Eleuthera Notes

Glass Window Bridge -- Eleuthera Bahamas

2024-03-22T22:40:00.000+00:00

Welcome to Eleuthera, a hidden gem in the Bahamas waiting to be discovered. Nestled amidst turquoise waters and white sandy beaches, this Caribbean paradise is home to a breathtaking architectural marvel – the Glass Window Bridge.

A glimpse into paradise, this enchanting bridge provides an awe-inspiring experience that will leave you spellbound.

Spanning the narrowest point on the island, the Glass Window Bridge offers an unparalleled view of two contrasting bodies of water colliding. On one side, the calm Caribbean Sea gently laps against the shoreline, while on the other, the mighty Atlantic Ocean crashes against towering cliffs, creating an exhilarating spectacle of nature's raw power.

But what truly sets this bridge apart is its unique feature – a mesmerizing gap in the cliffs resembling a giant glass window. As you traverse the bridge, the glass-like opening allows you to peer through to the depths of the ocean beneath, revealing a vibrant world of marine life, coral reefs, and azure blue waters that seem to stretch into infinity.

Whether you're seeking adventure, tranquility, or simply an opportunity to marvel at Mother Nature's creations, the Glass Window Bridge promises an unforgettable experience. So come, step onto this window into paradise and allow yourself to be captivated by the beauty of Eleuthera.

Goodbye to Lighthouse Beach on Eleuthera

2018-10-19T21:28:00.005+00:00

Lighthouse Beach Eleuthera

I was so very sad to read today's news of the approval for the development of Lightouse Beach by Disney. Lighthouse Beach, also known as Lighthouse Point, is an iconic area located at the southern tip of Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, approximately a one hour flight from the Florida coast.

Lighthouse Beach is known for it's majestic shorelines and beaches that are completely undeveloped and nearly pristine. It has that rare combination of features that presented a collection of everything the island offers: gray cliffs, caves, pink sand, Atlantic Ocean, quiet coves, and the crowning glory -- the old light house complete with cook's shack behind it.

Much as I hate to say this, the first time I went there I wondered how long it would take for developers to come in and spoil the land. Why? Because it had not been designated as protected area by the Bahamian Government. And now, it's gone. Maybe not physically, but it will never be the same once Disney brings in their giant new cruise ships.

Over the 40+ years I have been visiting the Bahamas Islands, one thing I have seen firsthand is how fragile the eco system is. Countless stories have been written and photos taken of the destruction caused by these types of developments. Some of the most egregious damage has been done to the coral. You can read all sorts of data that's been published on the matter, and they all pretty much say the same thing: 80% of the coral reef is either damaged or dead. I would not be shocked if we saw some of the very worst damage ever when it comes to Lighthouse Point and its complex eco system. I hope I am wrong. Based on history, I am probably right.

Approved: Lighthouse Point Proposal submitted by Disney Cruise Line Island Development Ltd.

pj

Winding Bay Eleuthera Relaunched

2018-09-14T21:43:00.009+00:00

I finally got around to completely reworking my photo galleries for my Winding Bay Eleuthera website. A special thanks to my friends at Point o' Vue Vacation Rental who have provided me with their kindness and support over the years. If you are looking for a great rental home on Eleuthera, this may be your place. I always preferred staying in someone's vacation home rather than a vacation rental, and they have just that. Great for families too. I had the pleasure of shooting some of the photos on their website.

Back to Winding Bay, it was one of my most favorite areas to shoot on Eleuthera. Some of the back roads get dicey, but I actually love the idea that I am going to a place that not many get to see. A four wheel drive vehicle is very necessary unless you are willing to hike in and out after a point. I don't recommend this approach unless you are fit and carry in plenty of water.

Check out my photos and see for yourself. These places are so peaceful and serene, it's almost surreal. Such beauty for a place that's so close to the U.S.

If you plan on visiting the area, I suggest taking some print outs of the satellite maps for the area. These will give you a pretty good idea of what you will encounter. You can find these maps on my website page. Here is the location for Winding Bay Beach on Google satellite map.

pj

Eleuthera's Fine Threads

2016-03-05T20:20:00.005+00:00


Eleuthera's Fine Threads

One of the more common threads to my visits to Eleuthera and Harbour Island is to spend a little time with good friend Fred Neely, known by most on the island as "Fine Threads." Fred is my connection for North Eleuthera car rentals and taxi service. Fred makes for an excellent example of what it means to be an ambassador for one's country. Warm, friendly and always smiling. I can see him one day and then again the following year and it's like no time has lapsed in between. He is the first guy I look for when I exit the airport terminal in North Eleuthera. I know I am back home when he shakes my hand.

When Fred isn't tending to his cabs and cars, he farms the fertile soils of Eleuthera -- like he doesn't have enough to do already. Fred is a true entrepreneur not to mention a minister, a green thumb and a very fine gentleman to boot.

I did a short interview with Fred the last time I was through and thought I'd share it here: Interview with Eleuthera's Fine Threads - Farmer, Taxi Driver and Car Rental Entrepreneur.

I try to avoid making specific recommendations on where to stay and who to see when visiting Eleuthera, but in this case, I can't miss recommending Fred. I am sure you will love him too. Most times, you can find Fred at the North Eleuthera Aiport.

pj

Eleuthera Car Rentals

2016-02-09T22:06:00.008+00:00


Queen's Highway - Eluthera

Renting a car on Eleuthera is not like renting a car from Enterprise or National, it's much more casual and informal than that. Ja man! The rental car "companies" on Eleuthera are sole proprietors who have paid a fee to the Bahamian government to act as a "self drive" franchise -- hence the "SD" moniker on so many of the license plates. But I'm not here to talk about those technicalities - you can delve into the details on my new page for "Eleuthera car rentals".

What I am here to talk about is being aware of the differences when driving a rental car around Eleuthera as opposed to being in your home country. The rules and the roads are different when you are on an island. First off, there is no official "drivers ed" on Eleuthera -- driving skills are going to vary widely. This is also true of the commercial drivers, many of whom are driving vehicles that can be quite old and under-maintained. This is not to say the same isn't true back home, but in this environment, these less-than-ideal circumstances are exacerbated by the roads themselves.

The sad truth is a lot of lives have been lost on Eleuthera's roads, the majority of which were outright carelessness.

There's one major "highway" that runs from the north to the south end of Eleuthera called "Queen's Highway." This highway is really a two lane road with a speed limit of 45mph excluding towns, curves and pot holes. In most cases, the highway lacks stripes and there is a serious shortage of "shoulder space" to get out of the way of speeding oncoming traffic.

Added to this is the complication is having to drive on the left side of the road; at least for those of us who are used to driving on the right side -- additional concentration required!

There's more... As you can see from the photo, the Queen's Highway can run right next to the ocean in any number of areas of Eleuthera. As you might expect, this type of environment does not play well with paved roads and eventually you wind up some really nasty pot holes -- particularly dangerous to encounter around tight corners at better-than-average speeds -- and then you have to drive through these pot holes because the vehicle on the other side of the road is going even faster and you have nowhere to go to avoid the pot hole. Wait till you see how much the car rental guy wants for breaking his car! In many cases, I have been told by the car rental guys "you break it, you buy it." Not far from reality when you consider the average age of these car rentals are 12 years; a number of which were "hard driven years" given these vehicles have been known to go off-road when they had no business of going there in the first place.

