The Paradise Is Mine company offers investors seeking oceanfront property tremendous real estate values and opportunities compared to other Caribbean locales. “Who wouldn’t want to live on Rum Cay? It is magnificent. What an incredibly beautiful place.”

Miami Beach, FL (PRWEB) August 20, 2009 — Fresh off the heels of running the fastest 100 meters in the history of the world, posting a record time of 9.58 seconds, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt acquires real estate on the Bahamas island of Rum Cay.

“Who wouldn’t want to live on Rum Cay? It is magnificent. What an incredibly beautiful place.” – Bolt beamed. In what seemingly is becoming a trend, Bolt joins Carl Lewis, the US Olympic icon and once “the fastest man in the world”, as the second world record holder to acquire land on this blissful Bahamian island.

Rum Cay, located just 345 miles southeast of Miami, is becoming a haven for athletes, entertainers and celebrities who hail from all corners of the world. An island with just over 100 inhabitants boasts two of the fastest men ever. Willis Harding, of Sunshine Realty states, “Of all the places in the world, I am amazed how many famous people are gravitating to Rum Cay. This place truly has something magical about it.”

The island is 35 square miles in size and is a second home to two world record holders and Olympic superstars. Both athletes have land in the Paradise Is Mine development of the island which provides the most spectacular vistas within the Caribbean. “Usain Bolt is now one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. For him to choose Rum Cay as his corner of paradise speaks volumes about the island. He could live anywhere he wants and he chose Rum Cay.” – states Seth Kaufman, broker for Turnberry International Realty in Aventura, Florida. Turnberry International Realty markets Rum Cay within the USA for Bahamian Realtors. Turnberry is responsible for bringing Bolt to the island and is becoming a recognized resource for celebrity clients throughout the Americas.

“Rum Cay is a great place to relax. Just looking at the pictures is enough to put your mind at ease.” states Bolt. One of the first things Bolt did after setting his recent world record in Berlin is close the transaction for the property on this Caribbean paradise. Given the current number of international luminaries flocking to buy property within the Paradise Is Mine section of Rum Cay, the island is truly expanding its reputation as the “Undiscovered jewel of the Caribbean.” Kaufman went on to remark, “Its amazing how much notoriety this island is gaining so quickly.”

Usain Bolt is now one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. For him to choose Rum Cay as his corner of paradise speaks volumes about the island. He could live anywhere he wants and he chose Rum Cay. This place truly has something magical about it.

Sources:

PRWeb
eMediaWire
Reality News Now

Annuals are Hardy and Thrive in our Soil

Annuals are plants that grow, flower, produce seeds and die in one growing season. The quickest way to enjoy your garden filled with flowers is to purchase young annuals from your local nursery and set them out in your garden.

The following annual plants are hardy and will thrive very well in our soil.

Marigolds: There are two sizes of these plants — dwarfs which are eight inches high and giants, with large blooms and reach a height of four feet. They should be planted at least 12 inches apart and in full sun. Marigolds it is noted, have pest repellent qualities.

Zinnias: Grow to heights of two to three feet and should be planted at least 12 inches apart. The flowers are often referred as “cut-and-come again” and are excellent as cut flowers for your home or office. They should be planted in full sun.

Balsam: These plants consist of white or pink flowers, and should be planted in the shade. They grow to a height of eight to 24 inches.

Nasturtium: A delightful and fragrant flower to grow for picking and use in salads. These flowers require some shade during these hot summer months. The vinegrows from four to 14 inches in length.

Sweet Alyssum: Ideal for hanging baskets or as an edging flower. They grow to a height of three to 12 inches. The plants begin to bloom in six weeks, producing white, pink or purple flowers.

Petunia: In order to have masses of flowers all season, purchase plants from your local nursery. For the greatest show in your garden, get one color only and place them in a sunny place — 12 inches apart.

Sunflowers: Grow to a height of six to eight feet. The flower center provides seeds for the birds that thrive in your garden.

Verbena: These plants require full sun and should be spaced six to 12 inches apart. Plants can be obtained in pink, white red, lavender and salmon colors and are ideal as cut flowers for your home or office.

