Rum Cay, Bahamas Trip Report

ricki · Since 30 Jun 2006 26 Posts

Sunset kiting off Rum Cay, life doesn't get much better than this!

A group of action sports enthusiasts were invited to participate in a boogie at Rum Cay in the Southeastern Bahamian Islands recently by Jesse Cors of Island Extreme Ventures, jcors@guyharveyoutpostrumcay.com . The event promoted both air and water sports including sky diving, kitesurfing, diving, surfing, fishing, standup paddleboarding and a good deal more.

Rum Cay is in the Central Bahamas about 380 miles east of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Nassau is about halfway between the two points and is usually the place where plane changes occur. For larger groups direct charter flight from Nassau to Rum works. In other cases another flight leg from the Exumas, Long Island or San Salvador to Rum connecting from Nassau is necessary.

We stayed at Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina at the southeast portion of Rum Cay. The marina is a man-made basin which serves as a pretty good hurricane hole too.

More about the Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina at http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/the-destinations/bahamas/rum-cay.html

Bobby Little created this out island destination and is shown here with his animal entourage who travel the island and seas with him regularly. I shot a video interview with Bobby about Rum Cay, the operation here, what it has to offer and plans for the place. The interview will be included in the next installment.

Rum Cay is a small island with an even smaller population of 60 full time residents. Our group of 20 equalled a third of the islands population! It is a quiet place, close to and all about the ocean.

A big part of the Rum Bum Boogies is sky diving. Here is a famous Harry Parker image capturing almost the entire island in one photo. Harry is well renown for his startling sky diving images along with other commercial photography exploits and marketing, http://theharryparker.com/

All images not marked were provided by Jesse Cors on behalf of Rum Cay Outpost Club & Marina. Sky diving, kiting, diving, surfing and other action sports are facilitated on Rum by Island Extreme Ventures.

Our Bahamian adventure started early with several participants in the boogie car pooling to FLL for the flight out to Nassau in the Bahamas.

A sketch map overlay of a satellite image of the island with points of interest.

Kristyn roams over the nearshore sands in search of conch for the evening meal. Foraging for seafood is a daily afternoon process to provide fresh conch, lobster and fish for dinner.

Our morning self-checkin with some distinctive luggage at Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. The fare from JetBlue was surprising reasonable for roundtrip to Nassau in the Bahamas.

We all have a job to do on Rum, for most it is taking as much pleasure as possible for the simple joys of the place. Visitors immerse, literally in ocean pursuits, fishing, diving, kiting, SUP, surfing, cliff diving, sky diving, exploring and just savoring life on island time.

Our intrepid Rum Bum Boogie crew collecting on the tarmac at NAS to board the Pineapple Air plan for the trip from Nassau to Rum Cay. These folks are well traveled and experienced in the finer side of life be it hurtling towards the surface at 120 mph, throwing themselves skyward from a wave ala kite to paddling into some fine surfing swells.

Speaking of surf, Marcus is ducking under an incoming swell on his way out to the break. Look at that visibility! I shot some nice GoPro video of the guys catching rides, stay tuned for that.

About a half hour later we're on the ground at Rum, unloading and getting ready to travel to the Outpost, our digs for the Boogie.

Craig greases one into surface effect over water gliding into the beachside dropzone. He decides to up the degree of difficulty by dismounting his patent "jump" flip-flops along the way. The sun looks on as it slides to the far side of the earth, all is good.

Chris mounts his ride to the Rum Cay Outpost Club, one of the trusty ATV's that provide ready transport over the island.

One of many superlative kiting spots, this one on the salt pond just to the north of the resort. Rum Cay's current population is 60, prior to 1920 when the salt works shut down there were over 3000 souls on the island. The salt pond isn't worked anymore, except by folks on their immersion experience of Rum. It is a mighty fine place with nearby Arawak cave drawings to add to the singularity of the experience. It is ok to get mudded and rummed up first of course. More about that to come.

The rest of us mount up for the run to the Outpost. I understand they used to do this with massive land tortoises (not really). I understand these guys moved on to the Galapagos a while back. So, the trailer works well in their absence.

Arriving at the Outpost.

A look at the cut towards to ocean. Life here is as mellow or intense as you like it. Although there is a mandatory happy hour around sunset each day for an island time out.

Kiting upwind against the current in the cut to the salt pond, walking over the iron shore to launch into the ocean and making through swells breaking over exposed coral reef made this part interesting. That and along with all Bobby's big shark stories for this area. Fun times!

CONTINUED ** HERE **

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wydahokiter · Since 12 Jul 2011 26 Posts

here is a pic of a man of a Bull shark in the basin right where you guys were using as a landing zone at sunset.im sure you have met them by now.

wydahokiter · Since 12 Jul 2011 26 Posts

anyhow,spent some time on Rum and would love to join you guys sometime.

toddjb · Since 16 Oct 2007 271 Posts MD Obsessed

Great pics and report. Thanks for sharing, Rick!
Makes me want to plan a trip there.

1surfer · Mon Jan 30, 12 3:09 pm **Rum**

Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:07 pm Rum
I kited Rum a ton starting in 99/2000 until about 2007. Good friends with Bobby. Built a couple of those houses. Also named several of the spots that you probably rode.

Its one of the coolest place to kite in the world !!!!!
The surf is pretty good to ....( was there when disco's got named but that is another story )

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4910 Posts Portland Unstrapped

1surfer · Mon Jan 30, 12 5:53 pm **Sharks**

Part of that is because Bobby thinks its cute to feed the sharks in the marina. The other side is not as bad.

Could become popular but there is some serious political issues on the island. Not everyone loves Bobby. Im not saying anything bad, just that he has been the center of a LOT of controversy.

Had many a good time with Bobby and the Rum crew however in about 2006 or so everything changed in a big way.

A lot of the old crew wont come there any more.

I still think it is some of the best kiting in the world and surf too.