The next cay you come to with any population (20 Miles south of Spanish Cay) and where it all started for me, is Green Turtle Cay (See Map). (Aerial) It is the island that we spent our early days almost exclusively. Things have changed a lot in my 35+ years. During those early trips we would take our kids. It was a great place when they were growing up. They were both good swimmers so we didn't have to worry about a thing. They could run around all they wanted, as kids still can today. Green Turtle and it's Village of New Plymouth was originally settled by the loyalists in the 1770's. The quaint brightly colored picturesque village can be walked in less than 10 minutes end to end or about two hours covering all the side streets and stopping in every store including a having a drink at Miss Emily's. Finding any of the named places in this guide is as easy as asking somebody in the street and then it wont be more that 5 minutes from where you're standing.

Lobstering and tourism are the main industries of the island today. The village serves most of the needs of the Islanders. There are hardware, gift and food markets in New Plymouth albeit a bit pricey. Merchandise is often shipped to Marsh Harbour via Nassau or from the states. This plus a hefty duty on many items makes things a bit costly. Occasionally a doctor sets up practice as was the case in 1999 but there just was not enough "business" to keep her there. In the 70's there had been a resident doctor on Green Turtle for some time and who covered the cays with his own plane. The then Dr. Meldelson was also known his many crash landings. The runway on G.T. is now over grown . Today you will find a clinic with a nurse. For anything more serious you'll have to go to Marsh Harbour or Florida. Be sure to stop by for a visit to the Albert Lowe Museum for a peak at the settlements earlier times. You'll also find here beautifully crafted model ships built by late Mr. Lowe and art works by his renowned son Alton. Alton has a gallery in his lovely home. It's a 15 minute walk on the other side of the settlements big hill. For more information see Abaco Art. Other points of interest is the Loyalist Memorial Sculpture Garden featuring Bronze busts of many of the influential folks of days gone bye. It's in the middle of town, you cant miss it. Then there is the "Richard (Blue) Jones" Bahamian Bush Medicine Garden. Blue is Lincoln's brother and early in 2008 put together a herbal medicine garden typical of earlier times in the Abacos

Every year in May is the annual Annual Green Turtle Heritage Festival. The well received intent of the event was to establish a "Sister City" concept between historic Green Turtle Cay (New Plymouth) where the Loyalist first settled in 1784 and Key West, Florida, where many Green Turtle Cay residents relocated in the ensuing 150 years. So if you are planning a trip to the Abacos and more specifically Green Turtle Cay, you might want to consider this event. But book early. Want to know more go to Flotsam & Jetsam.

Access to New Plymouth and Green Turtle Cay in general, is of course only by ferry (the "BOLO"). Neigel, Larry or Curtis will probably be your captain. The BOLO runs from anywhere on the island to a dock on the mainland serving the airport (by land Taxi) at Treasure Cay. Connecting commuter flights here are to Miami, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Melbourne and Nassau.

New Plymouth lies on the western side of settlement harbour. Here there are a half a dozen restaurants in town. The once lovely and quaint turn of the century New Plymouth Inn, reminiscent of Bogey and Bacall, opened briefly in 2007 and closed shortly their after. It has one of the most romantic restaurants in all the islands. In it's prime, it would have been an inspirational place for playwrights, novelists and poets. Once again as of spring 2008 we hear it has reopened. This supported by a article in the current Abaco Life featuring Vernal Cooper's return as cook. Hopefully this time it will remain open and return to those days of old. It's all up to Wally. their, a bit eccentric, long time owner. It's location in the middle of New Plymouth, away from beaches and marinas. probably has something to do with their past difficulties.

