Page 14 - Damianos Sotheby's International Realty Magazine Vol. 3

AGENDA CULTURE
5 BEST ANCHORAGES
With over 700 islands and cays, there’s some- thing for everyone, from sleepy remote unin- habited cays to wildly popular destinations packed with friendly resorts, restaurants and fun activities.
Everywhere there are consistently amazing weath- er, abundant marine life, friendly locals and glorious beaches with sparkling turquoise waters.
Here are dive master Brendal Stevens’ five fabu- lous anchorages to include in your itinerary:
SEA OF ABACO
1 Great Abaco, a 140-mile/225-kilometre chain of cays along the north/northeast periphery of The Bahamas, acts as a protective barrier from the ocean for the huge basin called the Sea of Abaco. One of the boating capitals of the world, there are lots of beautiful spots for anchoring and lots of marinas, hotels and resorts. Green Turtle Cay, Manjack Cay, Cherokee and Coopers Town are just a few of the principal cruising areas. The close proximity to the U.S. and great fishing make the area a ractive to both cruisers and sports fishers.
BIMINI ISLAND
2 Bimini is actually two small islands, north and south, located about 50 miles/80 kilometres off Florida’s coast, and there’s a picturesque harbour nestled between them. North Bimini is the busier of the two and home to always active Alice Town. Bimini is also home to miles of pristine beaches and a storied history around prohibi- tion. This was Ernest Hemingway’s favourite escape.
ELIZABETH HARBOUR
3 The Exumas are a wonderful chain of cays for cruis- ers to enjoy with many and varied anchorages. Eliza- beth Harbour off George Town in the south end is one of the largest natural harbours in the world. The harbour is pre y with translucent turquoise waters. For a quieter day, head to Stocking Island, across from George Town, where you’ll find beautiful beaches and pristine coral reefs.
HARBOUR ISLAND
4 Harbour Island is located off the northeast coast of Eleuthera. Only three miles/five kilometres long and
a half mile/one kilometre wide, the island is quiet and has beautiful pink beaches and great diving. It’s also home to charming Dunmore Town, the original capital of The Bahamas.
CAT ISLAND
5 Cat Island is about 130 miles/209 kilometres south of Eleuthera and east of the Exumas. Along its 48-mile/ 77-kilometre western coast, there are great anchorages with services, facilities and a ractions for cruisers, as well as many uninhabited cays and hidden covers. The four-mile-/six-kilometre-wide island looks like a fish- hook and was named a er the pirate Arthur Ca .
THE BAHAMAS IS A CORAL-BASED ARCHIPELAGO—AND A CRUISER’S DREAM
By Ylva Van Buuren
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