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention night time driving. Let me tell you, this can be real white knuckle stuff if you're not fully conversant with the roads and conditions. Hopefully your windshield will be clear enough so you are not blinded by oncoming traffic. Blowing sands eventually trash the clarity of a car's windshield. Sounds really stupid, but check your windshield and wipers before you venture out at night so you don't Goombay Smash!

If you are planning on going off-road, then consider the following absolute necessities: some sort of map, an inflated spare tire with the necessary gear to change a flat, a cell phone if possible, and plenty of water in case you have to walk back into town or to the highway.

Okay, so you have to rent a car on Eleuthera; I know that. So here's what I do when driving around Eleuthera:

I rarely exceed the speed limit. I expect the unexpected in the next 2 seconds. I do not drive under the influence -- especially at night (easy for me to do because I don't drink, ha!) And I use all the other usual precautions, and last but not least, I am very very careful not to hurt anyone or screw the car up! State Farm told me I was on my own when I'm in the Bahamas. And don't think you can just leave the island and take care of things later... it doesn't work that way.

I'd probably throw one more rule if you have kids: I would be extremely reserved about letting them drive without an adult in the car.

Just in case any of this gives you pause, I've driven a lot of miles around Eleuthera and have not had an accident (but I have had flats, a few car problems and a close call or two.)

You can check out my list of rental people when it comes to finding someone to rent a car on Eleuthera, I can't give recommendations; it wouldn't be fair. Some are good and some are bad. Use the guidelines I provide on my page and you may have a better chance of having a good experience. Whatever you do, don't rent a car that you are uncomfortable with. There are going to be other cars you can rent if you are willing to take the time to call around. Lastly, recommendations from those providing your accommodations are usually going to be a good start. Just remember you're on an island where it pays to be patient and careful.

See you on the island -- toot toot, beep, beep!

pj

Eleuthera Bahamas Vacation Rentals

2012-08-23T08:22:00.012+00:00

Thinking about renting a vacation rental on Eleuthera or elsewhere in the Bahamas? You may find this interesting reading -- especially if you are looking to spend part of Junior's college fund on a two week romp in paradise.

My wife and I have rented quite a few vacation rentals on Eleuthera as well as Harbour Island and a number of other islands throughout the Bahamas. We are hopeless Bahamas junkies.

I am a photographer and when I am shooting photos on a larger island like Eleuthera, I/we may rent upwards of 4 to 5 different vacation rentals in a period of weeks. This provides me with more immediate access to the various areas of Eleuthera.

But I promised my wife I was not going to talk about photography in this post (darn!) I am going to share some notes on what we learned from our experience renting vacation properties. We recently authored some advice on renting a vacation home on Eleuthera. This can be a real bargain when done right. Much of what we wrote is similar to what you might read elsewhere on the internet. We reconstituted and added points we think are more specific to Eleuthera rentals and renting vacation properties in general.

Eleuthera Rental
Palmetto Point

If you are still interested in this topic, click and read our piece on "Tips for Renting Vacation Rentals by Owner." After that, I will share a few more tips and thoughts.

Our experiences with vacation rentals have ranged anywhere from excellent to near disaster. We have stayed at better than a few dozen homes and visited countless more. Once the bug of "vacation rental" bites, it can be addictive -- especially when the rental is right on the beach! They definitely have some advantages over staying at hotels or resorts on Eleuthera, albeit we stay at those too! We like some of the conveniences, privacy, ambiance and value that vacation homes can offer. The bonus is these vacation homes are in some very amazing locations. Check out our satellite map of Eleuthera rentals and see for yourself.

The focus here is on "value" and what that means. Amongst the pool of rentals throughout Eleuthera, Harbour Island and the Abacos, there are some real cherries to pick from. Many times, it starts with being able to find that unique person or couple who is renting their "vacation home" directly to you. Our definition of "vacation home" is a place where the homeowner lives or visits the house more than a couple of weeks out of the year. In a number of cases, the homeowners aren't necessarily looking to make money from the rental, rather they are looking to help pay down overhead, and perhaps one day, build up enough equity so they can enjoy the gains and benefits at retirement. What typically goes with this mindset is a reasonably maintained vacation home. It's a win-win for both parties.

For us, there are two elements to consider when evaluating vacation rentals: maintenance and cleanliness. "Maintenance" means the plumbing works, the electricity is on, there is running water, etc. We always like to know who fixes what around the rental and make sure we understand exactly what it is going to take to get their attention if the toilet backs up or the refrigerator shuts down. We know where they live, work, and their telephone numbers. Sometimes, we learn who their kids' are and what time they get up and go to bed. When you spend a pretty penny to enjoy a not-nearly-long-enough vacation in paradise, you don't want problems! Maintenance is not something we want to do. We leave that at home.

The other element of all vacation rentals is "cleanliness" which is usually up to you and whomever the caretaker is. Sometimes you don't always get what you were hoping for -- especially if the caretaker has only a handful of hours to flip xyz rental properties on a Saturday. As a result, we are in the habit of asking the property owners if the caretaker will come clean while we are there and ask how much they charge. If the place isn't quite to our liking when we arrive, we immediately book the caretaker and pay for them come back in a day or so, usually a Monday as most go to church on Sunday. And please! Bring a little extra Mr. Clean! Many (but not all) of the people we have ever worked with are nice people and will bend over backwards for you -- especially for a smile. A little extra money doesn't hurt either. We do both. We're on vacation. Time to spend!

What happens when things aren't right? I'm a photographer. I take photos. If the place truly sucks, I take a lot of photos. I'm also prepared to email the photos to the owner while I'm still on the property if I think it is necessary. Nice to have the right email addresses with you in these events.

We are not afraid to ask for a partial refund if things are sincerely unreasonable and avoidable. Tell home owners right away. We may ask the them to pick up the tab for some extra cleaning. Pictures of vacation rentals in the right places speak a thousand words -- the only caption I have ever had to use is "look at this and tell me what you think." Nothing like having 3 pages of comments from various people saying "yuck" about a property photo on Trip Adviser. Having said that, please don't do this until you've made an earnest attempt to allow a homeowner make good. Saying nasty things about a property on TA or anywhere on the net really should be a last resort. Your exchange should be documented in fairness to you and the owner. It should go without saying, this is an island environment and it is a challenge to keep things running. Don't expect perfect.

While we talk about potential pitfalls with renting a vacation home on Eleuthera, we don't want to be a Debbie Downer either. If you do reasonable homework and you know who you are dealing with, you will likely have a most memorable vacation.

Now where did I leave that Goombay Smash?

pj

Eleuthera on Facebook - Why Eleuthera?

2012-02-29T06:48:00.016+00:00

I'm hosting a Page for Eleuthera on Facebook so it would make it easier to share more of my photos of Eleuthera. I find this is more efficient and effective for that spur-of-the-moment urge to post a picture. Better yet, it gives me an opportunity to get comments from others and meet other Eleuthera fans -- yeah!

I could have provided a forum to augment my website for Eleuthera Bahamas, but I prefer keeping things more formal there. One of the objectives when I developed Eleuthera-Map.com was to keep the website about the island and not about me. I did not want to assert any claims of authority or ownership on Eleuthera i.e. "my island." Nor did I wish to attach adjectives like "ideal" or "best" when describing the site and its content. Of course, I would use those adjectives to describe the island!

It's no secret; I do not live on Eleuthera. Do you care? (Amazingly enough, some do.) If you're like me, you are a visitor. Maybe it's your first time, maybe 10th. Maybe you go for a week; maybe half a year. I usually go for a month every year. Regardless of how much time we are there, we all share the same passion for Eleuthera -- or you wouldn't be reading this, would you?

