Spanish Wells Bahamas: The Island, the People, the Allure

By Christopher L. Cirillo

A No. 1 Amazon.com Bestseller Caribbean-Travel Book, Spanish Wells Bahamas | The Island, The People, The Allure, is written for those who want to explore a true outpost island paradise.

In addition to providing the travel-planning essentials necessary to enjoy a perfect vacation, Christopher Cirillo introduces you to some of the fascinating people that make this two-mile island special, from top archaeologists to quilters, shopkeepers to lobster divers.

Hell take you beneath the waves at the Devils Backbone coral reef and bring you face-to-face with the islands resident manatees. Packed with over 50 photos and illustrations, the pages come to life as Cirillo unearths four centuries of the islands rich history, examines the unique culture, and shares some of the legends that surround Spanish Wells and the people that call the island home.

To learn more go to www.SpanishWellsBook.com. Here, read updated information about the island, enjoy color photographs from Spanish Wells and other beautiful destinations, contact Bestselling Author Christopher Cirillo and follow along as he explores incredible destinations and shop for unique gifts in his on-line store where every purchase benefits worthwhile causes and local artisans from around the globe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 29, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452089539

Christopher L. Cirillo

Christopher Cirillo, a native of Mobile, Alabama, and a longtime resident of Biloxi, Mississippi, Navarre, Florida, and Austin, Texas, has traveled extensively throughout the Bahamas and the Caribbean and has lived in Europe where he worked as a journalist and photographer. Cirillo has written for The Sea Coast Echo, The Sun Herald and Southern Voice newspapers. A certified scuba diver since age 14, Cirillo earned his divemaster and specialty instructor ratings from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) at Emerald Coast Scuba in Destin, Florida in 2011. In addition to writing and travel, Cirillo has served as an emergency medical services (EMS) administrator since 1993. During his public safety career, he commanded emergency personnel on the Mississippi coast during Hurricane Katrina and many other disasters. Cirillo, a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association, lives with his family on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Cirillo's book on Spanish Wells, Bahamas, ranked an Amazon.com No. 1 Travel-Caribbean Bestseller in February 2011. Contact the author and read more at www.ChrisCirillo.com or www.SpanishWellsBook.com. Don't forget to search for our Facebook fan page at Spanish Wells Bahamas Book.

Book preview

SPANISH WELLS BAHAMAS

The Island, The People, The Allure

Christopher L. Cirillo

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2010 Christopher L. Cirillo. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First published by AuthorHouse 11/19/2010

ISBN: 978-1-4520-8951-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-8952-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-8953-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010915707

Printed in the United States of America

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATIONS WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTIES MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION, WEBSITE, INDIVIDUAL OR PRODUCT IS REFERENCED IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTIENTAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION, ORGANIZATION, WEBSITE OR INDIVIDUAL MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY TAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES AND OTHER INFORMATION LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THE WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.

http://www.SpanishWellsBook.com

Contents

Author’s Acknowledgements

Publishing Acknowledgements

Introduction

Getting Hooked

In the Beginning

Planning Your Trip

PICKING YOUR BEST TIME TO VISIT

WEATHER & MARINE CONDITIONS

HURRICANE SEASON

Holidays

ISLAND TIME

PASSPORTS & TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

BRINGING ITEMS IN & OUT OF THE BAHAMAS

ENTERING THE BAHAMAS BY BOAT

CURRENCY & BANKING

CREDIT CARDS

IMMUNIZATIONS

KEEPING TIME

ELECTRICITY

SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Getting There is Half the Fun

