Submitted by Barefoot Marketing
Pictured at arrival on the cay are (left to right) Minister Kenneth Russell, MP for High Rock, Paul R. Vahldiek and Sonja Engelhorn owners of Deep Water Cay, Prime Minister Ingraham, Richard Zundritsch, owner of Deep Water Cay and Dana Dribben, General Manager at Deep Water Cay. (Photo courtesy of Erik J. Russell for Barefoot Marketing)
DEEP WATER CAY, Grand Bahama - The Right Honourable Prime Minster Hubert Ingraham spent Friday afternoon at the revamped Deep Water Cay resort, in east Grand Bahama. His visit and tour was to see for himself what is approaching a 10 million dollar investment spent on refurbishing and expanding the original bone fishing lodge there.
“There are many places in The Bahamas that would be envious of having this facility near them,” said Prime Minister Ingraham. “As a small place, this place is employing and providing income for 40 or 45 people - these are the sort of things that we would like to encourage in our Family Islands.”
Prime Minister tours Cay. Prime Minster Ingraham was accompanied to Deep Water Cay by former MP for High Rock, Maurice Moore.
Now under new ownership and management, this exclusive resort is situating itself to be the premier boutique destination in Grand Bahama. “We are thrilled to have the Prime Minister here to see the work we have done,” said Paul Vahldiek, co-owner of Deep Water Cay resort. “We met two years ago to discuss our goals and I am very pleased to be able to show him the investment we have made on this beautiful cay.”
Some of the many improvements made on Deep Water Cay includes accommodation upgrades to seven oceanfront cottages, cell and internet service at the Lodge and Welcome Center and the addition of A.J.’s dockside bar. Several guest homes have been added to the rental pool, thereby increasing the resort’s occupancy to 38 guests. As a convenience for guests and as a protection for the environment, a desalinization and waste water treatment plant has been completed.
Part of the new owners investments include a new Welcome Centre that houses the fly fishing pro shop with fishing clothing, flies, terminal gear as well as logo apparel.(Photo courtesy of Deep Water Cay)
For the avid fisherman Deep Water Cay’s new ownership has purchased ten new Hell's Bay skiffs giving the resort a fleet of fourteen bonefish skiffs. “The old docks and pilings have been replaced by floating docks,” said Dana Dribben, Deep Water Cay General Manger. “Guests have the convenience of simply walking a short distance from their cottage to climb aboard their Hell’s Bay skiff for a day of adventure on the pristine surrounding waters.”
The resort has also built a new Welcome Centre that houses the fly-fishing pro shop with fishing clothing, flies, terminal gear, as well as logo apparel and gifts. In addition to these amenities the resort will now have a fully operational dive shop, with two new 33-foot World Cat boats for scuba diving, reef and blue water fishing.
Local companies Knowles Construction, Care Maintenance and Treasure Coast Development Company, have all been hard at work improving the 50 year old resort employing over 40 Grand Bahamians. Improvements are not finished yet, as the resort has purchased the “Burrows” property near McLean’s Town where they will construct a marina with boat storage, a fuel dock, employee housing and a sustainable garden for the resort as well as the local community.
A.J.’s dockside bar. Deep Water Cay owners also added an after fishing tiki hut, called A.J.'s dockside bar for their guests.(Photo courtesy of Deep Water Cay)
Prime Minister Ingraham gave brief remarks after touring the resort, he noted that, “I came to say to the people of East Grand Bahama, McLean’s Town in particular, that you’ve got some wonderful people here who have invested substantial sums of money, who did what nobody else I know has done before and that is they paid your wages for a long period of time while they did not own the place – they had no obligation to do so; they wanted to demonstrate that they were people with a heart and that they were interested in your welfare and your best interest.”