Just to clarify a few points for those few who really don't get it -- it's not your island, it's God's island and there's no better authority than the Man -- he's been there the longest.

I simply enjoy sharing the passion with others who do get it -- Eleuthera is a very cool island! Do I hear an "Amen"?

So if you got this far and you get what I'm saying, then you definitely want to visit the new Facebook page for Eleuthera I am hosting and share the love. Even better, click the "Like" button at the top of the Page and leave a comment on the wall that say's "I get it!" Hope to see you there.

Bring some sunscreen!

pj

Winding Bay Eleuthera

2011-01-15T21:08:00.029+00:00

One of a slug of favorite beaches to visit and shoot when I'm traipsing around the island is Winding Bay, north of Rock Sound Eleuthera by about 6 miles as the crow flies. This gorgeous beachfront property was acquired by Arthur Vining Davis in the 40s. His plans were to develop the area and build a large 300 room Eleuthera resort and hotel there. Thankfully, that never happened, and ultimately, this area was used to develop Eleuthera vacation homes and rentals along with a small resort called the Venta Club which is now defunct. Some of these homes are absolutely breathtaking.

What's even more breathtaking is Winding Bay beach and the surrounding areas including Half Sound Bay and Crown Point.

Half Sound and Crown Point aren't too hard to find -- they're marked on the Eleuthera satellite map. To get to the end of Crown Point, you're going to want to use either a sturdy vehicle with decent clearance, or better yet, a 4WD. I used a car but walked in the last mile or so as I didn't want to drag the bottom of the car over the worst spots. Frankly, you see and find more if you get off the main road on foot. Do exercise caution. Make sure you have plenty of water and be prepared for the odd event that you get stuck and have to hoof it back to the main road. I always let somebody know where I'm going and when I should be back. Cell phone would be nice, but I hate those dang things when I'm in this kind of environment -- puts me too close to reality.

Exact driving directions shouldn't be necessary; just study the map for south Eleuthera. The primary road that runs due east from Queen's Highway is Madeira Road located about 1.5 miles north of Rock Sound Airport and less than .5 miles north of the Rock Sound Club.

There's another route that works if you're coming from Winding Bay. If you study the satellite map, you will see a road that runs north / south along the west side of the bay and connects with Madeira Road. There are a number of spots you can stop at and shoot photos of Half Sound bay along the way.

Rest assured, it's well worth any trouble. This is one of those places you almost hate talking about because you don't want to see the place get trashed by those few people who don't know how to do the simple stuff like pack out their trash and stay on the paths. (What do they say? Can't fix stupid!) Okay... I'm getting a little green here. But at least it gives you some idea as to how relatively untouched this area looks and feels. In real terms, Crown Point has seen its fair terms of visitors and beach parties. A few foundation remnants can be found in some places, however I found no habitable structures.

One of the better finds in the area was this geodetic survey benchmark dated 1946. (Yes... that's a house fly in the right hand side of the shot.) Stamped on the marker is a notice of a $250 fine or imprisonment if I disturbed it. I can certainly relate to that! Wish I could impose that on my noisy neighbor. Yo!

The marker also said if I wrote to the Director in Washington D.C., he'd clue me in on the elevation. Hmmm... Lemme guess. 3 feet above sea level? Just a lucky guess. And who's "The Director" these days?

It was amazing to see this marker in such excellent shape given the harsh environment it's in. Looks like somebody installed it there last year. Seems nobody I talked to was aware of this thing's existence (where's the "we live here" crew on this one?), albeit it is off the beaten track. I took some shots and marked its position on my GPS which is getting overloaded with way points at this stage. (Tip: Never use the coordinates you get from the likes of Google Earth. The map for Eleuthera isn't registered properly. Trust me. I've been mapping Eleuthera with a GPS for years.)

No doubt a few of you who made it this far in the article are looking for me to share the actual coordinates. Sorry, Charlie. It would take away from the journey and the hunt. Besides, I've already given you some pretty good clues. Trust me, if you look through some of my photos on my Winding Bay Eleuthera website and spend some time around Half Sound, you'll find it. And if you don't, you really won't care anyway. As you will see in the beach photos, this place is gorgeous.

Having said as much about Half Sound and Crown Point, my pick for photogenic beaches in the area was the northern shores of Winding Bay. It had a nice mix of elements that I really like: soft semi packed pink white sand that's easy to walk on, shallow shock clear pale turquoise colored waters that transitions to blue as you move towards the rock formations that lead the way to the Atlantic. Along the trek is a nice variety of gray and silver white driftwood coupled with casuarina trees that line the beach. There's even an odd old wooden Bahamian painted boat that has "beach picture postcard" written all over it, figuratively speaking of course.

And there's that much more to the entire Winding Bay area to be discovered and not hard to navigate. I'll leave it up to you to comment on your favorite spots on Winding Bay and Half Sound. Oh yeah! Almost forgot! Don' miss Coconut Beach on the north shore of Half Sound. This is a wonderful spot for a dip, lunch and a cold Kalik or soda pop. Better yet, bring a date on this trip! Oh Honey!!

P.S. Post the correct GPS coordinates for the benchmark in the comments section and I'll mail you one of my collectible Eleuthera postcards signed by yours truly.

pj

My Friend Henry From North Eleuthera

2010-02-18T19:40:00.030+00:00

This is a story I've been wanting to tell for some time. It's about a man I met while poking around North Eleuthera looking for Ridley Head Beach. This man's name is Henry and he's from Haiti. He lives in the little Haitian village not far from the James Bay ferry dock that provides travel to Spanish Wells. Here's the story:

Back in the Spring of '08, I spent some time poking around some of the settlements in North Eleuthera -- Current Settlement, Lower Bogue, and The Bluff to name a few. By far, my favorite expedition was exploring the beaches of North Eleuthera -- Ridley Head being the most difficult to access.

Most of my journeys start with Google Earth. I had noted the beaches on the Northwest tip of Eleuthera a few years prior and had spent time around Preacher's Cave and the beach that runs along Devil's Backbone. But aside from Preacher's Cave, there aren't any signs showing the way to these various beaches in North Eleuthera. Using a combination of Google Earth and a handheld GPS coupled with some intuition and a couple of AA batteries will find you many of these beaches. Sure, you can buy a guide and cheat, but doing it on your own provides a real sense of the Eleutheran Adventurer's experience.

As I bumped my way along the most obvious road off of Queen's Highway to Ridley Head (N25.54 / W76.72) , I encounter a "Private - Do Not Enter" sign rather immediately. I have to marvel at some of these signs because you're never quite sure if they really mean it or not, but this one looked sincere so I opted to poke around for other routes. Thankfully, I was driving an old beat-down pickup truck so it didn't matter if I traveled the narrower dirt, rock, pot holed riddled roads in my quest to add more pix to my treasure of photos of Eleuthera.

In many cases, these roads in Eleuthera look like moonscape -- some that are so bad, even a Humvee would have to take its time navigating. One dirt road crosses another, loops back around and dead ends abruptly. All you can do is watch the GPS unit as you travel and hope you find a road or path that gets you in the vicinity of your final destination. And even when you get within 50 yards, the jungle gets in your way.

So I'm driving around and around -- getting out in some spots and hiking along trails trying every which way I can to go north to the ocean that I can hear in the distance -- and I'm not making much progress. I don't mind much as long as the Nano still has a charge and there's some Pat Metheny left to listen to. I figure there has to be another road that gets me near Ridley Head so I can hike the rest of the way to the beach. And then I meet my friend Henry from Eleuthera.

