|
 GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND'S PREMIER RESORT, RESIDENTIAL AND MARINA COMMUNITY RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD Old Bahama Bay is the first in the Bahamas to qualify for the internationally- renown Blue Flag Award promoting environmental conservation West End, Grand Bahama Island – Old Bahama Bay, Grand Bahama Island's premier 49-room resort, residential and marina community received the prestigious environmental Blue Flag award from the Foundation for Environmental Education during an award ceremony at the Marina at Old Bahama Bay on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005. The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental international organization consisting of members from thirty countries in Europe, Africa, and America. The Blue Flag certification program is among one of FEE's environmental missions. The Blue Flag is a voluntary and exclusive eco-label awarded to beaches and marinas that have met the FEE's strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management and safety and service. The Blue Flag was created in Europe in 1987 as an educational program to work towards sustainable development at beaches and marinas. The success of the campaign lead the FEE to expand as a global organization and in 2004, 2,333 beaches and 605 marinas were awarded the Blue Flag. As the first official port-of-entry to the island, Old Bahama Bay is one of the first marinas in the Caribbean to receive the environmental accolade. Over the past year and half the marina has strived to complete the required phases of the certification process in order to receive the award. Peter Watson, dockmaster for the marina, spearheaded the certification program for Old Bahama Bay. “We are excited to have the opportunity to be the first to fly the Blue Flag in the Bahamas,” says Watson. “The Blue Flag recognizes that Old Bahama Bay is doing all that it can to ensure that our beaches and marinas are kept environmentally safe.” Since 1987, the Blue Flag Campaign has increased the number of Blue Flags awarded, however, the criteria required to receive an award has become stricter to maintain the prestigious level of the award. Criteria are continuously updated as needed to keep abreast of new scientific findings, legislation and to keep campaign participants striving for better environmental quality. Old Bahama Bay will officially re-open on March 14, 2005. The property is set to fully resume its resort, marina and recreational operations and will introduce an exciting new line-up of guest “celebrations.” The Marina at Old Bahama Bay is a full-service marina destination with 72 slips situated at the spectacular oceanfront resort. Located only 56 miles from Palm Beach, Florida, the marina is an official Bahamian Port of Entry, providing on-site Bahamian Customs and Immigration to guests. The marina offers state-of-the-art facilities, including a controlling depth of 8 feet at mean low tide and one of the few Bahamian harbors lit for night navigation. For fishing enthusiasts, the marina is within close proximity to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, which is home to marlin, tuna, dolphin and Wahoo providing some of the world's finest deep-sea fishing. |
 |