513 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_013D_01CCC956.8BD6C3A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ken, Cat Island is a GREAT place to fly to. We=E2=80=99ve been there several = times.=20 If you want to park your plane a few feet from your room, go to = Hawk=E2=80=99s Nest http://www.hawks-nest.com/. It has a 3,100 ft newly = paved private runway.=20 If you=E2=80=99d like a place that=E2=80=99s maybe a slight bit more = upscale, land at New Bight and stay at Fernandez Bay = http://www.fernandezbayvillage.com/ . Both places are quite low key as is the case in most of the out islands. = Each has an honor bar that you can grab a beer, mix a drink or select a = bottle of wine and you just make a note in the little bar book. = Fernandez Bay is about a mile from the New Bight airport. You = can=E2=80=99t walk...we=E2=80=99ve tried. What happens is that the first = car that passes stops and insists on taking you to the resort. Cat = Island has the most friendly people in all of the Bahamas.=20 Both Hawk=E2=80=99s and Fernandez offer free bicycles and that are a = great way to see the island. There are plantation ruins, fishing, = snorkeling, kayaking and some caves to see but mostly you=E2=80=99ll = want to hang out on the beach and relax. You can climb to the snow = capped (yeah right) peak of Mt. Alvernia, the highest point in the = Bahamas for a great view (207 feet high!). Near Mt. Alvernia is the = Bluebird restaurant, a very very tiny local hangout with great lunches.=20 Speaking of food, both Fernandez and Hawk=E2=80=99s will prepare = outstanding meals for you. Often, what is on the menu depends of what = was caught that day. Seafood just don=E2=80=99t get no fresher. Hawk=E2=80=99s has indoor bathrooms, Fernandez are open air (thatched = roof, and privacy wall but you can shower under the stars). Actually we = really like this feature of Fernandez. Cat Island, like most of the out islands, is not the place to go if = you=E2=80=99re looking for commercial tourist attractions, shopping, = night clubs, crowds or Hilton Hotels. If, however, you=E2=80=99re = looking to really get away and relax on the beach with a cool drink, = this is your spot. If you are going to be on Cat for a few days you = might consider a day trip to Staniel Cay. An easy walk from the airport = to the yacht club for lunch and maybe take a boat out to Thunderball = Grotto for some exciting snorkeling. You might meet the famous swimming = pigs of Staniel (hint: bring a couple of slices of bread if you want to = make friends with =E2=80=98em).=20 Leave your tux at home. There is nothing on Cat that requires anything = more than shorts and tee shirt. It=E2=80=99s about as low key as you can = get. If you haven=E2=80=99t been before be sure to learn to speak = Bahamian. =E2=80=9CCay=E2=80=9D is pronounced exactly the same as that = little piece of metal that you use to open your door, not with hay. = =E2=80=9CKalik=E2=80=9D, pronounced almost like =E2=80=9Cclick=E2=80=9D = is the local beer and '=E2=80=9Dmon=E2=80=9D is an adult male human.=20 Ft. Pierce is a good choice for departure and arrival...cheap self serve = gas and a good little restaurant right next to customs You are not = required to physically check out of customs when departing the US, just = file an e-APIS. You are, however, required to check out of Bahamian = customs before your return flight as well as again complying with = e-APIS. An international (ICAO) flight plan = http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/FSS/AppendixA.htm is = required going and coming back but for inter-island flights there is no = flight plan requirement. No night VFR in the Bahamas. Since you are = flying an experimental, your operating limitations require you to have = written permission from any other country that you fly to or over. This = is easily solved by downloading a Bahamas Airworthiness Validation at: = http://lancair.net/lists/lml/Message/53222-09-B/bahamas%20experimental%20= validation.pdf/ All you have to do is carry this form in your plane, = nothing to fill out or file...pretty easy. No wi-fi or weather computer at MYCB but there is wi-fi at Fernandez and = probably at Hawk=E2=80=99s (can=E2=80=99t remember). Tie downs are = available at Hawk=E2=80=99s but I don=E2=80=99t remember any at New = Bight although there is ramp space. Both runways are fine, New Bight is = perhaps slightly coarser pavement. Wx in late January should be great in the Bahamas...dry season, no = chance of a hurricane and very little chance of a TRW. Hope this helps, let me know if you need additional info. Have fun. Bill Harrelson N5ZQ 320 2,000 hrs N6ZQ IV under construction From: Ken=20 Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 11:16 AM To: lml@lancaironline.net=20 Subject: [LML] Cat Island The IV-P is taking us to Cat Island (MYCB) in the Bahamas in late = January. I have the general info for e-APIS and plan on departing and = returning to the US at Fort Pierce. I am looking for input from any one who has been to Cat Island = regarding: Airport operations -- Weather computer or WI-FI availability? = Runway condition? Tie down availability? I know there is no fuel on the = island. Anything else that would be good to know? NFF (Non Flying Fun) things to do -- places to go or places to = avoid. Thanks, Ken Kellner IV-P N14LK ------=_NextPart_000_013D_01CCC956.8BD6C3A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Ken,
 
Cat Island is a GREAT place to fly to. We=E2=80=99ve been there = several times.=20
 
If you want to park your plane a few feet from your room, go to = Hawk=E2=80=99s Nest=20 http://www.hawks-nest.com/. = It has a=20 3,100 ft newly paved private runway.
 