For native dinning there is always the "Wrecking Tree" and "Macintosh's Bakery & Restaurant". It's on the street going up the hill to Roosters. Then there is everybody's all time favorite "Laura's (carbohydrate) Kitchen". You'll find it just up the street from the town dock. Here you will get your plate piled high with food for a reasonable price. A reservation is strongly suggested. Finally there is Mikes Bar & Restaurant, now called Mikes Sundowner. Mike's has been and on again off again place but recently caught on again. It's right on the water facing Abaco Sea. Like so many others their schedule is sporadic. Mike's mom lives across the street and will open for any reservations. You can hail them all your VHF. On the "bottom" of the main street next to the freight dock is Plymouth Rock Bar, Restaurant, Liquor and cigar store. A trendy newer restaurant in town is Pineapples Bar & Grill. It has a great pool for luncheon and dinner guests and on occasion has live music in the evening. It is located on the eastern side of Settlement Harbour located at and part of the Other Shore Club and Marina on Black Sound which also has cottages for rent. Give them a call on your VHF. The newest restaurant is HarveyÕs Island Grill on the harbour side of town. We hear their salads are good and no alcohol is served. For first class dining, (asside from the NPI if open) you'll have to head out to the resorts at the other end of the cay. More about them coming up.

For decades the favorite night spot for the visiting yachtsman has been "Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar". She was the originator of the Bahamian national drink - the Goombay Smash. Sadly, Miss Emily passed away in 1997 but the traditions of her "establishment" are now being run by her daughter Violet. She told us on our 2007 trip that she'll soon open a restaurant on the premises and reflected by the newly painted and tiled room. Look for our report in our 2008 update. Just next door is "Bert's Sea Garden". which opens as the mood dictates but usually in the evenings and especially on weekends. Oh, Bert passed away too, and was last being run by his partner and past town constable. Now we come to the Island's hot spot, the "Roosters Rest" where on Saturday you can find Kevin and the Gully Roosters playing Reggae and Soca (Calypso). Recently they had been closed for alterations so check first. In any case the band can be found playing at the Bluff House or Green Turtle Club on a regular basis.

Cottage rentals are available not far from New Plymouth. A few names that come to mind are Linton's Cottages and Long Bay House which are near beaches and close to town. Then there's Roberts Cottages on Black Sound. Still others Like Coco Bay Cottages can be found at the more pristine north end of the island. An Agency dealing with rental homes is Abaco Island Rentals. Still more can be found listed in the classified of yachting and travel magazines. Still more can be found on our recently added a page of Accommodations and Services which is updated regularly.

On the north end of Green Turtle Cay on White Sound, you will find The Green Turtle Club and the Bluff House. There had been a long standing rivalry between them as the managing owners of each are sisters (and their husbands). Seems even in paradise there are family feuds. But in 2005 the Green Turtle Club was sold ending the family ownership I've known since my first visit in 1973.

Both "The Bluff" and "The Club" have first class restaurants, comparable to state side dining. For dinner there are usually five or six dishes to choose from, and you order your entree at reservation time. The Bluff House wins the fantastic view award from it's hill top restaurant bar and pool. It's definitely worth a visit and a dinner even if staying elsewhere. The Club's restaurant is adjacent to their Tipsy Bar and steps from the marina. Just up the hill and opened for lunch, is the Clubs pool side snack bar offering the usual island fare.

The Bluff has in recent times made some serious improvements to it's facilities including the marina, all of which were destroyed by the hurricanes of 2004 and were up any running by the time of our visit in '05. The Bluff House has two restaurants , an informal dockside restaurant called the Jolly Roger Bar and Bistro, presided over by the ever jovial Vern. And as mentioned another in the dinning room at the Bluff House hill top. The Buff House offers guest rooms overlooking the Sea of Abaco and villas overlooking sailboats at anchorage in White Sound.

Each resort has a marina, and rooms and villas for rent. The Club, however has cottages right on the water where you can tie up a small boat as we often do. The Bluff has elevated seaside cottages with a great view of the Sea of Abaco. This writer finds the Club a little more upbeat and an easier location to get to and from, and explore the north end and its beaches. Add to this the fact that the recently paved town road ends at the Club. Also the Club is within a 10 minute walk to a lovely bay beach at Coco Bay and 20 minute walk to a beautiful stretch of ocean beach with all the diving and snorkeling you may want. Add another 15 minutes to each if walking from the Bluff house.

