ELBOW CAY AND THE ABACOS

The Abacos are 180 miles east of Miami and consist of 100-mile long Great Abaco Island and a string of small islands about 5 miles off its shore. Elbow Cay, with its settlement of Hope Town, is in the middle of this string of islands. The protected area between Great Abaco Island and the barrier islands is called the Sea of Abaco and is consistently listed as one of the best cruising areas in the whole world. The first inhabitants arrived in the 1700's and the Wyannie Malone Museum in Hope Town is very informative about the early development of the town. Today's islanders are descendants of British Loyalists who fled the United States after England lost the Revolutionary War. Their accents still ring of England and are pleasant to listen to.

Elbow Cay itself is a four-mile-long island with Hope Town near its northern end. It has a picturesque protected harbor and at the entrance stands the candy-striped lighthouse which is a much photographed Out Island landmark. The village, located between a beautiful beach and the harbor, has perhaps 400 permanent residents and is reminiscent of a New England fishing village set in the tropics. Its main street, the Queen's Highway, is 8' wide and no cars are allowed in the village. There are two town docks for your use and two marinas where gas can be purchased. There are two grocery stores (one with its own dock), a liquor store, a bank, a hardware store, and several gift shops and artist studios. In town, the meeting place is the Harbour's Edge Restaurant and Bar. They have their own dock and you can pull your boat up next to your table. They serve lunch and dinner outside under their awning as well as inside. On Saturday nights they have a calypso band and everybody turns out for dancing. There is also Captain Jack's in their new building on the waterfront also serving lunch and dinner. Wednesday & Friday nights they have live music and dancing. The Hope Town Harbour Lodge is a wonderful spot for lunch with its beachside, outdoor patio under the palms. Have a swim in their fresh water pool when you stop by for a drink or lunch. They also serve dinner in their handsome dining room overlooking the harbor and have live music and dancing some nights.

Down the island at White Sound is the Abaco Inn. This delightful small hotel at the ocean's edge serves lunch and dinner in a wonderful atmosphere. Feel free to stop by for a drink, lunch, or dinner and to use their dock or their pool. Call them on the VHF for dinner reservations. You can go there by your own boat or they will pick you up by van from the main public dock in Hope Town. Also in White Sound is the Sea Spray Resort with their own dock and serving lunch & dinner. We recommend their Grouper Royale. You can dine outside under the palms and swim in their pool. They will pick you up in Hope Town. Both the Hope Town Harbour Lodge and Club Soleil serve very nice Sunday brunches. You will love fresh baked Bahamian bread as well as key lime pie and other good stuff. Vernon Malone at Vernon's Grocery in town presides over Vernon's Upper Crust Bakery. Everything he makes is wonderful and you will be entertained by his signs. Fresh fish & crawfish can be purchased at the fish market across the street from Capt. Jacks.

There is a clinic in town staffed by a resident nurse. Doctors are in Marsh Harbour and the local people are extremely helpful in the event of an emergency. Our caretaker, Willard Bethel, owns the Harbour View Grocery in town. I can generally comment that all the people of Abaco are very nice and you will feel welcome everywhere.

Amenities:

ABOUT THE HOUSE

Our house is in the Hope Town Point area which encompasses the northern end of Elbow Cay. We are about 1 mile from the settlement, right on the water, on the Sea of Abaco side and all of the homes in this area are owned by foreigners such as ourselves. The walk from the settlement on a sand road is most pleasant, always with a view of the sea and past lovely homes and estates. About 250 yards before you get to our property you will pass the Hope Town Point Community dock in a protected lagoon. Our private drive winds through the woods and flowering bushes to the house, which is situated right at the edge of the sea. Surrounding the house are plantings of bougainvillea, oleander, hibiscus and other flowering bushes along with various hardwood trees and palms. The dense vegetation affords perfect privacy and there is a magnificent view from the front of the house, which faces the sea. The house sits on a 12' high rock bluff and our vista takes in the Hope Town Lighthouse, Parrot Cays, Marsh Harbour, Man-O-War Cay, Johnnie's Cay, and the ocean reefs. A path carved out of the stone leads to our own L-shaped dock where you may leave your rented boat (most people rent a boat). At the end of the dock is our handsome gazebo which allows you to get out of the sun. There is seating and a rope hammock. What a wonderful place to spend an afternoon with a good book. The steps carved into the bluff also take you down to our own small beach and into the water. The whole sea bottom in front of our house is clear white sand and varies from 1 1/2' to4' deep out 150 feet from the water's edge. This is one of the things about our property that we enjoy the most - wonderful swimming right in front of the house. You can wade all the way to the end of the island (about 1/4 mile) all over a sand bottom - a great way to meet the neighbors in the late afternoon.

