Spanish Wells is one of the best kept vacation secrets in the Bahamas. This video is a bunch of clips getting to the island from Harrisburg PA airport (mdt).
The round trip ticket cost in the neighborhood of $450.00.
Winding Bay
Winding Bay is the perfect get-a-way kind of place. There are few beach goers besides the local bird population. It’s one of those kinds of places that causes the rest of the world to melt into insignificance.
A car is a must when staying in Winding Bay. I’d be willing to bet that when you make your reservations you can get the best info on who to rent a car from. If you’re in the mood to explore, I’d try to get an SUV type vehicle if possible.
The Beach
Is on the east side of the island of Eleuthera. It is a pretty deep cove that is protected from the surf by a barrier reef at it’s entrance. Even on days when the Atlantic is raging the waters of this cove remain relatively still. Toward the southern end of the beach is the remnants of an old canal that went through to a pretty large lagoon. The lagoon is easily reachable by kayak which are supplied by most of the rental homes on the beach.
Places To Stay
There are several rental homes on the beach. Many of them are designed for multiple couples to stay with all rooms being master suites. Click here
Shopping and Restaurants
This gorgeous beach is a little on the remote side, but not too far from Tarpum Bay and Rock Sound. Both villages offer pretty decent grocery shopping and a few local restaurants.
On Front Street in Tarpum Bay there is a young lady making a local delicacy called “Conch Salad.” Which is said by the locals to have many healthy benefits. It is very tasty! Be sure to let the young lady know of your preference for heat (the spicy kind), and she will make the Conch Salad to your preference.
Berthas Go Go Ribs is another stop you’ll need to make if you enjoy barbecue. The rids are smoked over a local hardwood and are served with Bahamian side dishes. Berthas is located on the hill entering Tarpum Bay from the south or Winding Bay direction.
In Rock Sound Sammy’s place is a local staple. Located in the center of the village it draws a lot of local foot traffic. It’s also one of the places folks from the north of Eleuthera will stop to eat if they are “down south” for business.
Things to do
The noonday sun here in the Bahamas can be a bit brutal, so midday makes a good time to get off the beach to do something else.
In Rock Sound there are two Blue Holes. The one called Ocean Hole, located dead center of Rock Sound is the local swimming hole. It is also a fun place to take some stale bread to feed to the fish in the Blue Hole. The fish are so used to being fed in this way that they gather round the steps as soon as your feet hit the steps. They feed quite aggressively and is fun to watch. It is not permitted to fish in Ocean Hole. The other Blue Hole is located on the southern end of Rock Sound. It is called Boiling Hole by the locals, probably due to the bubbles constantly breaking the surface of the water. The tidal flow in and out of this Blue Hole are not sufficient to keep the water from stagnating, which is probably the cause of the bubbling water.
Winding Bay is tailor made for fly fishermen. While your travel companions are busy with the beach, grab your fly rod and go for a walk. There are Bones that run the bay and offer good opportunities for a cast. There are also predatory fish such a Jack that have the habit of forcing bait fish toward the beach while feeding on them. Back toward the lagoon mentioned earlier, there is a kind of back water place where a pretty large shoal of Bonefish run. There are some monsters in that group. Fishing from the kayak around the reef at the entrance of the cove is also exciting. Pulling a rattle bait behind the Kayak will get you some strikes from the predatory fish around that reef.
Doing nothing is also another good option. It is not at all hard to just relax and accept the beauty of this idyllic cove.
Getting to Winding Bay
The best way to get here is by air. The Airport code at Rock Sound is RSD. The most efficient way to get here is to book through the Bahamasair booking system. Here
Ten Bay
Eleuthera while being a stunning island with beaches unmatched in beauty. Most of the island consists of small villages that don’t offer all that one needs. Most of the villages seem to have been left by time itself and much of the island can be remote.
The remote nature of Eleuthera almost requires the rental of a vehicle. Ten Bay is one of these remote locations. Ten Bay is located I’d say about 3 miles from the nearest village. It is also one of the few places on the island where a good beach can be found on the west side of the island.
I suppose if I were to spend less than 4 days in this location I would have no need of a vehicle. I’d arrange for a taxi to take me there, and retrieve me at the end of my stay. On the way to the cottage I’d have em take me by a grocery store and perhaps a Liquor store to gather supplies.