Biennials: Have a two-year plant cycle. During the first year, they produce leaves and the next year they flower beautifully and then die. Some of the favorites in this group of plants that give an abundance of flowers and color in your garden are Sweet William (Dianthus) which provide clusters of bright blossoms on six to 24-inch plants in various colors. Canterbury Bells, an unusual plant that is often called the “cup and saucer bell flower” because of the shape of its blooms, which grows to a height of four feet, with flowers which may be white, purple or pink; and Foxglove, one of the most stately of all flowers with spines reaching a height of five to eight feet tall. This plant grows best in shade and has tubular flowers in purple, white and yellow flowers which hang down like bells.

Planting guide for July

Flowers: Aster, cosmos, gaillardia, marigold, portulaca, periwinkle, salvia.

Vegetables: Celery, collards, eggplant, okra, pepper, spinach, turnip.

Grasses: Bahia, Bermuda

For help with garden problems, write to Garden Korner, P.O. Box N-3011, Nassau

Sources:

The Nassau Guardian

The Ministry of Transport and Aviation recently signed a $2,244,526 agreement with the leading provider of solar powered lights, Carmanah Technology Corporation, for the wireless controlled solar led lighting systems.

The airports that have been identified for the new lighting system are Colonial Hill, Crooked Island and Spring Point, Acklins; Staniel Cay, Black Point and Farmer’s Cay, Exuma; Congo Town and Mangrove Cay, Andros; Deadman’s Cay, Long Island; Sandy Point and Moore’s Island, Abaco; New Bight, Cat Island; Port Nelson, Rum Cay; Duncan Town, Ragged Island; Great Inagua; Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands and South Bimini.

Sources: Cipore.org

For more information about Rum Cay Airport: http://www.rumcayairport.com

The wayward manatee is stuck there now, far from home and the fresh water and plentiful vegetation she needs. But thanks to her Gainesville-area connections, she is being cared for and may be brought back home.

Dan and Donna Vernon of Archer were at their Rum Cay vacation home when some excited islanders called them on Monday to come look at the rare sight of a manatee in the Bahamas.

“Our original thought was that this cannot be, this is impossible. We thought it must be a beached whale. We went down and sure enough it was a manatee,” said Don Vernon, a retired veterinarian. “My first thought was, boy it looks bad. It was right on the top with its back out of the water, barely moving, and it really did not look very healthy.”

The Vernons began making calls. They got in touch with the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, which has an aquarium. They got in touch with Florida’s Save the Manatee Club, the Bahamian government and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

And eventually they came in contact with James Reid, who happens to be in Gainesville. Reid is a biologist and manatee expert with the U.S. Geological Survey who works out of a Gainesville office.

Reid compared photographs of Crusoe – named by Rum Cay residents after the literary castaway Robinson Crusoe – with those in a database of Florida manatees. From scars on her back, Reid was able to determine Crusoe is really RB-50. The name comes from one of her frequent haunts – a Florida Power & Light plant on the Intercoastal Waterway at Riviera Beach in Palm Beach County.

“It’s a female that I had photographed many winters down at Riviera Beach. She’s an adult, could be in the 10-foot range. She has been photographed at Riviera Beach as far back as 1980, so that puts her at 29 or 30-plus years given she was an adult at that time,” Reid said.

“Rum Cay is quite far afield,” Reid said. “It’s close to San Salvador. It is the opposite side of the Bahamas, which makes this interesting. She is certainly underweight, but appears to be alert. We expect her poor nutritional state is a result of a prolonged oceanic drift.”

Florida manatees in the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico stay close to shore. In winter they move into warmer water in springs or near power plants, which discharge warm water.

It’s uncommon, but not unheard of, for them to end up in the Caribbean basin. Reid said a few have been found in the Bahamas – one has been living there for 10 years. One was fairly recently found in Cuba.

In many cases they have been identified as manatees from Florida, Reid said. Some are left where they are, while some are captured and returned, depending on their location and condition.