I'm more or less in the middle of what seems to be nowhere; an east / west back road that taps into the road leading to Eleuthera's Ben Bay Beach, and I see this lone guy hacking away at some brush with a machete. Nothing really there; just some scrub and some trees -- and nothing. So I stop and ask the most important question you can ask in the Bahamas: "Which way to the beach?"

It became immediately apparent from the accent this gentleman was from Haiti. We trade pleasantries and I communicate what I am looking for. He kindly points me in the direction of the "Do Not Enter" road and tells me to just go ahead up there -- everyone else does.

So I can't resist and I ask him what he's doing. Turns out he's trying to clear the area so he can claim the property; something the Bahamian government provides for its people. You clear the land in certain areas and you can apply for ownership -- just like homesteading in the Wild West. You gotta love it. We use Caterpillars back home and Henry uses a good ole Machete. This guy has heart.

I exit the truck and note Henry isn't carrying any water so I offer him an ice cold one; diet Pepsi. Popped the top and instant friendship! Would have made a good Pepsi commercial. I begin to survey the area a bit and discover why Henry is carving out this little niche of the planet -- it's sitting in front of this nice little salt pond surrounded by some trees. Time for some photos of Henry and his pond which he agrees to.

So I chat with Henry a bit more and I tell him my name, where I'm from and that I'm something of a regular on Eleuthera. I tell Henry "I'll be back next Spring and will see if I can stop by and drop off a few prints of you and your new digs." I can tell by the look in his eyes he's keen on that proposition and he immediately gives me explicit instructions on where I can find his "purple and white house on the right side of the road."

A revisit with Henry strikes me as a cool thing to do so I make sure I have good instructions for hooking up with him in '09. I whip out my micro-recorder, a gadget Henry marvels at, and I make a short recording of Henry telling me how to find him verbatim:

"Before you get to James Bay... so... that's how you turn on this side, so that's where I livin', you ask for Henry? Anybody you ask for Henry? And they show you where I livin'." And I thank Henry and he replies "All right, sir."

Well you pretty much can guess what comes next. I find my way to Ridley Head (another story in of itself) and I return home. I go through all my photos and see the photos of Henry. I'm always making notes for next year and "make prints for Henry" goes on the list. And I do that. And I make the trek back to Eleuthera in the Spring of '09 to visit Henry and check out his purple and white house.

As I drive up the road immediately off of Queen's Highway toward the Haitian village, I can't resist testing Henry's instructions and I ask the first guy I see on the side of the road "I'm looking for Henry? He lives in a purple and white house?" I get an immediate answer, but it's more Haitian than English, so I say "I don't understand," and I get "I go with, I go with," and the guy jumps in the car and starts pointing down the road.

Down the road we go, maybe a block or so, and I see a purple and white house that has to be Henry's. My anxious guide pokes his finger at the house multiple times and I stop while he jumps out of the car and runs up to the house yelling "Henry! Henry!" All the while, I'm wondering how I'm going to explain myself to Henry. I'm thinking he's not going to remember our brief 10 minute encounter a year ago and going to ask who the heck am I and what do I want?

I see the familiar face come out the door and Henry immediately yells out "PERRY!!!" I can't believe it! The guy remembers my name! (And nobody gets my first name right, anyway! Terry, Jerry, Gary, etc.) He greets me like I'm family and shakes my hand. We smile at each other and then I give him the photos I promised. You'd thought I was giving him a slice of the moon. By now, there are a dozen or more people around us and he's showing off his photos to them all creating yet another Kodak moment. So I oblige and share the instant results on the back of my happy snapper much to everyone's delight. And I ask someone to take a photo of me and my friend Henry.

I've been in the company of Senators, billionaires, rock stars and otherwise famous and important people, or at least they thought they were, but encounters with people like Henry are what I remember most in life. Folks like Henry are the salt of the Earth and have no problems or pretense when it comes to showing the love. Henry reminded me that being alive is what life is all about... and all that matters.

Thanks for the love, Henry! Love you too.

pj

Island Music In The Key of Eleuthera :: Dr. Seabreeze

2009-10-17T22:46:00.013+00:00

Dr. Seabreeze is yet another reason why Eleuthera is for everyone, especially those who love island music. And Dr. Seabreeze makes Eleuthera proud when it comes to being one of the leading entertainers on the island. Doc plays the real McCoy when it comes to island music: soca!

How "real" you ask? All you have to do is take a cruise through his archives of recorded music and read the names of the tracks: Brown Skinned Gal, Jamaican Farewell, Gin nd Coconut Water, Man Smart/Woman Smarter, and many more.

I had the pleasure of running into the amicable Doctor (real name Cebric Bethel; cousin of Clyde Bethel of famous Island Farm Eleuthera) during a stop at Elvina's. All I can say is what a nice guy! Visiting with the locals from Eleuthera, like Cebric, can make the whole trip worth a million bucks. He was kind enough to grant me an interview and play a few island songs for my microrecorder which I share with you on my Eleuthera website. Click on over and check out the links to my recordings on my Dr. Seabreeze Music and Interview pages.

So if you're looking for the cure for the blues and feeling a hankering for a warm sea breeze, take the trip down to the island -- the Doctor is in! You'll recognize his music... it's done in the key of Eleuthera, the key of freedom.

Love you, Doc!

pj

p.s. Know any other famous local entertainers from Eleuthera (besides Lenny Kravitz, of course)? Leave a comment.

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Elvinas Famous Bar on Eleuthera

2009-08-24T22:51:00.020+00:00

Elvina's Bar and Restaurant on Eleuthera is one of those unique travel destinations you never forget. As with any number of the more popular bars I've been to throughout the Bahamas, the unique ones have some common characteristics; one of the prominent being who of the rich and famous has patronized the place and who has entertained there. Elvina's fits this M.O. to a Tee.

Every Tuesday and Friday night, Elvinas has "open mike" night. The stage is typically occupied by a variety of local musicians, many that are quite good, and some who are infamous to the locals and the "sometime locals" of Eleuthera. I don't have any names to drop, no offense to those that perform there -- I'm horrible with names. But I can remember when I've had a good time and I've been to enough live concerts to have some say about whether the music was good... maybe.

I do know every time I visit Eleuthera, I check to see if Lenny Kravitz is on the island, and if so, if he's gigging at Elvinas. I can only imagine what an experience it was for those who were lucky enough to be at Elvinas when Mr. K. decided to drop in for an impromtu jam session. Just had to be special -- especially if you like his music.

To put it another way, I'd have to turn the plane around enroute to Eleuthera if I couldn't find Lenny's "5" disk on my Nano. Something about those tunes match the ambiance of the island... just sounds like "island". Fave tunes? "Thinking of You" and "If You Can't Say No". And don't forget "Eleutheria" from his "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" CD.

I've spent several or so evenings in Elvinas and thoroughly enjoyed myself. One of the best attributes of "famous Bahamas' bars" is the people that visit them; they come from all over the world, and many of them have been to a number of the other Bahama islands. You can spend mucho hours with these folks talking island travel. And then you mix in the semi-famous locals and you have a very spicy crew very capable and ready to P-A-R-T-Y.

Okay, so I never got to see Lenny Kravitz, at least not yet.

I dropped in on Elvina's in Gregory Town one afternoon as I was headed towards Palmetto Point after having stayed in Lower Bogue and Current Settlement for so many days. The place was empty with exception to Elvina and "Chicken Ed" being there. Elvina was doing chores around the bar while Ed was dutifully sleeping off last night's entertainment on the stage. What a perfect composition! A year later, I had the opportunity of showing Elvina and Ed the virtual reality photo and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

Yo, Lenny! Missed seeing you.

pj

P.S. Check out my other blog entry on Lenny Kravitz -- if you're so inclined.

