My Dad’s passport expires next year. I wanted to make sure we got a father/son trip in before that happened. When I asked where he might want to go, he said he loves Hawaii, but had been too many times, so we decided to go someplace neither of us had been.
We soon set about the hard work of lying around and reading with the occasional dip in bathtub-temperature water.
Our hotel was right on the beach on the island of Exuma, one of 700 islands that make up the Bahamas.
Although most associate it with the Caribbean, the Bahamas is technically in the North Atlantic Ocean, making it an island country in the West Indies. The Tropic of Cancer goes right through the Bahamas and splits the island chain of Exuma in half. (The Tropic of Cancer is the northernmost point on Earth where the sun can be directly overhead at noon.)
In 1492, Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the Americas in the Bahamas, and boaters have been visiting ever since.
One of the sailors from the boating community volunteered to take us on a tour around the island. This is one of the first churches.
There is a reason why the beaches in the Bahamas are legendary and hit differently. The pristine white sand is made of pulverized coral and seashells, and the turquoise water is crystal-clear because there is no plankton and no rivers or streams are flowing into the ocean, meaning zero mud, silt, or runoff to mess up the killer effect.
These gentle, non-aggressive stingrays can sting you, but that is extremely rare. You can swim with them, just don’t step on them!
The Queen conch is a large, edible sea snail and cultural icon in the Bahamas, even appearing on the coat of arms.
Conch is the main part of the country’s unofficial national dish – fresh conch salad. This guy makes it best!
From what I can understand, this rusty cannon used to protect the salt trade during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Apparently, light pastels and bright hues act as heat refractors, reflecting the intense sun to help interiors stay cooler, but I think it also reflects the joyful spirit, music, and laid-back lifestyle.
It is important to mind your Ps and Qs while visiting!
Although this peaceful sunrise from our hotel balcony doesn’t capture the relentless onshore wind we experienced, it does wrap our trip up in a neat little bow!
