Spanish Wells

Beach at Spanish Wells and tuypical houses

Early morning on the water

Grouper being prepared next to our boat at anchor-thats fresh

During our last day at Rock Sound we leased a car and toured the northern part of Eleuthera. We stopped at Governors Harbour, James Cistern and at an upscale resort community perched on limestone cliffs above the Atlantic. We also discovered a great shelling beach finding half a dozen large perfect specimens of mauve conchs and banded Tulip shells--two types of shells that I have not seen “still in one piece” anywhere else in the Bahamas.

The next day we headed out of Rock Sound Harbour with a convoy of 6 other boats, all heading north. We stopped at “Alabaster Bay--a beautiful crescent of beach midway up the island. Several of the other cruisers went ashore for dinner at an upscale restaurant and a stroll along the strand, but our dinghy was lashed on board with its motor stowed away and we didn’t want to put in the effort necessary to launch it. Instead, we chose to enjoy a quiet evening with supper drinks in the cockpit. The next morning we left early for the last leg of our passage up to the northern tip of Eleuthera, through the tricky “Current Cut” and on to Spanish Wells--a small island settlement populated by the descendants of pirates, buccaneers, pilgrims and United Empire Loyalists.

At Spanish Wells we tied up to a slip at its marina where we enjoyed showers and laundering facilities. And it was great to once again be able to walk on and off the boat without having to use the dinghy! We were welcomed to the “neighbourhood” by Linda and Larry from the trawler “Akasha” who were tied up in the slip beside us. We had met these cruisers briefly at Georgetown but as we got to know them here at Spanish Wells, we have to say that they are two of the most generous, friendly people we’ve come across to date. “Akasha” had leased an electric golf cart for the week and as soon as we were settled in, Linda insisted on taking us on a tour of the island. We visited the supermarket, a great little general store and a “Shell Lady” who had turned her garage into a little shell shop. Then it was off to the pier to see a pregnant Manatee and a visit to a local fisherman who had fresh grouper and lobsters for sale. We passed restaurants, beaches, and a new seaside community currently being developed. Linda stopped to introduce us to people she knew and was a wealth of local knowledge! After the tour, we were invited back to her yacht for drinks and then we walked over to a local diner for a delicious dinner.

The next morning we strolled along the beautiful 2 mile stretch of ivory sand that lines the northern shore of Spanish Wells. Since it was Good Friday, all of the commercial establishments were closed, but it was fun just walking through the neighbourhood, admiring the colourful houses and beautiful gardens that surround them.

Spanish Wells sits on an island that is just 2 miles long and half a mile wide. It is covered with pretty houses painted in pastel colours. Unlike many of the other settlements we’ve visited, this one is almost pristine. The dwellings are in good repair, and there is very little litter and no “rubble.” This is not a rich community, but it is well kept and friendly--very middle class. Most of the white Bahamians that populate this place are related to each other--60% of whom share the same surname: “Pinder.” Most of the others seem to be “Albury’s.” They speak with a quaint English accent, and we are told that there is no crime here. The island is “dry”--no alcohol for sale, the people are very industrious and seem to be very happy. They are blessed to be able to live here. We had hoped to spend a few more days at Spanish Wells, taking the ferry to Harbour Island, another unusual destination and a very upscale community. But a wonderful weather window has again opened and the next 5 days look to be perfect for making our way back to the USA. These opportunities have been very rare this year, with cold fronts pinning us down for weeks at a time. And so we’ve decided to take this opportunity to head back home while we still can. Tomorrow we’ll head off to Nassau, the next day across the Tongue of the Ocean, through the Northwest Channel and onto the banks where we hope to drop an anchor for the night. Then on to Bimini and, if the weather still holds, cross the gulf stream to Palm Beach and Lake Worth on the 4th day. That’s the plan. But things don’t always go according to plan.