ARRIVING BY AIR

WATER TAXIS & FERRIES

ARRIVING BY FAST FERRY

ARRIVING BY AIR

GROUND TRANSPORTATION

Deciding Where to Stay

PRIVATE VACATION HOME RENTALS

Nature Lovers’ Dream

The Spiny Caribbean Lobster

Lobster Royalty

PROUD FATHER, HISTORY KEEPER

Treasured Guides and Charters

SPANISH WELLS CHARTERS & TOURS

Legends, Pirates and Folklore

A TRUE WHALE OF A TALE

A MADE-FOR-TV FAMILY

SPANISH WELLS’ MERMAID

PIRATES OF THE BAHAMAS

THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE

HATCHET BAY CAVE

SWEETINGS POND: The Loch Ness of the Bahamas

Finding Food on Spanish Wells

GROCERY STORES & SEAFOOD MARKET

SPANISH WELLS MUSEUM COOKBOOK

RESTAURANTS, CAFES AND SNACK SHACKS

ROADSIDE TREATS

Bahamas’ Favorites

CONCH: Delicious dish, prized seashell, pearl producer

GOOMBAY PUNCH

PEAS AND RICE

KALIK BEER

LAND CRABS

Shopping on Spanish Wells

Sewing the Fabrics of Tradition

Island Education

Island Medicine

MEDICAL CLINICS

Politics in Paradise

Noteworthy & Necessary

SIGHTS AND HISTORY

EXERCISE & FITNESS

BROADCASTING THE HITS

GET PAMPERED

RELIGION ON SPANISH WELLS

CHURCHES

PUBLIC SAFETY

ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE ON SPANISH WELLS

U.S. EMBASSY

MARINE EMERGENCIES

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES

YES, YOU CAN DRINK THE WATER

WHAT TO WEAR

KEEPING YOUR WOBBLY BITS COVERED

GETTING BAKED

CAN I SEE YOUR I.D., PLEASE?

GRATUITIES

DRIVING ON THE LEFT

JUST SAY NO!

POST OFFICE

Love on the Horizon

Excursions to Harbour Island

GETTING TO HARBOUR ISLAND

GETTING AROUND

EATING OUT

SHOPPING

ADVENTURES ON AND UNDER THE WATER

FISHING CHARTERS

Russell Island

Excursions to Eleuthera

PREPARING TO EXPLORE ELEUTHERA

GETTING TO ELEUTHERA

GETTING AROUND ELEUTHERA

PLACES TO SEE ON NORTH ELEUTHERA

MEALS AND SHOPPING ON NORTH ELEUTHERA

Paradise for Sale

Bibliographies and Resources

Author’s Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the readers that generously purchased my book. I hope you will find it entertaining and informative, and I wish you happy, safe and frequent travels. Let me hear from you.

This book would not have been possible without the generous participation, contributions, kindness and friendship of the following individuals and businesses:

The Honorable Abner Pinder, chief councillor, Spanish Wells District Council; Raymond Pinder, justice of the peace; Gilbert Pinder and the staff of Ronald’s Seafood; Cecile Dunnam; Mark Williams; James Dunnam; Shantel Dunnam; Andre and Natasha Sands; Darrin and Becky Sands; Loree Pinder; Nola Neilly; Holly Pinder-Peel; Kirk Aulin; Patricia Aulin; Kirk Aulin Jr.; Jake Aulin; Ellerton Judd Sands; Reginald Stephen Pinder; Katherine Albury; Carrie Sweeting; Rachael Sweeting; Chase Ricardo Sweeting; Tory Pinder and the staff of BTC Ltd.; Diane Underwood, Lana Higgs, Mia Higgs and the staff of Three Sisters Variety Store; Spanish Wells Harbourside Rentals; Abner’s Rentals; Stephen Bailey, M.D., Laura Bailey, R.N.; Island Urgent Care; Islander Shop; Spanish Wells Museum; The Quilt Shop; Alton Pinder and the staff at Spanish Wells Food Fair; Desiree Messier; Lily Messier; The Cove resort, Eleuthera, Bahamas; Gerald J. Stuart Sr. and the staff at North Eleuthera Craft and Snack Place; Calvin Pinder; Gurney Pinder; Greta Pinder; Pinder’s Ferry and Taxi Service; Jane S. Day, Ph.D.; Archaeological and Historical Conservancy Inc. and Robert S. Carr; Lonnie Johnson; Pink Sands Resort and The Blue Bar on Harbour Island, Bahamas; Bahamas Fast Ferries and the crew of Bo Hengy II; Julia M. Clarke; James Troy Mayer; Kristen Zimmerman (my hardworking and dedicated assistant) and the heroic and selflessly devoted men and women of the emergency medical services industry.

To the kind and generous people of Spanish Wells, Russell Island and Eleuthera, Bahamas, for welcoming me into your homes and lives and for the privilege of telling your story. I will remain eternally grateful for your trust in doing so.

I also wish to thank Billy Lawson and Taylor Lawson for serving as my fearless travel companions and research assistants with whom I’ve had the pleasure of exploring our fascinating planet. Whether by train, plane, submarine or golf cart, our adventures both above and below the surface of the water are the memories I treasure most of all.

Publishing Acknowledgements

I wish to express my boundless appreciation and admiration to my friend and colleague Denise Richter, an award-winning journalist and editor, for patiently and painstakingly serving as my professional copy editor, confidant and mentor, without whom this book never would have become a reality.

To Jenifer Hughey and Eric Joseph Landry for collaboratively designing the exterior cover and for spending more than a few late nights and weekends sharing their creative eye for detail and quality.

To Michael Cashmore-Hingley for serving as professional artist and illustrator and for lending his creative spirit and incredible talent to the project all the way from New Zealand. Visit his website and check out