“The big concern for the Bahamas is the absence of fresh water in many of the areas. If you look at distribution of manatees worldwide, they seek out and live in close proximity to fresh water,” Reid said. “They drink fresh water. Although they may be able to metabolize some water from food, manatees essentially don’t live anywhere where there is absolutely no fresh water.”

Reid said the manatees are not intentionally heading to the Caribbean.

Young “naive” manatees released from captivity have been documented to stray into open water, perhaps because they have not had moms to teach them to stay close to shore. Adults may get caught in currents, possibly from hurricanes, and end up in the Caribbean.

Vernon said people on Rum Cay have been providing fresh water to Crusoe at a dock. He said she spends most of the day munching on seagrass in the shallows, then returns to a small marina in the evening.

Reid said Crusoe was last seen in Florida in winter 2006, adding she had a calf at that time. Efforts are under way to try to capture Crusoe and return her to Florida, but neither Vernon nor Reid are certain that will happen.

“We’re hearing there is a very good chance they are going to rescue this animal. They told us there is not enough seagrass here to sustain her. This animal has to eat over 100 pounds of seagrass a day, and there is just not enough of it growing,” Vernon said. “I can imagine it’s a very costly thing to rescue the manatee. I imagine it would be many thousands of dollars.”

Florida has intensive efforts to protect manatees, including the creation of reserves, no-wake zones in certain waterways and other measures.

Reid said Florida manatee numbers have increased over the years but he added they still face continued pressure from boat strikes, red tide, changes in habitat and other dangers.

“Manatees have really adapted a lot in their behavior to be in close proximity to people and have even used our canals and our dredged waterways and all of the exotic plants to their benefit,” Reid said. “They are working real hard to live with us. People need to work a little harder to live with them.”

Rum Cay Aerial Photo courtesy of Billy Davis’ Gallery.

Miami Beach, FL (PRWEB) March 23, 2009 — Owning real estate in the Bahamas is becoming a hedge against the declining U.S. economy. As property values drop in the U.S. and in other Caribbean destinations, real estate in the Bahamas has been insulated from this economic free fall.

The Bahamas, long known as an offshore banking haven, provides many tax advantages and incentives for foreign real estate buyers. There are no income taxes, corporate taxes or capital gains tax in the Bahamas other than a nominal transfer tax when purchasing real estate. Bahamas real estate continues to increase in value, as thousands of Americans, Latin Americans, Europeans and Asians are discovering that this sub-tropical heaven is amongst the best places to buy investment real estate.

The “Family Islands”, located in the southeastern corner of The Bahamas in particular are amongst the best real estate values in the Caribbean. Rum Cay, Bahamas, located just one hour from Miami, is an extremely affordable alternative for those seeking oceanfront property. Paradise Is Mine, provider of the island’s prime real estate, is currently experiencing a land rush from celebrities and professional athletes alike looking for second homes. The Bahamian government has recently enacted legislation making it easier for foreigners to become permanent Bahamian residents; a bonus for foreign investors as well.

The Bahamas’ second largest economy is based on foreigner buyers who purchase second homes. The sagging global economy has not affected Bahamian real estate as much as it has other market sectors.

Fallout from the U.S. real estate market has had little effect on the real estate values on Rum Cay. Ted Rover, Sales Director of Paradise Is Mine, which markets oceanfront lots in the Bahamas questions, “Where else can you get an acre on the ocean for $250,000? This is an investment that can be seen as having great value, while having the added benefit of being enjoyable to own. When is the last time your son or your wife enjoyed playing with a stock certificate or an IRA? Especially one that may be dropping significantly in value.”

The proximity of the Bahamas to the United States and Central and South America is attracting real estate investors from far and wide. European investors seeking oceanfront property are also finding Rum Cay to live up to its moniker as the “Unspoiled jewel of the Caribbean.” The Bahamas and Rum Cay offer real estate investors and people seeking oceanfront property a significant value compared to the United States or other Caribbean locales.

Paradise Is Mine provides investment incentives for qualified buyers wishing to purchase on the island. When seeing Rum Cay for the first time its pristine natural beauty sets it apart as a one of a kind location with the splendor and magnificence of Hawaii just off the coast of South Florida.