If you=E2=80=99d like a place that=E2=80=99s maybe a slight bit = more upscale, land at New=20 Bight and stay at Fernandez Bay http://www.fernandezbayvilla= ge.com/=20 .
 
Both places are quite low key as is the case in most of the out = islands.=20 Each has an honor bar that you can grab a beer, mix a drink or select a = bottle=20 of wine and you just make a note in the little bar book. Fernandez Bay = is about=20 a mile from the New Bight airport. You can=E2=80=99t = walk...we=E2=80=99ve tried. What happens is=20 that the first car that passes stops and insists on taking you to the = resort.=20 Cat Island has the most friendly people in all of the Bahamas.
 
Both Hawk=E2=80=99s and Fernandez offer free bicycles and that are = a great way to=20 see the island. There are plantation ruins, fishing, snorkeling, = kayaking and=20 some caves to see but mostly you=E2=80=99ll want to hang out on the = beach and=20 relax.  You can climb to the snow capped (yeah right) peak of Mt. = Alvernia,=20 the highest point in the Bahamas for a great view (207 feet high!). Near = Mt.=20 Alvernia is the Bluebird restaurant, a very very tiny local hangout with = great=20 lunches.
 
Speaking of food, both Fernandez and Hawk=E2=80=99s will prepare = outstanding meals=20 for you. Often, what is on the menu depends of what was caught that day. = Seafood=20 just don=E2=80=99t get no fresher.
 
Hawk=E2=80=99s has indoor bathrooms, Fernandez are open air = (thatched roof, and=20 privacy wall but you can shower under the stars). Actually we really = like this=20 feature of Fernandez.
 
Cat Island, like most of the out islands, is not the place to go if = you=E2=80=99re=20 looking for commercial tourist attractions, shopping, night clubs, = crowds or=20 Hilton Hotels. If, however, you=E2=80=99re looking to really get away = and relax on the=20 beach with a cool drink, this is your spot. If you are going to be on = Cat for a=20 few days you might consider a day trip to Staniel Cay. An easy walk from = the=20 airport to the yacht club for lunch and maybe take a boat out to = Thunderball=20 Grotto for some exciting snorkeling. You might meet the famous swimming = pigs of=20 Staniel (hint: bring a couple of slices of bread if you want to make = friends=20 with =E2=80=98em).
 
Leave your tux at home. There is nothing on Cat that requires = anything more=20 than shorts and tee shirt. It=E2=80=99s about as low key as you can = get.  If you=20 haven=E2=80=99t been before be sure to learn to speak Bahamian. = =E2=80=9CCay=E2=80=9D is pronounced=20 exactly the same as that little piece of metal that you use to open your = door,=20 not with hay. =E2=80=9CKalik=E2=80=9D, pronounced almost like = =E2=80=9Cclick=E2=80=9D  is the local beer=20 and '=E2=80=9Dmon=E2=80=9D is an adult male human.
 
Ft. Pierce is a good choice for departure and arrival...cheap self = serve=20 gas and a good little restaurant right next to customs  You are not = required to physically check out of customs when departing the US, just = file an=20 e-APIS. You are, however, required to check out of Bahamian customs = before your=20 return flight as well as again complying with e-APIS. An international = (ICAO)=20 flight plan  http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/FSS/AppendixA.htm= =20 is required going and coming back but for inter-island flights there is = no=20 flight plan requirement. No night VFR in the Bahamas. Since you are = flying an=20 experimental, your operating limitations require you to have written = permission=20 from any other country that you fly to or over. This is easily solved by = downloading a Bahamas Airworthiness Validation at: http://lancair.net/lists/lml/Message/53222-09-B/= bahamas%20experimental%20validation.pdf/ =20 All you have to do is carry this form in your plane, nothing to fill out = or=20 file...pretty easy.
 
No wi-fi or weather computer at MYCB but there is wi-fi at = Fernandez and=20 probably at Hawk=E2=80=99s (can=E2=80=99t remember). Tie downs are = available at Hawk=E2=80=99s but I=20 don=E2=80=99t remember any at New Bight although there is ramp space. = Both runways are=20 fine, New Bight is perhaps slightly coarser pavement.
 
Wx in late January should be great in the Bahamas...dry season, no = chance=20 of a hurricane and very little chance of a TRW.
 
Hope this helps, let me know if you need additional info. Have = fun.
 
Bill Harrelson
N5ZQ 320 2,000 hrs
N6ZQ  IV under construction
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
From: Ken
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 11:16 AM
Subject: [LML] Cat Island
 
The IV-P is taking us to Cat Island (MYCB) in the Bahamas in late=20 January.  I have the general info for e-APIS and plan on departing = and=20 returning to the US at Fort Pierce.
 
I am looking for input from any one who has been to Cat Island=20 regarding:
 
    Airport operations -- Weather computer or WI-FI=20 availability?  Runway condition?  Tie down availability? I = know there=20 is no fuel on the island.  Anything else that would be good to = know?
 
    NFF (Non Flying Fun) things to do --  = places to go=20 or places to avoid.
 
Thanks,
 
Ken Kellner
IV-P   N14LK
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