Since the arrival of this road, you might want to use land transportation to get around. The local Hertz is actually a rent a cart. Three that come to mind are, Donny & Giselle McIntosh's D&P Cart Rentals 242-365-4655, Mary and Leonard Lowe's Island Roadrunners 242-365-4160, And finally, just celebrating their 10th anniversary, is Sea Side Cart Rentals 242-365-4147. Their office is located at the next dock east of ferry dock in New Plymouth (boats can use the dock). Ted Murray is the friendly and efficient daily manager.Ê Another alternative is if you choose is Omri's on again - off again Taxi. Again, all can be reached using your Marine Radio and calling on 16. If all else fails just get out to the road and stick your thumb out, the old fashioned way. You needn't fear and its guaranteed to work.

The Green Turtle Club Bar is a typical island haunt with dollar bills and boaters burgess and ensigns tacked to the ceiling. It's lively spot hosted by the ever smiling Debbie. She has been there for over 20 years and is truly everybody's best friend. She or Julie will gladly whip you up a great "Tipsy Turtle" (which will do the job for which it is intended). You can find my Burgee hanging there. The Green Turtle Club Bar has long been a favorite stop over for the cruising yachtsman and private pilots alike. Often the nights are spent in conversation with them and of their travels. One night a week the Gully Roosters come over from town (with half the population) to play at the club. The Roosters have been around for years. They call themselves "The No.1 Band in the Nation". Fact is, for years the Green Turtle's own Gully Roosters are the only full time Band in the Abacos but that all changed in 2006. More later.

At this point we have to mention our friend of 28 years, Brendal Stevens. I'd call him the unofficial Ambassador of the Goombay Spirit. He once entertained at the Club bar with his one man band and ran the clubs dive shop for many years. Eventually he married his wife Mary and with her full time assistance, in '97 they opened their own dive shop adjacent to the Green Turtle Club. He is very popular and attracts divers from all over the world. In 2006 he won the prestigious Bahamian "Cacique" Award for sustainable tourism. As far as diving goes, Brendal can take you on any type dive you want, however our favorite is the day trip where he will catch your lunch and cook it for you on an uninhabited beach. Depending on the season, it will be lobster or grouper, with conch salad and his special punch. You may have seen Brendal featuring this picnic on the cooking channel and his diving adventures on ESPN. If you'd prefer a fishing picnic, some of the fishing guides provide the same thing: Lincoln Jones is one that comes to mind. He can be reached by VHF radio. If sport fishing is your thing, whether it be inshore bonefishing to offshore game or reef fishing contact the Sawyers, a family of fishing guides (Ronnie or Rick). Any and all of them can take you any type of fishing you like. Just hail them on your VHF channel 16.

Editors Note: I mentioned this to management last year but the situation still remains the same as of 2007. There is no cooperation between the resorts on Green Turtle Cay. If you want to have dinner other than where you are staying, you'll have to hike in the dark or rent a golf cart. And if you want to go to New Plymouth, there is only a single 2 hour day trip available. This situation unheard of on Elbow Cay.

Exploring the neighbors. There are three boat rental companies on Green Turtle Cay. The oldest is Donnie Sawyer's who's boats are usually beat up a bit yet seem somehow to always work. A 15-17 footer is all you'll need to get to Green Turtle's adjacent cays, assuming typical summer type weather. (More on boat rentals). To the north is Manjack or Nunjack as it is sometimes called (See Map). At it's northern end you will find the quintessential crescent white sand beach one only dreams about. At it's southern end two smaller cays Crab & Fiddle seem to have broken away from Manjack. It's hard to notice their separation until up close. They make for interesting exploration and have beautiful beaches. The northern end of Fiddle has a great beach and is a short hop from G.T. We often go there and wade the pass between Fiddle and Crab Cay. You'll see its beautiful white sandbar upon approach. But don't anchor over it if the tide is going out - stay slightly to its south in the grassy deeper water.

