The below story is from my visit to Eleuthera, one of the Out Islands of the Bahamas, in March of 2019. I booked a self-contained cottage on VRBO within walking distance to beautiful Twin Cove Beach.

Last night while sitting out having a drink I was reading through The Eleutheran, a magazine geared towards what to do and where to go on the island. While reading I came across an article about a man from Sambro, N.S. who has been spending the past 32 winters here in Eleuthera. As I read the article, I thought about how unusual it was for someone to choose to visit Eleuthera 32yrs ago, but I continued sipping and reading thinking nothing more of it.

Fast forward to today. I get up and decide to go on a little road trip and drive north and see if I can find the ferry dock to go over to Harbour Island for the day. I hop in the car with thoughts of ‘keep to the left’ on the forefront of my mind but was also thinking, Oh man! this could be trouble.

My driving skills are questionable at the best of times, but in my defence it’s my eyes, I can’t see. At home, I drive by memory, my car just knows the roads and where to go.

I head out trying my best to stay between the ditches, but found myself, oohing and awing at every turn. Oh! look at that beach, Man….that water is pretty, Oh, I wonder where that road goes, all distractions resulting in a handful of near misses. And every time I would suddenly pull off the road so I could take a picture I’d turn my windshield wipers on. So hard getting use to the car devices being on the other side of the steering wheel.

I finally arrive at what I think is the dock for the ferry to Harbour Island and find a place to park. Moments later another car pulls in and parks next to me. I get out of my car, grab my backpack, and notice the man’s window down so I ask him, “this is the ferry to Harbour Island?” He says yes, and smiles. I continued and said, “oh good, I figured with my sense of direction I was at the Spanish Wells ferry”. He proceeds to get out his vehicle and I think to myself, Man…this guy looks familiar. A stocky fellow with a burly white beard, wearing a head rag, and his face showing the traces of time. A face even from a magazine picture you wouldn’t soon forget.

Then I ask, “did I read about you in the Eleutheran?” He smiled and said, Yes. Ha! You’re from Nova Scotia, I say to him. So am I! And so there you have it. How a complete stranger I read about in a magazine the night before ended up being my Harbour Island tour guide and my new friend, Chuck Boudreau from Sambro, Nova Scotia. Indeed, it is a small world!

May the travel bug bite you!

Good to know!

With only a small handful of tourists visiting at any given time and less than 2,000 locals, Harbour Island is the perfect respite for someone hoping to relax by the beach, stroll quaint streets, pop into tiny shops or sip casual sunset cocktails. Well, there are no direct flights to Harbour Island it’s still easily reached by flying into Nassau and taking a connecting flight to North Eleuthera (ELH) airport on Eleuthera. From there, take a taxi to the dock and a water taxi to Harbour Island. Or if you’re like me and plan to make Eleuthera your base then you can rent a car to get you to the Harbour Island dock, park your car at the designated parking lot and hop on the water taxi and enjoy your time on this beautiful slice of paradise.

Once on Harbour Island the mode of transportation is a golf cart, with rental services at the dock where the water taxi docks. However, if you are overnighting then most of the hotels offer golf cart rentals which can be paid as part of your room upon check-out. You can get around by foot but a golf cart is a more fun way to buzz around the island.