Current Cut Eleuthera

2009-01-28T08:59:00.008+00:00

Just finished creating a few new pages for Current Cut, a popular dive spot just south of Current Settlement. Just past the actual "Cut" is Current Island. Here's a satellite shot of Current Cut. What I enjoyed most about developing these new pages was processing the panoramic photo of Current Cut.

I truly enjoyed visiting the "Cut" and Current Settlement last year, so much so, I am making a point to stay there for several days this next visit. It's so sedate and peaceful. You feel like you've reached the end of the world -- and I didn't want to go back. The Cut was something to see.

This next time around, I'm going to see about visiting Current Island. I've read elsewhere on the net there's some missionary work being done there and I'm curious to see what's going on.

I've also read elsewhere that Current Settlement recently opened their refurbished library -- now mondernized with a high speed Internet connection. From the looks of the article, they did a really nice job and are proud of the results. I look forward to seeing it.

If you visit the area, make it a point to get to the southwest tip of Current Settlement -- just keep driving the only road back there. Study the satellite shot mentioned above and you will see exactly what I'm talking about.

As you get close to the end, you will come upon a large size concrete boat slip, presumably there for safe harbor for boats during a hurricane. You can drive around it and park within a few hundred feet of the point. The point itself has a park like atmosphere and a perfect spot for a picnic lunch! There is some very nice beachfront if you hike north along the western shoreline. Make sure you bring some tennis shoes to navigate some of the rock along the way.

And the large square concrete tower at the back end of the concrete harbor? I'm told that's an old paint testing station. They'd take samples of paint and rotate them past an opening towards the top. Look around and you'll get the idea of how it worked.

Don't miss seeing Current Cut if you visit Eleuthera. You're guaranteed to see some delicious scenery.

pj

Eleuthera Photos - For Everyone!

2008-11-16T22:06:00.029+00:00

Eleuthera is for everyone who loves the raw beauty of turquoise/blue water rocking back and forth between a sweeping white/pink sand beach and a shock blue sky spattered with sugar white cotton clouds sailing by. And I have the photos of Eleuthera to prove it. I just need to find a little more time to post more of them.

In the mean time, I will take this opportunity to recognize some of the photographers whose photos of the Bahamas I've come to appreciate and respect over the years.

Cookie Kinkaed is one my favorites for commercial photography in the Bahamas. Wonderful compositions.

And then there's Bahama Louie. This kid (more like young man now) has an excellent eye for the creatures and surroundings of Eleuthera. I'm not remembering his story too well, but I seem to recall he once posted a message that talked about his losing some of his earlier photo work on an old website of his. Love your work, Louie! Just wish you'd post more or your photos.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my friend Derek Catalano from Nassau. Derek has an interesting gallery of photos and art work that has a distinctive Bahamian style about it. Derek also hosts a blog about the Bahamas called Native Stew.

I'll be back sooner rather than later with some more updates. Until then, hope you enjoy surfing these sites.

Travel to Eleuthera

2008-08-25T05:10:00.008+00:00

For us, traveling to Eleuthera sometimes rivals a root canal. You can have the best laid travel plans, and SPLASH! -- lose a day, lose some bucks, or even worse, lose your luggage. So I thought I'd share a few of our hard learned travel lessons on how we keep keep our vacation to Eleuthera from hitting the crapper.

First and foremost, we make our airline reservations early, early, early because we usually travel to Eleuthera during peak season -- March / April. We start checking air fare rates as soon as they become available, which is typically 9 or 10 months in advance. We'll check to see which air carriers are servicing Eleuthera and call them to see when the dates we're interested will become available, and when they do, we don't take the first fares that become available; we game the airlines' online systems a bit for so many days and weeks to see if there's much flux in the rates noting the lowest fares along the way. Always interesting to see the prices go up and down arbitrarily. Once we've think we've seen the lower side of the price range, we pop for our airfare. And if it goes up, we keep checking back as it typically goes back down if it's still early and there are plenty of seat available -- but not always.

One of our bigger challenges is trying to come up with an itinerary that will get us to the Eleuthera on the same day. Who wants to lose a day's vacation laying over in the likes of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale when an Island like Eleuthera awaits? Beam me up, Scotty! Surf's up! (In the 70s, we used to be able to fly from the Midwest to the Abacos in 8 hours or less. Anyone remember Mackey airlines? Things were so laid back in those days. I actually got to copilot one of those old DC-6s. What a trip.)

Coupled with this are the complications of connecting from a major air carrier to the smaller commuter type airlines that service Eleuthera, like Gulfstream and U.S. Airways. What we don't like doing is booking two separate airlines so we're somewhat assured if we don't make it to Florida on time, the airline who got us there is going to put us up for the night and get us to our destination the next day. It's bad enough we have to lose a day's rent at whatever our vacation rental of choice is. Swell! Thanks for the free drink tickets, but we'd rather be bumming on the beach, Dude!

And then there's the rule if you don't make it to the gate an hour before the flight, they can sell your seat on the plane. What? Surely you jest! I've had that ticket for 9 months and we're here and the plane's still here! Tell those Spring Breakers that just bought a ticket they're partying at Motel 6 tonight and we're taking the A train to Eleuthera now! We've since learned just to grin and bear it -- there's not a damn thing you can do -- except DEMAND (nicely) they get your bags for you RIGHT NOW -- which usually works. You don't want your bags winding up sitting in customs in the Bahamas or they will surely rearrange everything in them before you arrive.

So... we're sure to have at least two hours layover in Florida, or whatever our last U.S. city is, before our flight leaves for Eleuthera. Three hours is even better. Have you checked the on-time performance of the airlines lately? It's off the hook! I no longer question what time the airlines will get me there; I question what day they'll get me there. We wish the airlines would quit poor mouthing us. We'd gladly write them a check for an extra hun if that meant they'd shut up and do what's expected of them.

Another hard lesson learned was checking our tickets every month or so, even weekly when it gets close to our departure date, just to be sure they're still flying at the times we expect, and that's if they're flying at all. Don't laugh... It's happened to us. And the the latest articles I've read indicate there may be a lot of stranded passengers in the months ahead for a lack of flights. The airlines are under siege and are contracting quickly. Delta recently discontinued service to Eleuthera, albeit we had already purchased tickets with them. Long story short, we weren't comfortable with "maybe we go / maybe not" so we talked them into a refund and booked with another airline. Let's hope airline number 2 goes (and doesn't go number 2), but rest assured, we'll keep checking.

Okay, so if you're just thinking about traveling to Eleuthera and you're reading this, you're probably thinking "uh-uh... Who wants this kind of hassle?" Well, we may be simply crazy (certifiable), but we think it's worth every bit of whatever pain-in-the-tookus there is to get there. Just check out some of these beaches on Eleuthera like Poponi Beach and tell me if this doesn't beat virtually any beachfront vacation in the U.S. -- unless you otherwise like large crowds, brown sand and not being too far away from Mickey D's. Make ours' conch fritters and Goombay smash, please!

And to help round out these notes and pick up on some I've missed, you can check out some more notes on how to get to Eleuthera. Remember, it pays to do your homework so your vacation plans don't get beached.