The island to the south of Green Turtle Cay is Noname Cay. It's about the same size as Green Turtle Cay and uninhabited. It's again suitable for exploration and picnicking when renting a small boat and is about as far as you can go south of Green Turtle in a 15-17 footer. At it's northern end and closest point has a another beautiful crescent beach running from west to north and whose bottom is a patch work of sea grass, sand and flat coral rock bottom. Just go slow. Behind the beach is a beautiful stand of Casuarina's trees. It's a favorite spot for picnicking.

From the Log of Motu Iti 1996: (Catalina Islander 34')
.......The five of us dinghyed over in two inflatables to uninhabited Manjack Cay to our north where we had a picnic at Fiddle Cay part of Manjack's southern extension. There's a beautiful spot on a sandy beach at an inlet between Fiddle and Crab Cay which is just delightful. Afterwards we explored the meandering creeks north of Crab cay that run throughout Manjack. (These are are only accessible by very shallow draft boat such as inflatables and nothing bigger than 15 foot boat except on high tide). We then headed on to a so called park, we heard about. Well, I wouldn't call it a park as it was first described to me, but sort of a experimental agricultural area. What the owner might call it, I couldn't guess. Anyway there seems to be experimentation on growing all sorts of fruits and vegetables. Some are using hydroponics methods and with limited success from this writers point of view. Visitors are permitted to look around but not disturb anything. From here we headed further north to Manjack's northern extremity, our most favorite place of all. It's geological formation is quite unique and beyond description here. We hung out watched some small sharks swimming across the flats chatted with some folks on other boats. On our return back to Green Turtle, in our inflatable we really took a beating as the bay started to kick up caused by the squalls in the area. One of which really unloaded on us.

Heading south from Noname Cay you come to an area in the Abacos of some repute. It's called the Whale Cay Passage. It is what separates Green Turtle from the other major cays and Marsh Harbour to its south. Whale Cay, is just another uninhabited cay in the chain the borders the eastern edge of Great Abaco. The only problem is there is considerable shoaling on the inside of Whale Cay preventing larger boats from passing on the protected Abaco Sound side. At this point one has to head out in the ocean around the cay and back in. This route is obvious and generally without problems except in strong off shore winds or storms. The abrupt shoaling creates big rollers which often break and makes the seas treacherous under these stormy conditions, which has taken its toll over the years. Passing on the inside is usually uneventful in good weather for ourboards. Be sure to use the chart found in the Abaco Cruising Guide mentioned through this page. This inside passage is called the "Don't Rock Passage" for the rock in the middle. It's a pretty sight. Just to the West of Whale Cay and Don't Rock is:

Treasure Cay:

After skirting Whale Cay and coming back inside you'll first encounter Bakers Bay, a lovely crescent mile or two beach on north Great Guana Cay . Disney used to use Bakers Bay as their "out island" and tendered guests to New Plymouth, however the weather conditions at Whale Cay often made mooring treacherous and resulted in too many cancellations. They eventually pulled out after only a couple seasons. Disney still has their island in the sun in the Abacos, although it's nowhere near the cays and more importantly has no impact on this region. BUT as of Spring 2005, a major development was started at the Bakers Bay area. It is to consist of a golf course, 200 plus slip marina and hundred plus condos on the property. (So far no casino has been mentioned - ??.) I, like many of the islanders worry that this mega-undertaking will kill the fragile environment of Guana Cay who's reefs are world renowned. It's a classic battle of jobs versus the environment.