The influx of celebrities on Rum Cay is on a parallel course to what Harbor Island experienced within the last 5 years as Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Shakira, Michael Jordan and other A-Lister’s made the Bahamas their destination of choice for second homes. Celebrities and non-celebrities are finding significant real estate treasures in the Bahamas even amidst the uncertainty and volatility in other world markets. This factor further validates the Bahamas as an excellent hedge against external economic conditions.

Paradise Is Mine
1-888-RUM-CAY-8
Ted Rover
www.ParadiseIsMine.net

Media Contact:
Paradise Is Mine
Ted Rover
1-888-786-2298

Sources:

PR Web

‘Not Your Average Beach Shot’
Southern Boating Touts Rum Cay as ‘Breathtaking’

Southern Boating conducts April Swimsuit issue photo shoot in Rum Cay as Montana Holdings Ltd, manager of the Sumner Point Marina, villas and Out of the Blue restaurant played host to the entourage.

Rum Cay, Bahamas – Robb Hanrahan confessed – the seasoned videographer was on assignment to shoot tanned and toned stunners for a swimsuit spread when he realized there was something different about this gig. He couldn’t take his eyes off — the scenery.

“It was breathtaking,” he said. “When you are shooting video and you’ve got the models who are as pretty as the models we took down to Rum Cay and you’re having a hard time focusing on the models because the scenery is so breathtaking, it says a lot,” said Harnahan.

A senior editor at Southern Boating magazine, Hanrahan was one of a contingent of models, photographers, make-up artists and producers who flew to Rum Cay in the Southeastern Bahamas for the magazine’s much-anticipated annual swimsuit issue. Though this was the first video shoot, Hanrahan’s photographed it before, but he’s never been as taken with a set as he was with Rum Cay.

“You don’t see this kind of scenery in The Bahamas. Pretty beaches, good light, palms, yes. Most of the time you just follow the light. But this was different. It was so dramatic, primitive yet breathtaking. It had some of the most remote, beautiful locations I have ever seen and every part was different. White cliffs on one side of the island, caves on another, then you’d cross over and there were salt flats. Everywhere you went it was amazing, dramatic and wherever you were, you felt like you left the real world behind.”

Rum Cay Beach Photos from Billy Davis Gallery

Under management of Montana Holdings Ltd, the Sumner Point Marina, villas and Out of the Blue restaurant played host to the entourage with locals and Montana Holdings representatives “treating us like special family guests.” Sky Limo provided airline service and the Ministry of Tourism partnered in the shoot because of the excellent exposure for The Bahamas.

The group toured the island and moved from backdrop to backdrop by SUV, golf cart, truck, buggy, whatever was needed to get from flats to cliffs to caves and back again.

“Getting around was even different and the hospitality was unbelievable. Everybody made you feel like you were part of a family,” said Hanrahan, who had one more confession – being distracted, for once, by the scenery didn’t bother his wife one bit.

“It was not your average beach shot,” says Hanrahan.

The Southern Boating swimsuit issue will be on stands April 1. The editors were so taken with Rum Cay they’ve planned a feature on the island. That will appear in May.

The Bahamas Weekly

Bahama Islands Info.com

Bahamians name a street in honor of it’s newest resident NFL superstar Ray Lewis. The honor is bestowed on Lewis in recognition for his exemplary professional football career spanning the last 13 years. Paradise Is Mine, a global real estate market maker, provides residents who have achieved success within their respective professional careers the ability to purchase oceanfront property in a tropical paradise with the opportunity to have a street named in their honor.

The first place I would look would be on the beach at the end of 52 Lewis Lane.

Nassau, Bahamas (PRWEB) March 15, 2009 — Imagine lounging the day away on a virgin Caribbean oceanfront paradise sipping a tropical elixir and basking in the warm Bahamian breeze. While gazing carelessly across a beautiful tropical abyss a beach sign reading Ray Lewis Rapids belonging to NFL Superstar Ray Lewis is situated in front of his ocean front property located on 52 Lewis Lane.