Eleuthera Restaurants Mapped

2008-07-17T16:18:00.021+00:00

Dining is definitely a high priority for us whenever we travel. We're old school diners. Whenever we visit a restaurant, we want to take our time and savor the atmosphere and the food. Unlike today's culture where the 10 second Big Mac rules, we get perturbed if our food is served too fast. We like to give up our meal order in bits and pieces so we don't wind up on the curb an hour after arrival. The restaurants on Eleuthera, as well as the many other Bahamas restaurants we've visited over the years, cater perfectly to our Greek eating style where dining out is an event, not a chore.

Over the years of checking out the various Eleuthera restaurants, I've recorded the geo locations of these restaurants with my Global Positioning System and now list them on my interactive satellite map of Eleuthera and list them again with their telephone numbers on a new Eleuthera restaurants page.

If there's one point in particular to share about restaurants in the Bahamas it's about their service. If you're used to using drive-up windows and intercoms, you need to think in terms of shifting into a slower gear. For our friends who flop on the floor from food deprivation within 10 minutes of giving up a food order, we tell them in advance they need to relax -- “This is the Bahamas, Mon! Chill!”

Another element to dining island style is knowing the servers are geared differently than back home. A 15% gratuity is most always built into the bill so it's not like they're worried about getting tipped. In the same token, they're not setting the world on fire trying to get that extra 5%. We've found it's sometimes helpful to drop an extra $5 bill early on if we think we feel the need for speed.

And then there's the element of price. I've seen some reviews where people complain about how much food they get relative to the price, or simply bitch about higher prices in general. For them, I say let's get real, folks. You're on a freakin' island where everything has to be shipped in by boat or grown / raised on the island. It's a real challenge for the islanders to keep the right foods fresh and in stock to satisfy our whims. It's not like a refrigerated tractor trailer pulls up every Tuesday to drop off a load of tomatoes.

With this in mind, it's highly recommended to call in advance, even days in advance, to be sure your choice for a restaurant on Eleuthera is going to be open and will meet your expectations. We usually ask if there are any specials, sample a price or two, and sometimes ask whether a particular dish we like is going to be available. Some examples of this would be conch, lobster and fish. On occasion, we've asked the restaurant to set aside some delectable we want when we make our reservation. The restaurants appreciate this too since it helps them with preparing their daily grocery list.

While I'm at it, I'll throw in a recommendation for our fave Eleuthera restaurant DolceVita (now closed) at Runaway Bay near Palmetto Point. We love this place, the food and the owners, Paolo and Flipper. Talk about yummo food!

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a few others like Mate and Jenny's in South Palmetto, known for their pizzas, and Captain Jack's near North Palmetto, known for their Louisiana style cooking and their excellent view of one of the better Eleuthera beaches. In fact, one of my more favorite Eleuthera photos is from there.

Are there more restaurants than the ones I listed? Of course! Just ask around when you get there. The islanders are very friendly people. Have a suggestion of your own? Just drop it into the comment box.

Bon Appetit!

Eleuthera Videos - Surf's Up Dude!

2008-05-20T18:24:00.009+00:00

Loved these recent videos of Eleuthera hosted by Nick Guilarte, Lance-O and Lexi. The show is produced under the moniker of "Island Hoppers." A good chunk of the production is dedicated to surfing on Eleuthera; Surfer's Beach near Gregory Town in particular.

He had made the trip to the Bahamas so he could go surfing on Surfer's Beach. Gotta love that spirit of island adventures! Unfortunately, the wind wasn't right and his mission to surf Surfer's Beach was a wipeout.

Given he was an experienced traveling surfer who had been to any number of surf destinations around the world, I asked him whether the surf site Magicweed was any good. I had been linking to the site on my weather page. He dissed the site saying it had been wrong any number of times when he used it. I kind of guessed that might be the case since I know of no active weather station that provides the kind of fresh data they were giving for surfing Eleuthera -- items like current wind speed, etc. If I'm wrong, holler. I've since ditched the link. Happy to link back up to it when someone shows me where and how the data is being collected and distributed.

I did manage to shoot a 360° virtual reality image of the very cool Surfer's Beach shack while I was there and should have it posted on my Eleuthera photos page soon. I also have a number of photos from the better beaches that I will soon post.

I was going to try and shoot all the major beaches but have come to find a number of them aren't near as worthy as others and probably shouldn't be suggested unless you plan on being on the island for months and don't have anything better to do. I've found other beaches that have been missed. I now pay more attention to what I see on the satellite map and what I am told by the local Eleutherans than anyone else -- they are the best beachologists

So if you're planning on going surfing on Eleuthera, be sure to check out Island Hopper's Surfer's Beach video. Cowabunga dude!

Update: Unfortunately, Surfers beach shack was torn apart during one of the tropical storms that visit Eleuthera from time-to-time. A new hut was subsequently built. The new Surfers Beach shack does not have as much personality as the old one, but it is still most definitely a surf shack. Don't miss it next time you're down. Bring your beach bum look with you!

Lighthouse Beach - Bannerman Town

2008-02-01T07:19:00.001+00:00

This is one of the pictures of Lighthouse Beach on Eleuthera that is currently on my screen being groomed and noodled for Eleuthera-Map.com. Bannerman Light House is by far one of the better photo ops on Eleuthera. In fact, this was one of the best sunrises I have seen in the Bahamas, or the Caribbean for that matter. Don't hate me for saying this, but I've seen a large pallette of sunrises and sunsets in the Bahamas on quite a few of the Family islands dating back to the 70s. We'd live on a Bahamas island, but who wants to get stuck on one island when there's so many Bahama islands to see?

So check out the shot and tell me... What were the odds of my catching the sun just right against this spectacular cloud group?

My good friend Ralph and I hit Bannerman beach just as the sun was beginning to peek over the ocean. It was a classic "Oh My God!!" moment. And it's not easy to pay more attention to setting up the camera then it is to gape at a panoramic phenomena like this one. I'm sure you pity my dilemma.

Pat Metheny's "The Way Up" was the perfect soundtrack for this shoot. I usually dial up his better tunes on the Nano when I'm in OMG mode.

Thankfully, I had practiced enough 2-minute drills setting up the gear before I went on the trip. It's easy to screw up these kinds of shots if you don't do everything rather perfectly. It's not like you can yell to the sun "take two!"

The original of the panoramic image you see here can easily print to 12" x 36" consisting of 48 different exposures -- a guaranteed "wow" when properly framed. I'll be sure to include this as one of the choices in my Eleuthera picture gallery.

I promise it won't be as long until my next post as I definitely have more coming. Time to show folks some of the better landscape shots of Eleuthera. I have another unprocessed panoramic image / virtual reality photo of Lighthouse Beach and Bannerman Lighthouse that looks like it might blow away this one. If nothing else, I have some more single and triple exposure pictures of Bannerman that I'll be exhibiting shortly.

See you on the beach!

Eleutheria -- Home to Legend Lenny Kravitz

2008-01-31T07:49:00.001+00:00

My life is perfect
Because I accept it
as it is
The sunshine is shining
Because it is what it is

What a beautiful feeling it's bringing
All the birds in the sky are singing

Eleutheria
Lenny Kravitz

How cool would it be to listen to Lenny jam at the local digs in Gregory Town? You can bet I'm going to inquire as to whether he's gigging while I'm on island. Love this man's style, his attitude, and most of all, his talent for playing the git. Love your stuff, Dude! I make sure the pod has some of your tunes on it before I make the trip.

Best friend and locally famous musician Ralph Butler and I were driving through Pineapple Town one afternoon and came upon a street party right in the middle of town. We could hear the thump of no less than a 1000 watts from the outskirts of town -- and we know our wattage when we hear it. We thought for sure we were going to get lucky and find Mr. Kravitz in the middle of all the blare, but turns out it was a weekend record spin. A cool experience nonetheless.