Great Guana Cay has a picturesque small settlement (map), with a couple souvenir shops, food store and liquor store. Guana's settlement makes one feel you are really on an "Out Island" unless you are caught in the traffic headed to Nippers. Here though, Milo is the man. His shop and produce stand has been at the same location for a generation. You'll no doubt pass him on your walk along the harbour road. Be sure to stop by and say hi. You'll also notice the remains of the old fig tree surrounded by benches, the settlements version of the "town square" where folks gather and play dominos.

The reef strewn beaches that line the 5.5 mile of coast on the ocean side are reputedly the most beautiful in all the Abacos. The white sand beach is bathed in waters of every shade of blue, aqua marine and turquoise. The settlement adjoins the "Great Guana Resort & Marina" property whose main building burnt down a while back and has now reopened without it. In 1996, in its place, opened Nippers, one of the hottest spots in all of the Cays (supposedly named after the no-see-ums). It is a trendsetting place that lives up to its reputation. It's on a bluff overlooking their snorkeling beach and ocean - Spectacular. It really packs them in. Access is only by boat of course or ferry from Marsh Harbour. Troy or Mickey usually bartend, if not you'll probably find Johnny Nipper himself (see food & drinks). Every Sunday they serve a Hawaiian style pig roast which attracts folks and yachtsmen from all over the cays. Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis. It's generally very crowded. The Barefoot Man who's CD's are in every gift shop and hotel makes an annual appearance here. Believe it or not, I actually viewed one of this concerts in my Sarasota home live via the internet! Nippers has its own webcam (at their website) focused on their beautiful beach, Take a gander, maybe you'll see somebody you know.

In 1999 a new restaurant & marina opened on Guana in settlement harbour, the Orchid Bay Resort. It's on the harbour across from the settlement and was first to bring gasoline to the island compelling the Guana resort to do likewise. It's marina can accommodate the mega-yachts of the rich and famous as one will see. All in all, Guana is more laid back than Green Turtle but has a reputation as the getaway party spot for the folks from the neighboring cays. The premier resort on the island was Guana Beach Resort which was the grand daddy of all resorts on Guana, was for all practical purposes, destroyed by Floyd and Fire. Despite that fact, their Sunset Bar at pool side was resurrected from the debris and is now simply called Grabbers. Light food is served and naturally the Guana Grabber the drink of choice. It is still a popular evening spot with the cruising folks. Also, they'll be happy to rent you one of the original motel type cottages that remain by calling the bar. As for home and villa rentals you might want to check out Guana Cay Villas,or for an extensive list of homes for rent, go to Sandy's Quick Links to Accommodations and Services.

Finally the newest restaurant on Guana is the Dolphin Beach Resort and the Docksider's Restaurant, Some may remember it as the Blue Water Grill. It's located north just five minutes north of the settlement on Fishers Bay. They are adjacent to another of the Abaco's premiere dive shops, Dive Guana. They will come pick you up if you are not staying on Guana. Both the aforementioned resorts have restaurants pools an access and views of the ocean and Sea of Abaco.

NOTE: As a result of the aforementioned mega-development taking place at Bakers Bay, the developer has rented about 30 rental homes for their workers. It's becoming very difficult to find a rental home on Guana. (more)

1) If you are considering going in May, June, July or around Christmas and especially on weekends during those periods, you'll need to book 5 - 6 months in advance. This particularly applies to airlines and boat and to a lesser degree, golf cart rentals. And remember the first couple weeks in July is the busy Regatta Season.
2) Reconfirm your flight a couple times before departure to avoid any surprises.
3) Use carry on luggage if you can, but remember, security will remove any sun screen you might be carrying.
4) When departing Marsh Harbour, although you may hate to, book an early flight and get there early especially if you have connections. And again use carry on luggage in case you have to change flights in a hurry.
5) Don't arrive too late to cause conflicts trying to catch the water taxi to the Cays. An expensive charter could be the result.
6) If you are required to change planes in south east Florida, Try to avoid Miami at any time. It will save you some serious hiking time. At Ft. Lauderdale, more often than not, you'll have to take a bus to your connection terminal after clearing customs. I'd avoid that airport too if I can. Our 2006 trip had us connecting through Palm Beach. Including baggage pickup, customs and immigration, we were at the departure gate for Tampa in about 15 minutes! More at AbacoAirlines.com
7) And one final note: there can be lengthy lines returning via FLL and MIA on Saturday and Sunday due to extensive cruise line traffic.

