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Published: February 10th 2008
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Dawn and Mike
Cruising friends from Maine, wintering in Long Island. We finally left Georgetown, after being in the same spot for nearly six weeks. We headed south to Long Island and have spent the last week and a half there. Yesterday we arrived back in George Town, and are awaiting my 2 sisters arriving today for a short 5 day visit.
Long Island is to the south and east of Exuma and is 78 miles long. It is becoming the southeastern mecca for boats cruising in the Bahamas. With good harbours and many modern facilities and services near decent anchorages, it is a “must see” while you are here. Already boasting several classy resorts, like Cape Santa Maria Beach resort, and 2 great marinas the island is beginning to be developed. The resort housing development of Stella Maris, on the East side of the island is affordable, and one that many of us could see ourselves in, if we chose a land life. Also Cape Santa Maria is the first land sighting of Christopher Columbus in America, and there is a monument to celebrate the spot where he landed. One of the things that stands out as you tour Long Island by car, is the pride people take in keeping
their homes in such good shape.
After leaving George Town, we went first to Salt Pond Thompson Bay, probably the most popular anchorage in Long Island. Our sailing friends Mike and Dawn Arbo now have a house in Thompson Bay, and had promised to show us the island. They also have a car, and were able to take us on a land tour of the entire island. While we were in Long Island, Mike and Dawn were great friends, introduced us to their island friends, and we thank them for their fantastic hospitality.
The first thing you notice about Long Island is that it is much more prosperous than many of the other islands we have visited. The houses are well kept , and very modern. Employment is very good here and the people that live here are very hard working. There is good agriculture, fishing is a big industry, and with all the building of homes and resorts, there are lots of jobs in construction. Sharon even found a hair salon, in Thompson Bay and was able to get a hair cut.
Our first day there, we went on a beach tour, to some of
the remote beaches. There is lots of beach combing to be done on these beaches, as not many people visit them. The bad news is that at some of the beaches there is a great deal of old plastic that has washed up on these beautiful beaches, and sure takes away from their pristine white sand and turquoise blue water. Apparently much of it is washed across from Dominican Republic and Haiti. On the positive side we found some great shells, and 50 sea beans. Normally we are lucky to find one sea bean on a beach walk.
During the next few days we went as far south as Clarencetown, and as far north as Cape Santa Maria in the car, and were fortunate to see pretty well all of the island by car. We were particularly impressed with Cape Santa Maria. It was a German sponsored development, started many years ago with paved roads, electricity, restaurants, tennis club , beach club, airpost and many other services. The coastal portion has been developed but back from the roads, the lots havn’t been sold and are quite overgrown. We’ve seen this a few times in the Bahamas, where the developments
Sea Beans to be found
Unfortunately a lot of plastic litters the beaches. seem to fizzle half way through completion, and then start to redevelop several years later. To the north, is Calabash Bay, with it’s beautiful semi circular white sand beach. The first class resort here is nice but very expensive.
As we were getting ready to leave Thompson Bay, we heard that there was a sailboat race being held from George Town to Thompson Bay, so we decided to hang around until the race boats arrived. After the boats arrived, they all had a dinner at the Thompson Bay Inn, and we got to visit with some friends from George Town. We had sampled the great Bahamian food from Thompson Bay Inn, the previous night.
The following day we left and headed up the west coast of Long Island . We did some snorkeling off of Hog Cay, then spent the night anchored in Calabash Bay. Yesterday we headed back to George Town, and had a nice sail back. We caught a Barracuda, on the way home, but unfortunately, no fish we wanted to keep.
So,…. We are back in George Town awaiting the arrival of my sisters. After that we hope to head for Conception or Cat
Island, for a few days. It’s hard to believe we’ve been gone for 7 months, and only have 3 more months before we return home. In a couple of weeks our daughter Dawn, her husband Paul, and our Granddaughter Ella arrive for a visit. We can hardly wait to see them, and especially to see Ella, as from the pictures, she has really grown.
We are going to leave the boat in St. Marys Georgia, for the summer, and found a great boatyard there. That’s still 3 months away, we are in paradise here, and life is great!
Take Care
Sharon and Doug
Aboard SV About Time
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Garry & Yola Grant
non-member comment
greetings from Down Under
Hi Guys Read your last blog with great interest. Glad to see that you .got some new water under the hull and the beaches look beautiful. Yola and I are on a visit to Australia and N.Z. First went to Melbourne and Hobart and visited some of the marinas there. Then flew Wellington and now in Auckland. Meeting some friends from Ottawa and then we are doing a car tour with them of the North Island. Great to be back in N.Z. again, what a wonderful country. Am sure that the rest of your winter will go well and stay in touch,. Garry and Yola Grant "Liberte'"