Ken,

 

Cat Island is a GREAT place to fly to. We’ve been there several times.

 

If you want to park your plane a few feet from your room, go to Hawk’s Nest http://www.hawks-nest.com/.  It has a 3,100 ft newly paved private runway.

 

If you’d like a place that’s 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’t walk...we’ve 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.

 

Both Hawk’s 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’ll 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.

 

Speaking of food, both Fernandez and Hawk’s will prepare outstanding meals for you. Often, what is on the menu depends of what was caught that day. Seafood just don’t get no fresher.

 

Hawk’s 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’re looking for commercial tourist attractions, shopping, night clubs, crowds or Hilton Hotels. If, however, you’re 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 ‘em).

 

Leave your tux at home. There is nothing on Cat that requires anything more than shorts and tee shirt. It’s about as low key as you can get.  If you haven’t been before be sure to learn to speak Bahamian. “Cay” is pronounced exactly the same as that little piece of metal that you use to open your door, not with hay. “Kalik”, pronounced almost like “click”  is the local beer and '”mon” is an adult male human.

 

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%20validation.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’s (can’t remember). Tie downs are available at Hawk’s but I don’t 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