Our high bluff plus the elevation of the house gives us wonderful breezes, which blow right through. The house is central air conditioned, but all windows open and are screened and we have tropical fans in the bedrooms, living room, and on the porch. From the drive you enter the side of our 40' long covered porch. On the porch is a table and chairs for outside dining, a sitting area, and chaise lounges. The house is melon color with white trim. You will love the 180-degree view of multi-hued blues and greens of the clearest water you will ever see. The sunsets are unbelievable. You will discover that our dock at night, is a wonderful place to be. You have the feeling that you are sitting in the middle of the ocean and there is always a delightful breeze.

The house itself has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a large living and dining area, and a kitchen. All rooms have cathedral ceilings for an open, airy feeling. The walls and wood ceiling are all "pickled" cypress with a light tan finish. The living/dining area, overlooking the sea, has a wall of glass windows and doors. The furniture is rattan and the whole house is beautifully decorated a la Fran. Almost the entire house has white ceramic tile flooring. The round rattan dining table seats six and overlooks the water through two glass walls. The entertainment center includes a stereo/radio/cassette player, playing cards, games, and a large selection of books. There are many interesting books about the Bahamas including two informative guidebooks for yachtsmen, which will help you plan your days. There are also books about flora, shells, fish, and stars. The large selection of tapes range from Mozart, to Big Band, to Calypso and the oldies. We also have an 18-inch satellite dish and TV with 15 movie channels, DVD player, music, and many other channels. In the kitchen is a VHF radio. You can use it to make dinner reservations, for the ferry, or to entertain yourself by listening to all of the conversations. There is a telephone for local service, longdistance out is blocked, but people can call you. To call long distance out from the house, purchase a Batelco calling card at the telephone station next to the Hope Town Harbour Lodge. The kitchen is very well equipped for almost any of your needs and includes a blender, a microwave, coffee maker, a toaster and a dishwasher. There is a charcoal grill for your enjoyment (please leave hot coals in grill for at least 24 hours before throwing them into the garbage pail). We have 24-hour city electricity, as well as an auxiliary generator in case of a power failure. Two bedrooms have queen-size beds and one bedroom has two singles. Both baths have stall showers. The water is collected off the roof in a cistern under the house and we ask that you be as careful as possible about wasting water. Towels, linens, and blankets are supplied, but beach towels are not. Please bring your own. A lovely ocean beach is only a three-minute walk from our property across the island.

Activities and Attractions:

By now if you are not already familiar with the Abacos, you have an idea that this is not Miami or Nassau. The Abacos are for those whose nighttime activities require no more than nice restaurants and an occasional Calypso band with dancing. Evenings are spent reading, playing games, listening to music, or watching TV. The Sea of Abaco is a protected body of water with miles and miles of calm sandy beaches and several quaint villages for you to explore. There are many places for you to cross the islands or take your boat to get to deserted ocean beaches. Snorkeling and skin diving can be done in shallow or deep water and the choices are numerous. For the true diving enthusiast, the reefs are magnificent with wrecks, two underwater marine parks, and miles and miles of reefs to explore on the ocean side of the islands. Combine this with the clearest water in the world and that spells beautiful diving. Fishing is great and includes. wahoo, grouper, snapper, marlin, tuna, sailfish, bonefish, and dolphin. Other species can be found just a short distance offshore. There are excellent local guides and charters available at reasonable prices. Tanks can be rented and filled at Dave's Dive Shop in Town.

Some Places To Visit:

ELBOW CAY

Hope Town, as previously described, has roads to explore around the whole island. Tahiti Beach, on the south end of the island; looks like the South Seas. There are lovely ocean beaches almost the whole northern end of the island and ocean reefs for diving. Winer Malone is the last boat builder in Hope Town. His shed near Vernon's Store is interesting to visit and his Abaco dinghies are works of art.

MAN-O-WAR CAY

The boat building capital of the Out Islands. Beautiful village, beaches, nice walks, several restaurants and snack bars for lunch with ice cream, milk shakes and sandwiches, sail loft for great ditty bags, hats, etc., locally owned by the Alburys, and several other gift and craft shops. Ocean reefs for diving, including the wreck of the U.S.S. Adirondak with its cannon still on the sea floor. Wonderful walks to both ends of the island. There is a marina for gas and oil.

MARSH HARBOUR

Capitol of the area (approx. 3500 people) with banks, supermarkets, restaurants, marinas, hardware stores, sporting goods (including diving and fishing equipment). Not as picturesque as Elbow Cay and other settlements and does not have an ocean beach. You can rent a car or motorbike here for further exploration of Great Abaco. There are also several doctors and dentists. Wally's Restaurant is superb for lunch with a fine boutique and its own dock. Mangoes Restaurant, with its own boutique right next door, is also very good. Boat Harbour Marina is great for boat watching, drinks or lunch at their outdoor bar and restaurant, and for a dip in their pool. The same can be done at the Conch Inn. There is good duty free shopping at Little Switzerland and John Bull.

