We started out at 4:30 AM on 11/7 for our flight from ROC to Ft Lauderdale via Cincinnati on Delta. The flights were uneventful and we landed in FLL around 11:30 where we would spend the night (we like to get in a picture or two of a lighthouse and hit a Harley store for T-shirts whenever we can). Went to get our rental car and the lines were huge, took about an hour to finally get on the road and we set up the GPS to hit Harley of West Palm, then Jupiter Inlet Light, Harley of Pompano Beach and Hillsboro Inlet Light. The main point of staying in Ft Lauderdale was to see my deceased grandparents house which I have not been to in 30+ years, just a way to bring back some memories, we accomplished this also. Drive into the Days Inn on Federal in Pompano Beach, where we had overnight reservations, and drove right out. Found a Sheraton Residence closer to Ft. Lauderdale instead.
Up to catch a 12:35 Continental flight, 18 seats w/two propellers, to Governors Harbor Eleuthera. Very cloudy due to Paloma so we did not get the best airplane pictures on the island on the way in at least. Once again an uneventful flight. Rolled thru customs/immigration (thanks for the tip on making sure we tip the bag guy $5). Dawn Sands from Eleuthera Car Rentals was there with our Ford Explorer and we were off. First stop was Governors Harbor for groceries at the stored which is connected to the Shell station (gas $4.87/gal). $115 later, for what would probably cost $45 at home, around the corner to the Bacardi (duty free) for beers which had a large selection of wine as well as beer and liquor at reasonable prices!
Directions to Pink Sands Cottage were OK, only missed one turn, which was the major one off of Queens Highway, but once I saw the Island Farms I knew I was about 4/10 of a mile past that turn and headed back and made the left onto Church Street, to “T” in road by large Silk Tree, right down past Unique Village and onto Pink Sands Cottage. The mileage from Queens Highway/Church to the house was 3.4 miles and took 20-30 minutes due to the condition of the “roads”. Got to house around 4:45 and the wind was blasting off the Atlantic, which it did the next 5 days, and the water was churning. The upside was that the bugs were blown away with everything else not nailed down. Bugs were never an issue due to the wind.
Sunday up early for a drive down south to try to find some “Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera”. Struck out for a map since Island Farms was closed on Sunday, as well as most of the Island so gas up ahead of time as well as shop. Drove thru all the towns on the way down to Lighthouse beach and attempted the drive down the “road” and about 1/3 of the way (2 miles) into it we finally saw the large pond which indicated we were almost 1/2 (after 45 min). Decided that we did not plan this well, it is an all day event to go to Lighthouse beach from Palmetto Point, and did not like the prospects of having car trouble with no cell service so we turned around, no easy task, and headed back “home”. Wanted to stop at Ingramahams for some food but it was closed. On the way we attempted another beach, Ten Bay, could not find the access road and ended up at Unique Village. This is a nice location and the food was just OK. Back to the cottage.
Monday we set out up North to once again “Find the Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera”, went all the way to Glass Window Bridge and turned around to settle at Rainbow Bay. Very nice beach and the easiest to find since this settlement actually believed in road signs. Looked for other beaches and finally came to the reality that we have been to many very nice beaches already in our other travels so why not just find a nice one here and park ourselves. Ideally it would have nice to hang out on “our” beach at “home” but it was too windy to sit/swim or even enjoy it. Spent some time at Rainbow then headed back to Governors Harbor to find Club Med beach. The road was steep, gutted and I did not know if the auto would make it back up so that was dashed as well. Decided to have lunch at Tippys, closed, up to Captain Jacks for a great burger. Nice beaches at both places and Captain Jacks was very clean and friendly. Back home before sundown.
Tuesday we were off to Harbor Island and retraced our steps from the day before. Glass Window Bridge was fantastic today with the Atlantic churning on one side and the “Caribbean” calm and quiet on the other, a really awesome sight. Too bad no place to park and hike up to see both sides at once. The coral was very jagged and dangerous to climb, in my opinion, to do this. Got some OK pictures anyway. Onto the ferry docks in North Eleuthera only to find the that “the sea was angry that day my friend”. No way I was going on a boat in that stuff. Once again we turned around and headed back to Rainbow Bay for a bit and then, undeterred, I figured out that I really did know where Ten Bay beach was and after stopping at Alabaster Bay/Beach/Point (very nice shallow and sandy beach where I found a large, softball size sand dollar) I was right on with my assumption and Ten Bay was at our mercy. Same type of set up as Alabaster, shallow/sandy for a ways out, but with many starfish, sand dollars and conch. Very nice. Wanted to go to Dolce Vita for dinner but they did not open until 5:30 and by the time we got to the cottage (1/2 hour), showered and drove back (1/2) we would have been already on the road for an hour just getting to/from the house.
Wednesday we decided it was Harbor Island or bust. Drove up again and actually got out of the car at Glass Window Bridge and took some pictures from the bridge itself. Got to the ferry dock and the Atlantic was still churning, we got on the water taxi ($5/pp 1 way) and amazingly the ride was not bad at all, 5 min maybe and not bad. Exited taxi got a golf cart of explored. What an amazing beach Pink Sands is! Spent a few hours there and head back “home” for the night.
Off to the airport around 10:30 for out 12:20 flight on Southern Air, another 18 seater with two propellers. Left GHB to pick up more people at Nothr Eleuthera, got some great island pictures on this flight, then off to Nassau for the night. Got in around 2:00 with a taxi ride from Paul’s Taxi, a couple more light houses, Harley store and then BAM, my wife was lost in Columbian Emeralds. I did make it out in rather good shape from there and off to Atlantis to check out the aquarium and some food. Back to Nassau Palms hotel, great price and only about 2 blocks from downtown action and across the road from Cable Beach. The downside is that this place it dated, must have been built in the 70’s and nothing has been done to it since. It needs a major renovation inside and out as well as furnishings. It did not feel clean or safe although it probably was both.
Back to airport for a 12:50 flight home via Atlanta on Delta again. Atlanta was socked in with bad weather and the take off was 1 ½ our late. The good side was we met a gentleman, retired from the phone company in the Bahamas, who was very interesting and entertaining. He was flying to Atlanta to be with his wife, who underwent surgery recently and was staying with their daughter to recover, anyway it was their 50th anniversary this Monday (17th) and he that is why he was at the airport. Very interesting fellow and wish we had a chance to say good bye but the landing and subsequent departure from the plane was chaotic as was the airport (out next flight was 2 hours behind).
All in all a nice trip, too bad the wind was a factor so much that it prevented us from really enjoying our beach and deck. The travel time and road conditions to/from the cottage was a bit of a problem since it added an additional ½ each way onto out travels each day just to go 3.4 miles. Trying to find things was very frustrating due to lack of signs or good maps/roads, I would suggest that if you are trying to “Find the Elusive Braches of Eleuthera” you bring a GPS and realize that this is very time consuming and you better have a reliable vehicle and not a regular car. If you just want to plant yourselves I would suggest Harbor Island. Sample drive times were GHB to Pink Sands Cottage 1 hour, Pink Sands to Harbor Island 2 hours. Pink Sands to Bannerman Town (way to Lighthouse Beach) 2 hours.
I hope to have pictures up soon at
http://community.webshots.com/user/kagjjgIf you have specific questions I can try to answer, just message me.