For a stay of longer that 4 days I think I’d need a car. This would open up many opportunities for exploration. Most of the Best beaches on the island are located on the east side of the island. You will need to ask the locals how to access these beaches. The locals (Eleutherans) are usually friendly and warm, always ready to talk. You will be rewarded finding beaches that for the most part will be deserted except for you and your company.
There are a variety of restaurants on Eleuthera. Restaurants range from being roadside holes in the wall to more formal type eateries. If you are in the mood to try what the locals like, the bakery in Governor’s Harbour offers a pastry called a Hot Patty. It is a meat filled pasty with it’s origins in Jamaica. It’s a bit spicy but very tasty. In Rock Sound the Liquor Store in the Market place sells them as well. I suggest a Hot Patty or two and a cold High Rock which is a local beer. On Tarpum Bay is a place called Bertha’s Go Go Ribs. They make pretty good ribs that are accompanied with the local Peas-n-rice.
While there you have to try Conch Salad. Roadside stands scattered around make the salad to order. It is the Bahamian version of Ceviche and very tasty. Just ask the vendor about the benefits of eating conch.
Getting to Ten Bay you can fly into the Rock Sound airport (RSD) or the Governor’s Harbour airport (GHB). The Rock Sound airport is the closer to Ten Bay. Good shopping is also available at the Rock Sound Market Place.
Rental Cars are available Click Here.
Rental Homes Here.
Governor’s Harbour
Governor’s Harbour is another on of those places on the island of Eleuthera that one could possible do without driving. The settlement of Governor’s Harbour enjoys a long history and has been a major part of the growth of the Bahamas. The age of the town is obvious by the mix of sprawling colonials and the new construction.
Accommodations
Many options for accommodations exist in this town. They range from hotels to small rental apartments. Click here for some of the options available.
Getting Here
To fly into Governor’s Harbour the airport code is GHB. Flying from Miami to Governor’s Harbour is relatively inexpensive if you use the Bahamas National Airline Bahamasair.
Harbour Island
Another Island stop that is both stunning and an easy place to vacation. There’s lots going on on this small island. Besides boasting one of the most incredible beaches in the world, there are a good number of boutique hotels, and vacation rentals available to meet most budgets. The island also gives itself to great culinary diversity in it’s many restaurants.
The beach at Harbour Island is quite well liked by the Travel Channel.
Getting To Harbour Island
From Nassau the Bahamas Fast Ferries make daily trips to Harbour Island To get there by air, you’d fly into North Eleuthera Airport. Airport code ELH. Tel 242-335-1242.
The most cost efficient way to fly there is to fly from Miami on the Bahamian airline, Bahamasair. So the plan is to make your way to Miami airport via your preferred travel method and fly Bahamasair to North Eleuthera. In face this is the best method price wise to get to any of the smaller Bahamian islands.
Spanish Wells
Quaint, beautiful, picturesque, just a few terms that come to mind as I consider Spanish Wells. It is a small island just off the northern tip of Eleuthera. Spanish Wells is approximately one square mile with a population just shy of 2000.
The primary industry of the island is fishing, but there are many other services available on the island basically in support of the fishing.
There is a cottage tourist industry on the island. Vacation rentals reflecting the spirit of Spanish Wells are available, some just steps from the beautiful beaches of the island. Once you spend a week on Spanish Wells I’d be willing to bet it won’t be your last visit to this jewel of an island.
Getting To Spanish Wells
From Nassau the Bahamas Fast Ferries make daily trips to Spanish Wells. To get there by air, you’d fly into North Eleuthera Airport. Airport code ELH. Tel 242-335-1242.
The most cost efficient way to fly there is to fly from Miami on the Bahamian airline, Bahamasair. So the plan is to make your way to Miami airport via your preferred travel method and fly Bahamasair to North Eleuthera. In face this is the best method price wise to get to any of the smaller Bahamian islands.
Accommodations and Such
Click Here for Spanish Wells Listings for vacation rentals, transportation, and activities.
Coconut Tart
Crust Ingredients
¼ cup vegetable shortening
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup milk
1 ½ cups flour
3 tablespoons water
Filling
3 cups fresh coconut, finely grated
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons nutmeg
Method
Prepare the tart filling by combining all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid evaporates. Let the mixture stand until cool.
For the Curst combine shortening and butter until blended. Add sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla and mix well. Next, add the dry ingredients, including baking powder and flour, and mix until the dough becomes sticky. Knead the dough until it is stiff enough to roll. Divide the dough into two balls, one for the bottom layer and one for the top. Roll out one piece into a 9 inch pie dish. Fill the dish layered with dough with the coconut filling, and then roll the remaining dough, cut into 1 inch wide strips and braid on the top of the pie.
