The Abacos Islands: the Good Life

Story and photography by
Eric Anderson & Nancy Allen 

 

The yachts bobbing at the Abaco Beach Resort in the biggest marina in the Abacos Islands symbolize, perhaps, the spirit of this little island group in the Outer Banks of the Bahamas: La Dolce Vita is painted on one stern, Strictly Pleasure, Endless Love and Born Again on others. This suggests the good life. The serenity of the boat owners seems to spill over the entire resort. They are drawn by some of the best diving and, arguably, the finest sports fishing in the world. Blue marlin, bonefish, tuna, amberjack, grouper and wahoo, like visitors, make Abaco their playground.

Although Marsh Harbour has only one traffic light it's the largest town on Abaco and the third largest in the Bahamas. It's only 55 minutes by air from the coast of Florida but the two islands, Little and Great Abaco, and the 16 or so cays (pronounced keys) that comprise the bulk of the Abacos get little of the glitzy tourism that brings crowds to Freeport for the gambling or Nassau for the shopping. That's the way Abaco wants it. And once visitors get past the crowded Indiana Jones-style airport, more suited to the1930's than today's air traffic, they find the Abacos a calm and contented experience. www.abacos.com/ 

Indeed, a sign on the dock at Man O'War Cay claims: "There is no other place like this place, near this place. So…This must be 'the place'." That's saying it. Asked why she loves the Abacos, Michele Steegstra, an island enthusiast, answers, "We're a world away but close to home. We speak your language, you've no problem with the currency and there's really no crime." Adds a local sculptor, Peter Johnston, "This is a land of flamboyant colors and a proud and happy people."

Visitors coming to unwind but wanting to explore can easily reach hotels on the far side of those Outer Banks or they can choose the Abaco Beach Resort itself. www.abacoresort.com.The resort has added wireless hot spots for internet access and allows guests the computer in its lounge. Located on the water with a central location in Marsh Harbour, a mere 20-minute taxi ride from the airport, with an award-winning restaurant, Angler's, it has a front desk that can seemingly arrange any activity for its guests.

Other resort choices include the Bluff House on Green Turtle Cay and the Abaco Inn on Elbow Cay; both have excellent restaurants and -- such is the friendly cooperation amongst resorts, if you're staying at the Abaco Beach Resort, the resort will arrange a boat to take you to either for lunch.

The attractions on the Abacos, easily reached by cab or boat, include the five-mile ferry ride to Green Turtle Cay to check out the Albert Lowe Museum, the Sculpture Garden, the Old Jail and Vert Lowe's Model Ship Shop. Many of its population of 450 souls are descendants of Loyalists who left the Carolinas in 1783 after the United States won the Revolutionary War. Only a few surnames or so exist in this cay: Sawyer, Curry, Lowe, Albury and McIntosh predominate and observers will sometimes stop someone and say, "You've got McIntosh eyes."

Other days, you'll want to hire a boat and visit Man O'War Cay the capital of Bahamas' boat building for 200 years to chat with its 300 inhabitants and look at the work of veteran boat builder Willard Albury who started his craft at the age of 14 more than half a century ago or the beautiful woodwork of carpenters like Emerson Albury, who as an old man still created beautiful rocking chairs of Caribbean Pine. Loyalists settled Elbow Cay in 1785 and New England-style clapboard houses and picket fences recall its heritage. Its candy cane 1863 lighthouse, the most photographed object in the Bahamas, ended the wrecking industry that once let locals eke out a living before this happy people discovered the joys of tourism.