Ocean Cay
{{Short description|Private resort island and marine reserve in the Bahamas}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Ocean Cay
| image_name = Image:Ocean Cay overview from the south direction (March 12, 2024).jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Ocean Cay overview from the south, Lighthouse Bay in view (March 2024).
| image_alt =
| island_type = Cay
| location = Atlantic Ocean
| map = Bahamas
| map_caption = The location of Ocean Cay within the Bahamas
| area_sqmi =
| coordinates = {{coord|25.4209|-79.2055|region:BS_type:isle|display=title,inline}}
| archipelago = Lucayan Archipelago
| country = Bahamas
| population =
| population_as_of =
| timezone1 = EST
| utc_offset1 = -5
| timezone1_DST = EDT
| utc_offset1_DST = -4
| iso_code = BS-BI
|area_km2=0.42
|area_ha=42
}}
Ocean Cay is an island in the Bahamas located in the district of Bimini. It is located 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Bimini proper. Ocean Cay is an artificial island which was built by dredging in the late 1960s by Dillingham Construction of Hawaii {{cite web|url=https://islandsbydesign.com/projects/ocean-cay/|title=Ocean Cay|work=Islands by Design|accessdate=5 January 2019}} and was used to mine white oolitic aragonite sand for diverse industrial purposes.{{cite news|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/msc-cruises-breaks-ground-on-ocean-cay-msc-marine-reserve-2017-01-17|title=MSC Cruises Breaks Ground On Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve |work=Marketwatch|date=17 January 2017|accessdate=5 January 2019}} The cay has been redeveloped as a private island called Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve for MSC Cruises.{{cite news|url=https://www.porthole.com/ocean-cay-enters-final-phase-of-construction/|title=Ocean Cay Enters Final Phase of Construction|work=Porthole Cruise|date=8 November 2018|accessdate=5 January 2019}}
History
Ocean Cay is an island that was man-made and created originally for mining aragonite sand. The total size of the island is 42 hectares and the original owners also had dredged the area to allow for deep vessels to dock for the exportation of the sand.{{cite web |last1=Gardner |first1=Elliot |title=Ocean Cay: The World's Biggest Private Cruise Resort Emerges |url=https://www.ship-technology.com/features/featureocean-cay-the-worlds-biggest-private-cruise-resort-emerges-5819076/ |website=Ship Technology |publisher=Verdict Media Limited |access-date=18 April 2023}}
Restoration
When Dillingham Construction abandoned the island, the cay fell into a state of decay. In 2015, the executive chairman of MSC Cruise line, Pierfrancesco Vago, signed a 100-year lease agreement with the Bahamian government to redevelop the island into a new resort for the cruise line. The cruise line planned to spend $200 million on the project.{{cite web |last1=Arlene Satchell |first1=Arlene |title=MSC Cruises plans $200 million private Bahamian island |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-msc-cruises-ocean-cay-island-20151217-story.html |website=Sun-Sentinel.com |publisher=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |access-date=18 April 2023}}
The restoration would involve removing all of the abandoned mining facilities and infrastructure. A 3-part documentary film series entitled Building Paradise Island by director James Redgate documented the cleanup of the island, the conservation leading to marine reserve status, and the building of a new resort from the ground up.{{cite web |last1=Redgate |first1=James |title=Building Paradise Island |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12650984/?ref_=ttep_ep_tt |access-date=18 April 2023 |website=IMDB}}
Beaches
The island has eight beaches, including Lighthouse Bay, North Beach, South Beach, Bimini Beach, areas near the lagoon, and a beach reserved for employees. Each beach has at least one lifeguard on duty when the beach is open.{{cite web |last1=Faust |first1=Chris Gray |title=Everything You Need to Know About Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises' Private Island |url=https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=6798 |website=Cruise Critic |publisher=The Independent Traveler, Inc. |access-date=18 April 2023}}
Gallery
{{Gallery
| title = Gallery of Ocean Cay
| noborder = yes
| align = center
| footer =
| style =
| state =
| height =
| width =
| captionstyle =
| File:Ocean Cay village & marina shopping area, east shore, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (November 11, 2021).jpg
| View from a cruise ship overlooking the island with the marina to the right.
| alt1=
| File:Lighthouse Bay, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Bahamas (December 31, 2019).jpg
| Man-made lagoon in the center of the island.
| alt2=
| File:Lighthouse at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (March 12, 2024) 01.jpg
| The lighthouse is open to visitors on the island, and LED lights are integrated throughout the structure for visual light shows.
| alt3=
|File:Small decorated wooden boat at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (March 12, 2024) 0.jpg
| Small decorated wooden boat
| alt4=
|File:MSC Seaside docked at Ocean Cay.jpg
| MSC Seaside docked
| alt5=
}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons}}
- {{official|https://www.mscoceancay.com/en-us}}
- [https://tubitv.com/series/300009129/building-paradise-island Building Paradise Island (Tubi, Free Stream)]
Category:Private islands of the Bahamas