GUANA CAY

Guana Harbour Club for lunch, drinks, a swim in the pool, and some of the nicest beaches in the Bahamas (both sides of the island). There is also Nipper's Restaurant on the beach serving lunch & dinner with a nice atmosphere. Here is a little known tip. Enter the lagoon between Scotland Cay and Guana by drifting over the shallow bar of the southernmost opening. Its fabulous inside and you can enter the ocean on a nice day by watching out for the reefs. Once outside there are numerous reefs off the south end of Guana but be careful getting to them. The diving is fantastic here. The key is a calm day, which enables you to see. Also, the very northern end of the island on the ocean side has one of the finest beaches you will ever see. The water is deep almost to the beach and to the reefs where the diving is great.

LITTLE HARBOUR

Home of the late Randolph Johnson, a famous sculptor, his talented family, and resident artists. Visit their studio (during visiting hours - see "Yachtsman's Guide") and you can see how he used the lost wax method of casting. His pieces have been sold throughout the world. Visiting Little Harbour for the spot alone would be worthwhile. Be sure to read his most interesting book about his family moving to the Bahamas (in our book collection). Pete now has a new restaurant/bar called Pete's Pub. It is great for lunch and Pete is a real character.

PELICAN CAYS AND SEA PARK

Beautiful area with extensive reefs and beaches in the protected Sea of Abaco. You could explore this area for weeks. See the "Yachtsman's Guide" or "Guide to the Abacos" in the house for many other places to visit.

Transportation and Customs

Continental (Gulfstream), Island Express, and Bahamas Air serve Marsh Harbour from West Palm Beach and some from Ft. Lauderdale as well. American Airlines and Continental (Gulfstream) serve Marsh Harbour from Miami. Vintage Props and Jets (1-800-852-0275) serves Marsh Harbour from Daytona Beach, Melbourne, and Orlando. They are very reliable and fly 9 passenger King Airs with 2 pilots. Schedules and airlines may change from time to time so it is good to check. Bahamas customs allows you to bring food for your personal consumption (no fruit or vegetables). You can bring a cooler (great to have on your boat) with some meats and other goods to avoid the higher cost of groceries, but if you don't want to bother, the supermarkets in Marsh Harbour and Hope Town are well stocked. A taxi will take you from the airport to the ferry whose schedule may coincide with your flight. There are 7 ferries a day about 1.5 hours apart. At no extra charge the taxi will stop and let you do your shopping. Ask the driver to call and tell the ferry that you will be coming. The ferry will take you the three miles to the Hope Town public dock (near the post office) where our caretaker, Willard Bethel, will meet you and take you to the house. As an alternative, the ferry can drop you off at Island Marine where you can get your boat and then go directly to the house. Remember when you arrive on Saturday that stores in Hope Town will be closed on Sunday. You can get gas on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

GOLF CARTS

We have a golf cart that is available for rent at an additional charge for $200 a week. This is less than is charged by the rental agency in town. The cart is used to get to town only and is not allowed in town unless you are handicapped and go through the necessary procedures. There are lights for night use.

WHAT TO BRING

Beach towels, suntan lotion, hats, sunglasses, snorkeling gear, fishing equipment, any food, cooler, long sleeved shirts for sun protection, and flashlight. You will probably bring too many clothes. Days are in bathing suits and dining out is casual (no jackets for men). Bring a portable radio if you want one for the beach.

BOAT RENTAL

We have an arrangement with Island Marine that provides boats for our guests at reduced rates. There are other places to rent boats but Island Marine does the best job. They are less than a mile from the house. The workhorse of the Abacos is the Boston Whaler. The 17 footer can take you anywhere and normally rents for $625/week. Your special rate will be $575/week. They also have 20 foot Man-O-War built boats, which are really nice, and normally rents for $875/week and. Your special rate is $825/week. They also have 23 foot Albury Brothers center console at $1100/week with your special price being $1050/week. The boats are fully equipped and can be reserved by calling (242) 366-0282 or e-mail them at info@islandmarine.com. Tell them you are staying at "Fran's Fancy." Island Marine, by prior arrangement, will also pick you up in Marsh Habour, saving you the cost of the ferry.

Rates:

We rent from Saturday to Saturday and the minimum rental is one week. Usually our guests leave Marsh Harbour on a morning plane and check out time is 10:00 A.M. This leaves us time to clean the house for arriving guests with a check in time at 2:00 PM. If you arrive earlier you can change clothes and start to explore the island. Sorry, we do not allow pets. To confirm a reservation (maximum of 6 people) a deposit of $1,000 for each week you stay is required. The balance is due 5 weeks before you arrive. Mail is very slow to the Bahamas and this gives us time to notify our caretaker of your arrival so he can meet you and take you to the house. In regard to cancellations, your deposit less $50 will be refunded if we are notified no less than 120 days prior to the time reserved. If less than 120 days notice is given, the refund will depend on whether another renter can be obtained, which we are usually able to do. If you reserve two weeks, then the cancellation period is increased by 30 days. When you tell us you are taking a time period, we will hold the house for you for five (5) days for your deposit to arrive. We will then send you a letter confirming your deposit. When we receive your final payment we will send you additional information familiarizing you with the house, travel plans, maps, and how people can call you, etc.