The Paradise Is Mine development on the beautiful Bahamian island of Rum Cay, pronounced Rum Key, offers just that. Recognized by many as being one of the most picturesque locales on Rum Cay and in the Caribbean, Paradise Is Mine provides land for sale with a unique twist. When purchasing an oceanfront property the company names a street after the buyer complete with the number of his or her choice. Rum Cay, roughly 32 square miles in size, is slightly larger than Manhattan and is just 45 minutes from Miami. The Paradise Is Mine company has made available choice oceanfront land on Rum Cay to real estate investors wanting second homes. Paradise Is Mine has agreed as part of this process to name the streets and beaches after the first residents.

Those purchasing property on Rum Cay will not be the first however. This untouched paradise was first visited by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and was inhabited by Pirates from the 1700s to the 1800’s. The romantic monikers Rum Cay and Paradise Is Mine perfectly describe this island which is known as the “Unspoiled Jewel of the Caribbean.”

“Paradise Is Mine lets people get their own corner of paradise before anyone else,” Ray Lewis said. “If an untouched Caribbean paradise is what you want then Rum Cay is ideal. It definitely is for me. There are no shopping malls, crowded streets or bazaars with tourists. This is a place to kick back and forget about the world on your very own beach and on your street with no one to bother you. It’s definitely a place to get away and relax,” Lewis went on to say.

Rum Cay’s picturesque coconut groves, crescent shaped harbors and white sandy beaches provide a perfect environment to relax and recharge away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world.

“I am not sure if the real pirates who lived here ever had a chance to get a street named after themselves? But if you play for the Buccaneers or the Raiders it’s now possible,” Lewis joked. There are a number of celebrities and professional athletes who are making Rum Cay their home. Some are choosing to have streets named after themselves and some buyers have elected to remain completely anonymous. “You don’t have to be a celebrity to have a street or a beach named in your honor. You just have to want to live in paradise,” stated Ted Rover, the company’s Director of Operations.

After a long NFL season, if somebody is looking for Ray Lewis, they may be able to find him fishing barefoot in his back yard at the end of the street named in his honor. He could have his feet in the sand on Ray Lewis Rapids fishing in one of the worlds most fertile fishing spots. Billy Davis, the Rum Cay local who brokered the deal to bring Lewis to the island, recently labeled him “Rum Cay Ray.” When asked where you would you find Rum Cay Ray? Davis responded, “The first place I would look would be on the beach at the end of 52 Lewis Lane.”

To read the original Press Release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/03/prweb2231994.htm

Recently the Ty Dewi and crew visited Rum Cay and Conception Islands, their blog mentions their experiences during their stay:

Picture a three mile long curving beach of the finest powdery sand. Turquoise water laps at the shore, palm trees overhang the beach, a few homes sit tucked back behind the low limestone layers that line the back of the beach. Anchor your yacht a few hundred yards offshore and take the kids to the beach. You have the place to yourself, all day. A half mile walk along the beach and you find the marina, a few small rental villas and a nice bar. Nicely hidden, friendly and welcoming.

Back from the beach is a small network of roads, a couple of stores and some local homes. A small neatly kept white and blue church, a little government building and medical clinic. Perhaps there are three hundred people on the whole island. We are lucky, the weekly mail boat just arrived, bringing fresh fruit and veg so we are able to stock up, at surprisingly reasonable prices for these islands.

We stay for three days, the anchorage isn’t very protected but it’s good enough for us to weather a small front that brings winds from all directions during our stay. Once the wind came back east we set off for Conception Island, an uninhabited national park some twenty miles north west. It’s windy and overcast when we get there, but we pick our way in through a few coral patches and anchor in more crystal clear water, there is just one other boat around and once again we have the most beautiful beach in front of us. Maik and I take the kids for a walk despite the grey weather, and we find a trail through the the other side of the island, just a few hundred yards wide at this point. The Eastern shore is more wild, the soft limestone etched into curves and hollows by the constant nagging of the atlantic waves. The winds also bring flotsam to this shore, the beach is littered with the depressing evidence of our littering of the oceans. Plastic in all forms lines the beach; bottles, buckets, poles, nets, barrels, mouldings from an Audi dashboard (?!), shoes, ropes and much more. One day, when the oil has run out, these beaches will be picked clean for their precious hoard but today, it’s sad to see.

