Romora Bay Marina Opens in Harbour Island
The nation’s top economic engine, tourism, got a welcomed boost this week with the opening of a 40-slip marina, coffee shop and upscale restaurant at Romora Bay Club & Resort in Harbour Island.
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News of the opening came from Bryan Bentley, a director of Bonachella Investments, the company creating a laid-back, villa-style resort on nearly six acres of prime property on one of the hottest destination islands in the region.
“When the first boat pulled in to dock at the marina, a small group ran down the dock, grabbing lines and cheering,” said Bentley. “For so many Bahamians and second home residents on Harbour Island, the sight was welcome relief from constant headlines of the downturn in visitor arrivals. For us, the event was realisation of our dual pledges, re-affirmation of our commitment to develop to appropriate size and scale on Harbour Island, an island which we love, and to exercise care in the safeguarding of the marine environment.”
The Romora Bay marina – with slips available for sale or transient visits — was built without dredging. It will not sell fuel or offer other services that could pose a risk to the delicate balance of the harbour, developers said, and liquid waste will undergo primary and secondary treatment to convert it for irrigation purposes. In addition to a sewage pump-out facility, a special tracing dye is being used to detect any discharge.
By completing the harbour marina without dredging, Bonachella avoided what is normally the greatest threat to the marine environment, according to Bentley.
“Dredging, particularly if it is not coordinated with the outgoing tide, churns up sand and silt that covers coral reefs, damaging fragile life,” he explained. “Fortunately, we were able to complete without dredging because of the depth of the seabed and the design of the docks.” Smaller boats with shallower drafts dock closest to the resort, larger vessels use outer docks sunk on pilings in deeper water. Three Bahamian companies, Islands by Design, CSB Consultants and Bahamas Marine Construction, were involved in the marina project.
According to John Davidson, Vice President of Bonachella Investments, protecting marine resources was paramount.
“That is why we elected not to dredge, not to sell fuel or offer any other marine-related services that could result in any sort of pollution or damage,” said Davidson, a conservation activist whose father was a founder of Bonefish Tarpon Unlimited, an organisation dedicated to protecting tarpon and bonefish in Florida and The Bahamas. “Any country blessed with the marine resources The Bahamas enjoys commands and deserves respect for those resources. We believe that those persons who are interested in purchasing marina slips will share our vision of protection and those who are transient visitors will respect it.”
A condo hotel with 40 villas for sale, each placed with the resort company to manage allowing owners to earn revenue when not in residence, Romora Bay Resort & Club also recently unveiled its new restaurant, Vue, and a coffee and breakfast shop featuring Starbucks products and Bahamian treats.