Bake at 350℉ for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes.
This tart is a traditional Bahamian favorite which I think has it’s roots in a french torte. Enjoy! The coconut filling can be replaced with any of your favorite pie fillings with great results.
Must Have Items for Eleuthera
While Eleuthera is incredibly beautiful and it’s people friendly, make no mistake it is also an adventure! Eleuthera is very rural as are most of it’s beaches. There are no amenities on most beaches, so you will need to provide them yourself.
The first thing that I would suggest is having a cell phone with you while exploring the beaches more off the beaten track. The Island has pretty good cell coverage since it is so narrow. Bringing your everyday cell phone may prove not be the best idea because of roaming charges that can be extremely high. In stead go to amazon.com and look for a cheep Unlocked GSM cell phone. Be sure it is “Unlocked.” Once on the island of Eleuthera there are BTC offices in most of the settlements. You can go into one of these offices to purchase a SIM card that you’ll insert into the GSM phone you bought and you’ll have local coverage. You can expect to spend around $15 for a phone.
Again the island is rural so there are lots of mosquitos and sand flies (no see ums). You will need to prepare for dealing with them. During the day the bugs are not that prevalent, but as the sun begins to set they come our with ferocity! My favorite device for keeping them at bay is the Thermocell Mosquito Repellent also available on Amazon. We would start this device up when we are outside and put it under the table we are sitting around, or upwind if the breeze is blowing a bit.
I’d also take a camping hammock or two with me as the beaches have stands of trees that will support the hammocks offering for great relaxation in the shade of the trees. Don’t get the type that has the boards to spread the hammock out. They are really hard to pack.
A swimmers towel is a great addition to the travel kit. The swimmers towel dries quickly and ads tremendous convenience over traditional towels that get wet and stay wet for a long time. The swimmers towel is also small and easy to carry. Before the swimmers towel was available we would use synthetic chamois, still an option in my mind.
There are many other things that you can use on the beach. I’ll leave those things to your imaginations, but in my mind the items that I have listed above are not generally considered for travel. They will make your trip to an island like Eleuthera much easier. Have a great adventure!
Gallery Rock Sound Pics
Just thought I’d upload a few photos of Rock Sound just to give a quick view of a few parts of this sleepy village located in South Eleuthera.
Enjoy!
Rock Sound Cave
The Cave at Rock Sound is located just outside of the settlement going south toward Green Castle. There is a white church building
on the opposite side of the road so it’s easy to find. You will need to park along the side of the road. It used to be almost impossible to find, but recently the locals have build this kind of rough set of stairs down to the blue hole and put up the stone wall to make the way down.
Boiling Hole
This blue hole is not that deep. It is called boiling hole because there
are always bubbles coming to the surface. There is not enough water exchange to keep the water from stagnating. It is still a very pretty location but not much to do there.
Keep on the path that leads around the side of Boiling Hole off to the left. You
continue through the low scrub type bush common to the Bahamas. On the way be careful not to touch the tree with the black tar looking sap coming from it’s trunk. It is called Poison Wood. It is like poison ivy on steroids so please avoid it.
The Cave
Not too far on is the entrance to the cave. It is a top entrance,
making getting into it a bit of a challenge if it weren’t for the makeshift ladder placed there. I suppose it’s time to say that I don’t recommend that anyone go into the cave. It’s best to view it from the top.
On the way in we saw a bit of the local wild life. Some of the locals
may serve as a deterrent to some. but we found them to be quite hospitable. The first was this little lizard kind of being a ladder hog.
At the bottom we found a resident of the cave. It was a Brown Racer, one of the local species of snake. He didn’t seem to like his home being
invaded so he took off to a dark corner somewhere. They are harmless. There are no poisonous snakes in the Bahamas, but there are a few toxic bugs.
The cavern at the entrance of the cave is rather small but a passage leads to a pretty large cavern that makes me think the cave
floor may be below sea level. There was evidence of an owl off to the right in the form of some poop and bones of small critters such as mice. The owl was not there.
Through the passage the cave opens up into a surprisingly large cavern. It is cool the way the roots from the
trees above come through the ceiling and all the way into the floor. I am stunned at the size of the roots considering the small trees above. My kids can be seen at the bottom of the roots, they are totally dwarfed by the height of the ceiling of the cave. There were other caverns at one time but the ceiling has collapsed making those caverns inaccessible.