Eleuthera is a common enough destination. Caves, shallow water, fishing, and rustic comfort in the island communities is all something to enjoy on this fascinating island. This is not a tourist Mecca like Nassau or Freeport. It’s mostly pure island living, a nautical atmosphere and natural life styles.

   It isn’t far from Eleuthera Point to Arthur Town on Cat Island. Cat Island is on a little appendix of the Great Bahama, a bulwark for the deep Exuma Sound from the expansive Atlantic. Cat Island is shaped like a long, spindly boot or an anemic Italy. But there is an island close by that lures the nostalgic.

  About 50 miles away, all on its own, is San Salvador Island, also called Watling. A cross marks where it is believed Columbus must have landed in October 1492.  Strange lights were seen on the horizon the night before. But Columbus, upon landing, found no source for the lights, neither fishermen’s camp fires nor torches. Above: a breathtaking view from the shore of San Salvador, a view Columbus must have had. Standing from a spot like this one he must have absorbed the sweet taste of success—land and the New World. . . .But the source of the lights was never found. To this day, this phenomenon continues around the Bahamas. Despite the frequent travel, the source of the lights remains illusive and mysterious.

There are several other lone islands breasting the strong winds of the Atlantic. Rum Cay, for instance, lies southwest of here. Adventuresome divers can still find the shaft, anchor chains and hawser holes of the H.M.S Conqueror, Britain’s first propellor driven warship. It sank in 1861 and can still be found in 30 feet of water in a staghorn gully near the breaking reef.
   Close by is Long Island, once again on the Great Bahama Bank. A more rustic atmosphere again rules here in such main settlements as Deadman’s Cay and Clarence Town.
   Heading southeast again, back on our main course bisecting the Bahamas, we pass over the large and squiggly Acklin’s Island, which sits on its own seamount. We have now left the Great Bahama Bank’s shallow waters behind. These islands southeast of here are in the deep blue ocean, surrounded by a halo of shallow waters on their seamounts.
   After passing over Acklin’s we are fly over Mayaguana Passage, a major sea lane for big ships coming out of the Caribbean between Cuba and Haiti’s Windward Passage. The island of Mayaguana is distant on the horizon to our left. South of it is the other sea lane called the Caicos Passage, another major passage for freighters, leading into the heart of the Triangle. This is usually the way most ships come when sailing up from Panama, through the Windward,  then one of these passages into the deep Atlantic and Sargasso Sea.
   Our destination will come into view soon. It is the common halfway island of Great Inagua. This is halfway in the sense of heading toward San Juan, Puerto Rico, which most planes are. Either coming or going to San Juan,

   Flamingo nesting on Great Inagua is a sight to see. Above, they build their little mounds and lay their eggs on top. Great Inagua is a very flat island and one really feels they are out in the boondocks here.  The main settlement is Matthew Town.
   En route to Great Inagua is Hogsty Reef, where one could see the silhouette of a stranded Liberty Ship, caught on its coral atoll shores while steaming towards one of the above mentioned major passages. It sits, high in the water, rusted and corroded like a guardian on the bank some 5 miles outside the entrance. 

   Unless one is headed toward the Turk and Caicos Islands nearby to the northeast, you’re going to head out over deep ocean and skirt the island of Hispaniola, upon which are the countries of Dominican Republic and Haiti. This

The next installment will be a trip from Miami to the islands of the Little Bahama Bank, Grand Bahama and Great Abaco!

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