The home of Kravitz knows how to do it right -- loves stacking speaker boxes 10' high and cranking it up. And unlike many of the Bahamian "boxes" I've heard over the years that sound like there's not much left of the cone in the speaker box, these folks do it right, clean, 60 hertz clear as an earthquake. Ralph and I bummed because we had a date to make and couldn't stop to check out the jam. We still talk about it and vow next time we're stopping no matter.

I've seen L.K. at North Eleuthera airport several times -- tooling around in his jeep either picking up or dropping someone off -- always smiling. God bless you, Lenny! You're living the good life. Somebody's got to do it and you da' right man for the gig because you dig it sincerely.

We're going to give it another chance this trip. My wife and her pal have talked about trying to catch L.K. The girls say they know where he hangs. Scary thought they've done the homework. Think I'll just be in the way?

Now how hip would that be? Oceanside on Eleuthera listening to rock written in the key of freedom?

Yo, Lenny! Hook me up! When's your next gig?

pj

Eleuthera on Facebook
©2008 Perry Joseph

Eleuthera -- Spam Free

2007-05-21T19:15:00.000+00:00

That's what I love most about Eleuthera -- it's spam free. You don't see billboards and truck stops as you travel about. Most signs are simple and to the point. And there are those places that are so exquisite, you'd expect there would be signs everywhere pointing in their direction -- but they're not -- thank God!

But you can find that kind of spam on the net -- oodles of duplicity -- plenty of "me too" blather presumably in hopes of spamming the search engines for rank. I'm not saying they are all that way, there are some damn nice sites out there, but given the number that do spam gave me some of the impetus to develop my Eleuthera site. I thought it might be refreshing to try to keep it simple and try not to duplicate what's already there. Not always easy to do, I might add. The point is you don't need me to detail every last restaurant and beach nor do you need me to tell you what to see and do. You'll figure it out -- it's easy -- it's the Bahamas. Do nothing and you've done it all.

Most importantly, it's not about me -- it's about Eleuthera. I don't make any personal claims on Eleuthera. It isn't mine; it's God's. You can own property there but you can't take it with you in the end.

Most people who come to an island like Eleuthera know they're not making a trip to Six Flags. They're not looking to buy tee shirts either. And they don't go there because of a cliche. They just want to get away from it all. Spare me the details; just show me where the nearest beach is at. I don't care which beach it is, just something with sand and water will suffice. And no bus tours please. I just want to chill.

My wife is exactly that way... She doesn't care what the name of the beach is and whether it's the sexiest. One beach is as nice as the next in her eyes. I ask her if she wants to see the sunrise at Bannerman Lighthouse beach and she looks at me like I'm the Man from Mars -- especially when I tell her we'd have to get up at 4 A.M. and spend a few hours getting there. The looks I get from her are even more adorable when I tell her the last 3 miles of driving involve navigating a road that looks like moonscape -- something even a Hummer would flunk. "Hope you have a lovely day," is her response; a sarcastic yet effective phrase she picked up from her galpal Carolyn. "I'll be on the beach in front of the house." Love you too, Honey!

So maybe I'm the exception to the rule. I love adventure and I love capturing what I see, and when I get the chance, writing about it. Sure I'll show and tell you about some of the magical (note I didn't use the word "amazing", but I was tempted) places I've tripped to on Eleuthera. And then there are those others you'll have to figure out for yourself. Why spoil all the fun? And why bum out your "local" friends who prefer you don't tell everyone about their super secret spot? No worries though. You won't miss anything. Just ask my wife. She's lounging on the beach with Carolyn.

I do have some new stuff to share from our last trip to Eleuthera. The hard drive came home full. Took me weeks just to catalog it all. I also have some very cool new virtual reality shots to share. I keep expecting the idea will be copied, but nothing yet. Hard to copy / paste that kind of work.

Getting back to Bannerman Lighthouse beach, this needs to be seen if you are into venturing about Eleuthera -- arguably one of the hippest beaches on Eleuthera. This especially needs to be seen before the developers crap it up and turn it into another Florida Cay. The cruise ships are already hitting the place and leaving their footprints behind.

The photo above was taken at Bannerman. I noodled the shot in Photoshop for a while while listening to some Peter White but ran out the clock before I could get it the way I really wanted it. Still, you'll get the picture, pardon the pun. It also happens to be the anchor shot for a panoramic I shot there. And it doesn't stop there. I don't mind saying I have so many amazing (there, I used it the "a" word) shots from there, it's hard to choose which ones to post. This isn't gratuitous backslap either; it's easy to take amazing photos around Eleuthera simply because Eleuthera is one big picture postcard.

It may take me some months to thoughtfully put some of this together. I could throw it up now for the sake of tweaking the search engines, but lucky for you, I don't care about them. It's not about them; it's about Eleuthera.

pj

Eleuthera
©2007 Perry Joseph

A Round Eleuthera

2006-11-03T20:03:00.000+00:00

Far from being round, Eleuthera is more like long and skinny. But that's the nice part -- you can see the ocean all the way round when you are at Glass Window Bridge. The contrasting colors between the deep blue Atlantic ocean and the rich turquoise waters of the Caribbean is definitely cool. Actually, I prefer the adjective "hip", but now I'm dating myself. Or as I told a good friend "This is some of the best 'eye candy' I've ever laid a lens on." I've tried capturing the feel of the site in the form of a photograph for several years now and could never get it to look as cool as it really is -- until now.

I've been working with virtual reality panoramic photography and now have an interactive panoramic 360° shot of the Glass Window Bridge taken from the nearby cliffs. And it doesn't stop there... I have some more panoramics "in the can" I'll be processing and presenting over time. Unfortunately, these are not something you can just shoot and display. I use additional techniques that go into the processing workflow that allow me to capture the wide variance of contrast and exposure. I'd say more about it, but I don't want to make it too easy for the "me too" competitors to copy. (I love what's printed on the back of my official late night desktop snack -- Cheez-Its: "Dude! Get your own box!" Okay... so it doesn't say "Dude!")

I also launched a new page that is an interactive satellite map of Eleuthera. In time, I will populate it with Eleuthera "points-of-interest", Eleuthera vacation rental properties, restaurants, etc. For the moment, I am focused on the navigational functions of the satellite map. This is the kind of programming project that can really soak up a ton of your time. And so does the panoramic photography work. I now have a buzz cut so I don't have to pull out my hair. I don't want to complain, though. For all the years I've spent developing custom programs for businesses and such, this is much more rewarding and enjoyable.

Along the way to developing these latest and greatest features for my Eleuthera site, I also revived my link to the Sam Pedican and the Rage at the Glass Window Bridge story by Marvin Hunt. It's definitely one of my very favorite "stories" from Eleuthera. Mr. Hunt is a wonderful writer -- thank you! I was linking to a news site that had his article on line, but the site disappeared. Luckily, I was able to resurrect it, and with Mr. Hunt's permission, I am now hosting the article along with some of the original images on my "Eleuthera News and Reviews" page. If you haven't read this story and you're a fan of the Bahamas and / or Eleuthera, you have to check this out.

Now that I've accomplished these tasks that have taken many months to do, I look forward to working on some of my other photography work that has yet to see the light of day. And maybe now that I can spend more time away from the computer, my wife might start to remember who I am, doubtful as that is.

