BIMINI ATTRACTIONS The Lost City of Atlantis and the Fountain of Youth are forever linked to local legends that are whispered throughout Bimini. Find out whether you think these mysteries are fact or fiction. Lost City of Atlantis In 1968 the discovery of huge limestone blocks off the coast of North Bimini led many to believe that this was once an undersea road to the Lost City of Atlantis. Many divers have examined this half-mile stretch of neatly aligned relics, and everyone seems to have an opinion of what this may, or may not, be. You can get a look for yourself; it is near the shore in only 20 feet of water. For more info, go HERE....... Fountain of Youth The other legend that has forever been linked to Bimini is the Fountain of Youth. Ponce de León was thought to have stopped in Bimini during his search for this mythical fountain in 1513. Bahamians believe he heard about the fountain from Caribe Indians in Puerto Rico. Of course, Ponce de León never did find it—what he did end up finding was Florida. The native stories about the curative spring were related to the mythical land of "Beemeenee", or Bimini, a land of wealth and prosperity located somewhere to the north, possibly in the location of the Bahamas. According to legend, the Spanish heard of Bimini from the Arawaks in Hispaniola, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Sequene, an Arawak chief from Cuba, had purportedly been unable to resist the lure of Bimini and its restorative fountain. He gathered a troup of adventurers and sailed north, never to return. Word spread among Sequene's more optimistic tribesmen that he and his followers had located the Fountain of Youth and were living in Local Author: Ashley Saunders Ashley Saunders is a Bimini born, internationally known author. He is the president of the Bimini Historical Society and vice president of the Bimini Museum. Mr. Saunders received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin and he also did post graduate work at Harvard University in Massachusetts. He holds diplomas in Tourism Education from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). For more info, go HERE....... Local Troubador: Nat Saunders Bimini Museum Compleat Angler Bar A local watering hole, made famous by Ernest Hemingway. Unfortunately, burned down January 2006, also destoying the Hemingway Museum inside. Not known if resurrected. Will update soon. The Healing Hole Although North Bimini is listed as being 7 miles long, only the southern 3 miles is actually inhabitable. The Northern 4 miles is made up of a thin shoreline and an intricate Mangrove Forest. In the mangroves is an elaborate waterway of mangrove creeks. In one of those creeks at the eastern most end of North Bimini is a natural phenomenon known as The Healing Hole. The Healing Hole is a section of the creek that is connected to an underground labyrinth of narrow tunnels. On the out going tide, cold water with a very high mineral content flows out of these tunnels and into the creek. Many people believe that these waters have healing powers. Some believe that the "Healing" is mystical. Others just believe that the minerals themselves have an analgesic effect. If you come to Bimini you can visit the "Healing Hole" and find out for yourself. Trips to the "Healing Hole" can be arranged by BIMINI UNDERSEA on a per person basis. Contact us via e-mail or call 242-347-3089 for more information. The Shark Mounds Also located on the North East end of North Bimini is an area known as The Shark Mounds. These are large sand dune located in the mangrove forest. The sand dunes seem to be in the shape of various animals. The most prominent being a Shark. Other dunes seem to resemble a Sea Horse and a Cat. These dunes are so large that the animal likeness' can only be seen from the air while flying over the island. The likeness of these formations to the animals described is uncanny. The strangest aspect of "The Shark Mounds" is that they appear on very early maps of the island drawn by natives. The maps themselves date back before any natives would have been able to fly over the island! Meaning that some how, these maps were drawn by people who never had the opportunity to actually see the mounds! How did the mounds get there? Who made them? When were they made? How did the early natives draw them on their maps? Food for Thought! The Devils Triangle The parameters of the Devil's Triangle vary depending upon who's map you look at. But regardless of who's map you look at, Bimini sits smack dab in the middle of it. The most infamous story related to the Devil's Triangle is the disappearance of the Squadron of Avenger Aircraft that occurred in the 1940's. The Avengers were on a training flight out of the Naval Air Station on a Sunday afternoon when every single plane disappeared without a trace. The squadron was headed out to do some target practice on the Wreck of the Sapona. The large cement ship that ran aground behind South Bimini during a hurricane in 1927. It is not known whether or not the squadron actually reached the Sapona before encountering their difficulties. The disappearance of the "Lost Squadron" remains to this day, one of aviation's most puzzling mysteries. Beaches Some say Bimini has the most beautiful beaches in the Bahamas. Untouched by pollution, the sand is soft and white, and the crystal clear water is a beautiful shade of blue. Beaches such as Bimini Bay, Porgy Bay and Paradise Point are remote and secluded, perfect for a quiet day in the sun. Norbert Kox: Visonary Artist Part-time Bimini resident, this artist has a very unusual background, as well as producing some very unusual art. He ran with the outcasts of society, became a notorious outlaw biker, and was one of the original Waterloo Outlaws, established in Waterloo, Iowa in the early 60's, as an unsanctioned branch of the one-percenter Outlaws Motorcycle Club. By his thirtieth birthday (1975) he "hit bottom" after a bad drug trip. Kox swore off drugs and alcohol and began living a contemplative life style. A vision was the key factor in turning his thinking towards spiritual matters. He gave away most of his possessions, and became a recluse. For the next ten years he meditated, painted, and lived by himself in the woods near Suring, Wisconsin, where he built a personal chapel and a "Gospel Road" with scripture-based messages leading through the forest. For more info, go HERE....Norbert Kox was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, August 6, 1945, just hours after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. His childhood was a wild ride. By age seventeen he was an alcoholic. He quit high school and joined the army, where he taught himself to paint. After his stint in the service, he continued to drink heavily while working on custom cars and motorcycles for a living. Kox rode a Harley Davidson and built exotic choppers by morphing Harleys with other motorcycles (see the Ariel Davidson: Demon Hunter). He ran with the outcasts of society, became a notorious outlaw biker, and was one of the original Waterloo Outlaws, established in Waterloo, Iowa in the early 60's, as an unsanctioned branch of the one-percenter Outlaws Motorcycle Club. By his thirtieth birthday (1975) he "hit bottom" after a bad drug trip. Kox swore off drugs and alcohol and began living a contemplative life style. A vision was the key factor in turning his thinking towards spiritual matters. He gave away most of his possessions, and became a recluse. For the next ten years he meditated, painted, and lived by himself in the woods near Suring, Wisconsin, where he built a personal chapel and a "Gospel Road" with scripture-based messages leading through the forest. For more info, go HERE...... To see a slideshow of his unusual, Hieronymous Bosch-type paintings, go HERE..................