Yet the line of garbage cannot really detract from the stunning beauty and loneliness of the place, it just heightens the contrast between the natural inhabitants of the island and the advanced civilisations to windward….

The next day is much, much nicer – the wind dies and the sun comes out and we walk, swim and just play on the Beach. Gesa and Maik wander off to walk a trail that leads around the east side of the island whilst I look after the kids. It isn’t the toughest childcare duty – they scoot off to the rock pools and spend two hours creating an ‘orphanage’ for snails and hermit crabs. I get a chance to sit and relax and occasionally check that their blonde heads are still visible on the rocks over there.

In the afternoon, we get in the dinghy and go for a big adventure. We motor a mile and a half down the shoreline to a point where the sea creeps inside the island to form a network of shallow creeks and sandflats. Mangroves line the edges and the shallow warm waters are a perfect home for turtles, rays and sharks. The landscape is outstanding, very different from anything else we have seen, and we see many turtles, a few rays and a couple of sharks scooting away from us across the shallows. It’s beautiful, and only the gradually declining sun forces us back to the boat before darkness.

The next day, we snorkel on the reef and the kids continue their snail and crab tending. Just off the beach I see a barracuda in the shallows so get my mask and swim out to have a look. He swims away and I follow, he’s mid sized, about three feet, and nice to watch. I look at the reef fish as I go too, until I look up and note the the barracuda has stopped, turned and started to follow me. Now I know they hardly ever get close to people, but he’s looking mean and I think I’m in his territory. I swim back towards the beach and he follows me. Who’s the boss now?

Later, Maik and I note another dark shape in the shallows, this one is a ten foot long shark cruising around, very neat to see. We also saw a dolphin in the bay, and a group of three maybe dolphins, maybe pilot whales. The range of wildlife at the island was fabulous.

Now it’s time to head on towards Georgetown, where Maik has a flight booked on Saturday and we can restock in a decent sized town which is apparently a mecca for cruising sailors. We’ll enjoy the company and activity for a while, I’m sure, then head on for quieter cays after a few days.

NFL Superstar Ray Lewis Purchases Property in Rum Cay, Bahamas

Miami Beach, Florida – February 05, 2009 – Ray Lewis, former two time NFL defensive player of the year, acquired oceanfront property in the Paradise is Mine development of Rum Cay in the Bahamas. Lewis, a ten time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens and an avid fisherman and sportsman, selected Rum Cay which is famous for its fishing, boasts world record Wahoo, yellow fin tuna, snapper, bonefish and dolphin. Rum Cay provides Lewis the perfect venue to continue to catch dolphins and other fish fresh off the heels of his team’s 27 to 9 victory over the Miami Dolphins in this years NFL playoffs.

Rum Cay, located 345 miles southeast of Miami, is in close proximity to where Lewis played his college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. Rum Cay is a quiet Bahamian island known for its untouched natural beauty, scenic harbors and spectacular oceanfront views. It has earned the moniker as the “Unspoiled jewel of the Bahamas.” The Paradise is Mine lots on the eastern shore of Rum Cay are regarded by many people as one of the prime locations in the Bahamas and the Caribbean for future development. “The principals of Paradise Is Mine even named my street after me, 52 Lewis Lane.”

Lewis states, “Rum Cay is truly a tropical paradise and is a great place for me to kick back and relax after a long NFL season. My corner of paradise is right on the water and it’s very peaceful. I love it.” Lewis, a former Superbowl MVP, recently off his busy schedule of off-season activities plans on building a house on Rum Cay in the near future. “Paradise is Mine couldn’t be more descriptive of my oceanfront lot. There are few places in the world like Rum Cay. It’s quiet, tranquil and very beautiful” Lewis recently stated. Lewis joins former Miami Hurricane running back Chuck Foreman among those who call Rum Cay home.

Download The Original Press Release