Just kidding, honey. Love you!

pj

Copyright © 2006 Perry Joseph

Winder on Windermere

2006-06-14T03:52:00.000+00:00

Or should I call this "Sea-beans Part 2"? Shortly after punching the "Publish Post" button and dropping some e-mail to Paul Mikkelsen et al, I get an update from Jim Winder -- turns out he's a Bahamas beach bum too.

And yes, the new chef at the Club on Windermere Island is cool -- an Italian named Freddie, and according to Jim, his food is choice.

Turns out I have competition for naming the sport of beaning... Jim does "bean brigades"... a phrase he gets to claim by Google standards. I was sort of fond of "Sea-Beaning" but since Jim's found more Sea-Beans than I, which is none, I concede to his being the master blaster of the beans on Eleuthera.

I don't think I can stand hanging with all this celebrity... What's next? Lenny Kravitz inviting me over to jam? I'm there, Dude!

pj

Eleuthera
Copyright © 2006 Perry Joseph

Seabeans from Eleuthera Bahamas

2006-06-03T06:39:00.000+00:00

You have to check out Paul Mikkelsen's excellent www.seabean.com website -- in particular his page Sea-Beans of the Bahamas authored by Jim and Dian Winder with an assist by Ed Perry (we like that name "Perry".)

I'll be the first to admit complete ignorance on the subject. Admitting ignorance becomes easier to do as I get older. I didn't know what a Sea-bean was and now I can't wait to get back to the beach to try and find some of these gems -- perhaps take one home to captivity. You have to admit, these are definitely cool to look at.

What's a "Sea-bean" you ask? Click on over to "What's a Sea-Bean" for the full scoop including "Why do Sea-beans float?" Everyone knows Sea-beans float, right? And just because they are beans doesn't mean we are making chili.

What I always appreciate are those scientific names. Sounds like geek speak, my favorite language. Just like the shelling afficionados folks like Scott Schubbe -- lots of "you lose" possibilities for the next spelling bee. Cuff me cause I'm guilty too. I used to enjoy pointing out constellations and naming the bigger stars -- just one of my many obsessive compulsive disorders.

Whatever the geek language, it's all nice stuff to look at and admire. Memorize a couple of these scientific bean names and entertain your friends on your next trip to the islands. Hey! Maybe you all should hook up! Succulants with some Mucuna Urens (that's "Red Hamburger Beans" to us mortals) along with a couple of Cyphoma Gibbosom. No doubt, the beans and shells would look cool placed next to the cactus in the planter pot. Or is that cacti? Whatever. Take note, Gene! My idea!

What I took special note of was the time spent on Windermere Island by Jim Winder -- 9.5 weeks. Yo Jim! I'll help you look for the beans! And I sure would enjoy reading your trip report. And I can't help asking whether there's any significance to your last name? Do you own half of the island?

Some of the nicer rentals on Eleuthera are on Windermere. I heard they have a new chef at the club there. How is the food? Might be worth paying the short term membership fee to eat lunch there and go sea-beaning afterwards. Sea-beaning. That's my word; get your own! (And now that I Google "sea-beaning", I see I'm late to again to the party.)

Okie dokie. Hunting sea-beans on the "to do" list for the next trip to Eleuthera, albeit I think we need to find out if the folks in agriculture are going to want us bringing these things home. I can hear my wife now: sea-beans?

Hats off to Paul Mikkelsen, Dian and Jim Winder, and Ed Perry. Nice web work!

And what a nice memoriam to Cathie Katz -- the Seabean Lady.

pj

Copyright © 2006 Perry Joseph

Eleuthera trip report...

2006-05-28T20:15:00.000+00:00

Time for an Eleuthera trip report from newlyweds Aaron and Becky. Congrats on your nuptials! Looks like you had a wonderful time. And thanks for the trip report.

Wish I could find the time to do my trip report. Sounds like a lame excuse, but I am still playing catch up since our Spring visit. I do have some interesting things to show for the last trip, and some new ideas for my Eleuthera site, but I don't want to give them away quite yet.

I will say I have been working with some new photo processing procedures and I want to use them on some of the raw footage I have in the can. Rather than take a gazillion vacation pics this last trip, I spent my time trying to capture a few of the more interesting scenics. The nice part about Eleuthera is the imagary goes well beyond "pretty beach" pictures.

I spent a very short amount of time at Haynes library this last trip and have some work to share from that session. I love the architecture of the place. Visiting Haynes and the fine people there, along with seeing some of the older structures on the peninsula that is downtown Governor's Harbour, is most delightful. For those planning on a trip to Eleuthera, be sure to put Haynes Library on your "must see" list.

Oh yeah... Almost forgot. Don't let the old style of the building fool you. Haynes has broadband internet access available in case you want to hop on the net and check your email.

pj

Copyright © 2006 Perry Joseph

Shelling on Eleuthera

2005-10-22T06:26:00.000+00:00

Scott Schube writes an interesting article on shelling on Eleuthera called My Eleuthera Experience I'm guessing the article is circa 2000 or so. It mentions Hurricane Floyd which was '99. And the real giveaway was mention of gasoline on Eleuthera being $3.16 a gallon -- the good ole days.

Points of interest were Tarpum Bay and Millar's Beach in south Eleuthera. Scott also mentions a shelling trip close to Governor's Harbour just south of the airport.

I admire those who are up on all the scientific names of interesting animals or other fascinating objects they love to observe. When I want to impress somebody, I tell them I'm into halieutics and hunting down micropterus salmoides. I used to be able to point to and name over 20 constellations along with a number of major stars -- so easy to enjoy doing while laying on the beach at night. But after you've impressed your wife once with that act, it's time for new material. It's still one of my favorite things to do in the Bahamas.

You can use "Google search" to look up the scientific names for the sea shells Scott was finding on Eleuthera, and click on Google's "Images" tab and see exactly what he is talking about. A great way to bone up on your sea shells, right? Beats the alternatives, that's for sure.

So when you're sitting on the beach watching the sun go down, hopefully knocking back a cold Kalik, you can impress your friends and say you found some Flamingo Tongues today. I'm not so sure I'd want to say that to my wife though...

Copyright © 2005 Perry Joseph

Eleuthera Real Estate in the News...

2005-10-13T20:07:00.000+00:00

The Bahamas Real Estate Association wants changes made to the Real Estate Act

Complaints have been made that Bahamian Real Estate agents are being sidestepped on the bigger deals even though there are laws on the books to the contrary.

The article points to $1.53B in sales of "second home, condo hotel and timeshare investments", but doesn't indicate for what period of time. I presume this figure includes home vacation rentals on Eleuthera et al.

"The Minister further encouraged BREA members to enhance sales by encouraging Bahamians to buy a second home in the Bahamas instead of in Orlando or other foreign destination and to encourage fellow Bahamians to invest or reinvest in their own country." Gee... Hmm...

I find mention of Abaco Club on Winding Bay beach of interest. Is this the same Winding Bay on Eleuthera? Sounds more like Abacos. I have never heard of Winding Bay on Abaco, but wouldn't be shocked to hear it exists either.

Other points of interest on Eleuthera include Eleuthera Properties, Governor's Harbour Resort, Powell's Pointe and Windermere -- Valentine's Resort on Harbour Island as well.

As a sidenote, and not that it should matter, I do not own property nor have any investments in the Bahamas. Having traveled there for many years, I have considered purchasing property there, and as such, my interest in Bahamas real estate, be it Eleuthera or any island, is casual. It's always been tempting to buy a piece of the dream, but in the end, I prefer to be mobile.

Copyright © 2005 Perry Joseph