Helicopter Charter from West Palm Beach

Bimini lies right at the edge of the Gulf Stream, a low island with a marina, a few streets and the nurse sharks that gather in the shallows. It is the nearest Bahamian shore to this coast. Seventy two nautical miles from downtown West Palm Beach. North Bimini carries its own port of entry, so the helicopter clears there and the day begins where the boats are. Miami lies 49 nautical miles from the island, so a party staying there takes the shorter crossing, written out on the Miami to Bimini helicopter page. The island has its own Bimini page.

Grand Bahama is large enough to fill a day: lunch around Port Lucaya Marketplace, evening music at Count Basie Square, the fish fry on Taino Beach. The flight to it is among the shortest of the Bahamas crossings. Seventy four nautical miles. Grand Bahama International is an airport of entry with customs on the field, so the first landing clears there and the rest of the day belongs to the party. It works as a half day or a long weekend, and a morning departure leaves the afternoon for the harbour. The crossing is written out on the Miami to Freeport helicopter page, the island on the Grand Bahama page.

Walker's Cay is the most northerly point of the Bahamas. Under a hundred acres of land sit inside their own barrier reef and a national park, and sport fishing has been its trade since the 1930s. The marina has reopened. Ninety five nautical miles. Walker's Cay is itself a port of entry, with customs on the island by invitation and appointment only, so the clearance is arranged before the date. Divers come for the reef and the sharks and anglers for the water around it, and the island suits a short remote day better than a long one. See the Walker's Cay page.

Treasure Cay offers a long beach, a marina and a golf course on Great Abaco. Green Turtle Cay is a small settlement over the water that you reach by boat, and both are entered the same way. One hundred and forty three nautical miles to Treasure Cay and 146 to Green Turtle Cay. Treasure Cay has an airfield seven miles from the beach, and the first landing in the country clears at a port of entry before the party carries on. A night on the cay suits it better than a day. Each has a page, Treasure Cay and Green Turtle Cay, and the crossings are written out on the Miami to Treasure Cay and Miami to Green Turtle Cay pages.

Most of the Abacos is reached through Marsh Harbour, which has the harbour, the ferry landings and the Sea of Abaco on its doorstep. Twenty minutes across that water, Hope Town keeps a striped lighthouse from 1863 that is still run by hand. One hundred and sixty one nautical miles to Marsh Harbour and 167 to Hope Town. Marsh Harbour is a port of entry, so the clearance happens on arrival and the cays are minutes beyond it. A night in Hope Town turns the ferry into the easy part of the plan. See Marsh Harbour and Hope Town, or the crossing on the Miami to Marsh Harbour helicopter page.

Nassau gives a mixed party two days in one: the harbour front, its streets and restaurants, and the resorts of Paradise Island across the bridge for those who would rather stay by a pool. One hundred and seventy seven nautical miles. Nassau is a port of entry, so the first landing clears here, and many parties carry on to the Out Islands from this clearing stop. For a mixed party it is the easiest place to split up for the afternoon and meet again for dinner. The crossing is on the Miami to Nassau helicopter page, the city on the Nassau page.

The Keys are the one direction with no Bahamas paperwork at all. A low run over the bridges, the flats and the wrecks, then Old Town at the end of the chain. One hundred and twelve nautical miles to Islamorada and 159 to Key West, with both ends in Florida. From the north end of the coast these are longer days than the Bahamas, and the outer limit is the light and not a customs hour. Many parties fly one way and come home slowly by road or boat. The crossings are on the Miami to Islamorada and Miami to Key West pages, the rest of the chain on the Florida Keys helicopter page.

These seven are the ones asked for first, not the limit. The Berry Islands are 141 nautical miles to Chub Cay and 130 to Great Harbour Cay, North Eleuthera and Harbour Island 196, Staniel Cay in the Exumas 248. Each has its own crossing page, written from Miami: Chub Cay, Great Harbour Cay, Harbour Island and Staniel Cay. The whole list sits on all helicopter routes, and a day that moves between cays is island hopping. Where a runway is the better answer we say so and offer a small plane from West Palm Beach instead.