Blue Lagoon Island: A Short Boat Ride Away!

Visitors to Blue Lagoon Island have no shortage of amazing activities from which to choose. On any given day, guests may decide to snorkel or SCUBA dive, go deep sea fishing, or enjoy a Bahamas dolphin encounter. Regardless of what’s on the itinerary, guests begin their Blue Lagoon journey the same way: by heading to the Paradise Island ferry dock. The anticipation builds as guests scan the azure waters for one of the Blue Lagoon’s six passenger ferries that will whisk them away to paradise.

At the helm of those boats is Capt. Martin Miller. For the past 13 years, Miller has led a team of conscientious crew members. Safety is the team’s foremost focus, followed by their second priority: ensuring that passengers enjoy every second of the roughly 22-minute boat ride to the lagoon and its attractions. While it’s true that the ferry ride probably will not be the most memorable event of most passengers’ days, it is far more than a water taxi ride.

From the moment they board the boat, Capt. Miller and his amicable crew strive to set the mood for the fun to follow when the boat docks at Blue Lagoon Island. With the backdrop of soft calypso music, passengers file board via the gangway (with plenty of assistance from crew members to ensure that everyone boards safely.) Each ferry is equipped with restrooms and a refreshment stand where passengers can purchase a snack or beverage to enjoy during the journey. Once passengers have settled into their seats, a crew member instructs them on the boat’s safety features, explains where life jackets are located, and briefs them on emergency protocol.

As the boat heads toward Blue Lagoon Island, passengers have front-row seats to some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. They’ll cruise past Paradise Island’s Versailles Gardens, the vision of A&P Supermarket heir and Paradise Island founder Huntington Hartford. The gardens (also called The Cloisters) features huge 13th-century columns shipped to the island from France. In the distance lagoon-goers will see The Ocean Club, a world-class resort and golf club where some of the world’s wealthiest come to play.

As the ferry chugs on, it passes a large home rumored to be where Elvis Presley preferred to stay while visiting the island. Next, they’ll be able to peer down into the water for a glimpse of what locals call the sea gardens. Underwater plants and different depths combine to create a kaleidoscope effect of colors when viewed from above. As the ferry approaches the lagoon, it passes picturesque Sandy Cay, which elicits a common question: “Is that where “Gilligan’s Island” was filmed?” The answer is “no,” but the cay is a dead ringer for the set of the popular 1960s show.

Shortly after passing Sandy Cay, the ferry arrives at the Blue Lagoon Island dock where it’s greeted by team members ready to escort guests to their Bahamas dolphin encounter, snorkeling trip, water sports excursion, or whatever else may be on the day’s agenda.