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Marsh Harbour is the Bahamas third largest city (after Nassau & Freeport) and the Abacos commercial hub. Although this writer spends his time almost exclusively on the Cays, it doesn't mean that Marsh is without resorts and rental homes. The Eastern Shore is the Marsh Harbour region with lovely homes and where many rentals can be found, some right on Abaco Sound facing the Cays. More than likely you'll arrive and depart from Marsh anyway, so why not plan a couple days. There is plenty to see and do. Rental homes can easily be found with an internet search checking, Sandy's Quick Links to Abaco Accommodations and Services.

Understand there are no beaches in and around Marsh Harbour, at least not the kind you came to the Abacos for. But there is one thing you can do in Marsh that you cant do on the Cays and that is rent a car. This can make for a great adventure and exploration to the south like the settlements of Cherokee, Sandy Point and Hole in the Wall. Or you can head north to Treasure Cay and its beach. This is exactly what we did as part of our 2007 Trip.

When we cruised the Abacos by boat and were in Marsh Harbour, we always stayed at the close to everything Conch Inn Marina. It has in recent times has been taken over by the Moorings Charter Fleet operation. They offer a multitude of sailing type and size charters with or without captains. The Inn and its Conch Crawl Restaurant are sill going strong and 2006 saw the addition of a new 2nd floor bar & restaurant called Curly Tails. The Conch Inn offers an easy walk to town the the multitude of shops and restaurants the line this side of the harbour. Also at the Marina is Dive Abaco, Marsh Harbour's oldest dive shop. Information on the all other aspects of the facilities can be reached by clicking here. The devastation caused by hurricanes Frances and Jeanne along the southwestern side of the harbour Sept. '04 was nowhere to be seen on our '06 visit. The marina docks replaced and shore side restaurants open for business as usual.

Marsh has a large cruising community moored in it's harbour and is lively spot. As mentioned there a good many restaurants are within a short walking distance of the Conch Inn. From here to the center of town is just a 15 minute walk. Other hot spots are, Mangoes, Sapodilly's, (which had a serious fire in '07 an had not opened a year later) and the newest place, Snappas located at the Harbour View Marina are found all along harbour's edge near by. Also in the area is Wally's - voted the best restaurant in Marsh Harbour on a regular basis by AMB members. Cafe LaFlorence is a new venueÊopened by the daughter of Florence's Cafe in Treasure Cay.ÊÊ It's an attractive little coffee shop with delicious home baked pastries, daily specials, Êgreat light lunch menu and Internet service for customers. Also new in the area is the Hummingbird Restaurant and Lounge located in an unassuming strip mall across the street on the way into town. Both the latter are popular meeting places for civic, environmental, artistic social groups. In town there is a luncheonette style restaurant called the Golden Grouper. And for a change of pace, opening in 2006 was Mandarin Fine Dining specializing solely in, you guessed it, Chinese food. It's on Don MacKay Blvd. On the other side of the harbour is the active Marsh Harbour Marina and Jib Room. Here on Saturday night they have their steak barbecue, when as many as 300 steaks are served. Reservations required. Their steaks are absolutely the best in all the Abacos. All of the aforementioned have their own "special night" offering special meals and or drinks and are announced on the cruisers net daily. Be sure to plan ahead.

