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On the Girl's Banks
Eleuthera means "freedom"...
Well, I just got back from a weekend in Harbour Island in Eleuthera, Bahamas. My Bahamian buddy Jason was my travel companion. The adventure began with our flight Saturday morning...we arrived at the airport 10 minutes before departure because my alarm did not go off! We were checked-in and put on the plane--only in the Bahamas!!! That would have NEVER happened in ATL.
Bahamas Air flies from Nassau into the North Eleuthera Airport (there are 3 airports on Eleuthera). From there, you can take a $4 one-way taxi cab (5 minutes) to the water taxi which is $4 one-way (approx 10 minutes) to Harbour Island. Harbour Island is off the northeast tip of Eleuthera and was originally settled by Eleuthrian Adventurers (religious dissidents) who were shipwrecked on the Devils Backbone, a ragged shallow reef that has claimed hundreds of ships. Dunmore Town, Harbour Island was originally the capital of the Bahamas and is one of the oldest settlements. Harbour Island is 3-miles long and one mile wide, small enough for walking, or you can rent a golf cart. The locals call it "Briland" (say Harbour Island fast 5 times). The beaches are PINK (a result of conch shells turned to
The Pink Sands of Harbour Island
I've still got pink sand in my shoes... sand) and IMMACULATE and there are very few people enjoying them. The water is crystal clear and a mix of deep blues. I can see why the Travel Channel named this as one of the Top 10 Beaches in the world. You can pick your own spot in the pink sand and not be near another person for 1/4 mile. Also, there is horseback riding on the beach available near the resort.
The town is fascinating and is one of the prettiest communities in the Bahamas. Some of the beautifully maintained cottages and homes date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. In a stroll along Bay Street, you will find a straw market, the fisherman's dock, restaurants and small local eateries, grocery & liquor stores, restored cottages, souvenir shops, and art galleries. Also, Bay Street hosts the dock for the "Bo Hengy", the local Bahamas Ferries operation that comes in once a day and is greeted by the marching band. Further west, don't miss Girl's Banks, also known as the sand flats. During low tide, you can walk out onto the flats for prime photo opportunities. We had a sunset dinner at The Boat House on Valentine's
Horseback Rider
Catch a ride along the famous pink sands... Marina, home to some of the most beautiful yachts visiting from all over the world. Another favorite hangout was Hammerhead's Bar & Grill on the east side at the Harbour Island Club & Marina, home to great bar food and mango daiquiris. Jason and I found shelter, food, drink, and Scrabble here during the torrential downpours that came through as a result of tropical depression Adriana.
The two-day excusion was fun-filled. Probably the most interesting news came when we arrived back at North Eleuthera Airport to find that Bahamas Air would not be picking us up there. That's cool, we got a free 45-minute taxi ride down to Governor's Harbour Airport and got to see more of the untouched beauty of Eleuthera. I was really excited to get to travel over the Glass Window Bridge, north of Gregory Town. The Glass Window Bridge is the thinnest part of Eleuthera and offers a breathtaking panoramic view on both sides of the island. Well, we arrived back in Nassau around 6PM Sunday night, just in time to get ready to go back to work Monday AM. Overall, it was a great trip, even if I didn't get to see Elle McPherson!
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