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Description:

Elbow Cay and the Abacos

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 300 permanent residents and is reminiscent of a New England fishing village set in the tropics. Its main street, the Queen's Highway, is 8 feet wide and no cars are allowed in the village. There are two town docks for your use and a marina where gas can be purchased. There are two grocery stores (one with its own dock), a liquor store, a bank, a hard- ware store, and a small drug store, as well as 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 Jacks in their new building on the waterfront also serving lunch and dinner. Wednesday and Friday nights they have live music and danc- ing. 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.

Out of town, we highly recommend Rudy's Place with excellent food and prices. They will pick you up by van at the town dock and bring you out to their place. Call them on the VHF for dinner reservations. The selections change every day and you will be well taken care of by Rudy and Keith and their staff. Their Bahamian crawfish (lobster) is excellent as is their pan fried grouper in tarragon butter. The Club Soleil is across the harbor from town and is delightful. Call them also on the VHF for dinner reservations and daily main course selections. They will pick you up by boat at either public docks in town. You can also take your own boat right to their dock at the restaurant. They serve lunch and dinner. 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 feel free to use their pool or their dock. Call them on the VHF for dinner reservations and menu selections. You can go there by your own boat or they will pick you up by van from the main dock in town. Also in White Sound is the Sea Spray Resort with their own dock and serving lunch and dinner. We recommend their grouper royale. You will enjoy dining outside on their deck under the palms. They will pick you up in town. Both the Hope Town Harbour Lodge and the Club Soleil serve a very nice Sunday brunch. You will love fresh baked Bahamian bread as well as the 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 and 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.

THE HOUSE

The house is on a long peninsula that juts out into White Sound which is two miles south of Hope Town. It is a very private location and the house sits on a knoll surrounded by mature palm trees and flowering bushes and has water and fabulous views both to the front and to the back of the house.
There are three bedrooms (one with singles and two with queens) and two baths. The living room, kitchen and sundeck have cathedral ceilings which gives the house an open airy feeling. A large covered porch faces White Sound (see photo with table) and a sun- room(see photo) and sundeck face the Sea of Abaco. The elevation of the house allows the breeze to blow right through. The whole house is air-conditioned and there are ceiling fans in every room. The sunroom has a table and chairs for dining and is open to the kitchen and living room. The sunroom also has a very nice seating area furnished in tropical rattan furniture. The view of the Sea of Abaco from this room, whether while dining or relaxing, is fabulous through windows that cover three sides of the room. In 1999, extensive renovations included an all new kitchen, new windows and sliding doors, a metal roof, and tile floors throughout.

There is a satellite TV and a stereo tuner and cassette player, with a hook-up for a disk player. We have a tradition of trading books and magazines and there is always a good selection in the house. Bring your own beach towels, but all other kitchen, bed and bath necessities are supplied.

The dock fronts on White Sound and your rental boat may be left there in about any weather. It is a two or three minute walk to the ocean beach and the Abaco Inn is right across the harbor. There is a notebook in the house with informational material on where to eat, who to call for information or help, where to dive. There is also a Cruising Guide to the Abacos which will help you plan your days. The Hope Town Harbour Lodge and all restaurants south of there, will pick you up at the house. Our VHF radio is your local telephone system for all of the above.

Activities and Attractions:

THINGS TO DO

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 night time activities require no more than a nice restaurant and an occasional Calypso band with dancing. Evenings are spent reading, playing games, listening to music, or watching T.V. 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

Hope Town has, as previously described, 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. Russ Irwin's woodcarving studio is also interesting.

MAN-O-WAR

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 Albury's, 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) 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. Mango's Restaurant, with its own boutique and boat dock 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 the 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). Nipper's Restaurant on the beach serving lunch and dinner with a nice atmosphere. They also have a very interesting pool for a dip. Here is a little known tip. Enter the lagoon between Scotland Cay and Guana by drifting over the shallow bar of the southernmost opening. It is 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 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. U.S. Air serves Marsh Harbour through Nassau on a code sharing arrangement with Bahamas Air. 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. Ask when you depart from the U.S. if you need to reconfirm your return flight. 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 are well stocked. A taxi will take you from the airport to the ferry whose schedule may coincide with your flight. A ferry can be chartered at any time for $55.00. 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.

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 they do 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 $500.00 a week. Your special rate will be $450.00 a week. They also have 20 foot Man-O-War built boats which are really nice and your special rate is $630.00 a week. The boats are fully equipped and can be reserved by calling (242)366-0282.

LAND TRANSPORTATION

You can rent bicycles from the Abaco Inn (1-242-366-0133) or Harbour's Edge Restaurant (1-242-366-0087). Golf carts can be rented from Kevin Albury at (1-242-366-0448).

DIVING

Many beautiful sites to dive on your own. If you want a certified dive master, we suggest Dive Abaco in Marsh Harbour (1-242-367-2787). Dave's Dive Shop in Hope Town will provide and refill tanks.

Rates:

Rentals are scheduled from Saturday at 2:00 P.M. to Saturday at 10:00 A.M. To confirm a reservation a deposit of one-half of the total rental is required. We can accommodate a maximum of six people. You must give us a 90 day cancellation notice to receive a refund and there is a $50.00 cancellation fee for cancellations at any time. Once you have sent us the deposit, the balance is due five weeks before you arrive. Make checks payable to C. B. Rentals. Sorry, no pets allowed.