Just outside of Marsh in Dundas Town you find the ever popular Mother Merle's who in 2007 celebrated 40 years in business. Mrs. Merle Williams, has been catering to locals and tourists alike, all enjoying her genuine Bahamian recipes. Her hours are sometimes sporadic so we suggest giving a call first 367-2770. The largest marina and hotel in Marsh is actually not on the harbour but rather on the less protected Abaco Sound side. It's called the Abaco Beach Resort & Boat Harbour. It's a full scale resort. It seems there is always something going on here especially for the sport fisherman. It is here they hold the annual shootout - the by invitation only fishing tournament for Hatteras and Bertram owners. There are two dive shops at this location, Abaco Dive Adventures, who wins the niftiest website award and a new arrival in 2006 called Above and Below Abaco, whose proprietors are Dr. Vic (Politano) and his wife Kay along with partner Chris Smith.

2005 saw the grand opening of the grandest of all resorts in the Abacos, The Abaco Club at Winding Bay (A Ritz-Carlton). Definitely for the rich and famous, it's a half an hour ride south of Marsh Harbour. It is and is an all inclusive resort with golf and a multitude of amenities. Rates start at $1,200 a night.

One of my favorite things when in the Abacos, is sampling the Conch Salad from the markets and street vendor. It is this mans very favorite food in the Bahamas. Its refreshing, non fattening and tasty - sort of a crunchy gazpacho. It's better than Ice cream. Our favorite conch salad can be found at the street vendor you will see just a couple hundred feet north the Conch Inn in Marsh Harbour. The stand that has been there for years although the vendor may change. Get your self a pint. My Conch Salad Recipe.

From the Log of Motu Iti 1998: (Catalina Islander 34')
My friend Jamo flew over and joined us for a few days. He mentioned hearing of and old Army buddy and his wife having just completed a circumnavigation aboard their Canadian built 39' Corbin sailboat and were somewhere in the Abacos. After a check on the cruising net, a sailor spotted Ward's boat, The Cormorant, anchored in Marsh Harbour. 30 miles to our south. I wasn't about to move my boat from it's secured berth at the Green Turtle Club especially in this soupy weather. So we looked into renting something that could go fast without getting beat to hell. We rented a 21' Aqua Sport from Donnie Sawyer and climbed into slickers, and headed to Marsh Harbour. The normally one and one half hour trip took a half hour longer due to a blinding squall that hit us limiting visibility to about 20 yards.
We pulled into the harbour, where close to a hundred boats are at anchor at any given time. We started our search for the Cormorant. Since she only arrived the day before, we assumed the craft to be on the outside of the fleet. She was, and was spotted relatively quickly. There was Jamo's old friend Ward and his wife Judy just returning from a trip ashore in their dinghy. Luckily the rain had temporarily let up and we slowly approached their dinghy. You should have seen the expression on their faces as they saw each other on our approached. Say no more.
We had lunch with them at the Conch Inn. Jamo and Ward caught up on old times while I chatted with Judy on some of their around the world highlights good and bad including a "knock down" losing their mast outside of Australia. That's another story.
We left Ward and Judy at 3:30 and made it home in more favorable weather. An hour later we were greeted by friends waiting to hear of our experience.

Elbow Cay & Hope Town:


Hope Town Harbour Entrance seen from atop its Lighthouse.

==========
Postscript:

Happening quite by accident, I discovered Green Turtle Cay in 1973 just months prior to the Bahamas independence from Britain. I have been going ever since, only in recent time spending more time on Elbow Cay. Since moving to Florida in 1990, I have made six trips to the Abacos by boat. (First Trip) Two each in a 29' Phoenix Sportfish, (270 hp Crusaders). 34' Catalina Islander Fly Bridge (250 hp Cummins Diesels) and finally 26' Glacier Bay Island Runner Catamaran (130 Honda 4/stroke outboards.) All were named Motu Iti. The first trip in the latter boat was the year 2000. It was made solo over and back. Details of that trip can be found at: MY SOLO ADVENTURE.

1974 Bahamian Half Dollar
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