Yesterday Lynnie made a trip to the pier for grouper, salmon and lobster tails. We parked across Bay street by an old rusted out concrete mixer and walked over stopping in the covered, wooden open air structure to chat with the old folks wiling away the hours. There we saw Sam Culmer now nearing 75 and our friend of many years. Sam is from Rock Sound and came to the attention of Edgar Kaiser and Juan Trippe at the end of the 50’s as they prepared to develop the old and now defunct Rock Sound Club, Winding Bay Club and Cotton Bay Club. They sent him to Austria to train as a chef and to become a restaurant manager. We first met Sam as the Maitre’d at Cotton Bay where we later stayed and went to dinner two or three times each visit until it closed. Sam, ever enterprising, could see the end coming and opened his own restaurant and lodging accommodation in Rock Sound, called “Sammy’s” which he continues to operate with his wife and daughters. He’s done us many favors over the years and is of the old-Bahamian high service tradition. He was glad to see us and we enjoyed watching him smile and flash that golden tooth of his.

We walked out to the pier and the fishermen were at their tables pulling fish out of baskets and coolers, hacking away with blood and parts flying about in what is, in fact, a very highly structured process. There was a Mom from Canada there with her little ones who were somewhat horrified. As they worked they also were enjoying their beer, chatting with the local ladies and laying out their catch. Little boys were diving off the pier and line fishing. All the while the old folks kept talking away oblivious to the activity.

Our turn came and I placed our order and had Mr. Hunt (a descendent of generations of Hunt family fishermen….most of who are deaf) filet the fish which he did quickly and with the deftness of an impresario. He placed the order in baggies and had his wife make change for us. All the while he was working he was chain smoking, had a tattered Bob Marley shirt on and a hat with the “Glee” logo (no kidding).

As we drove away I saw several tourists experiencing this for the first time; the thrill and awe of a truly authentic experience in an idyllic setting. Don’t miss this. Also, if you want to really “cool the jets” go to the pier and watch the sunset with the old, local native folks. It just doesn’t get any more peaceful.

Not so with Irene. Ironically the phone lines did not go down so we were able to have phone contact with our property manager, Columbus Carey, before and after. When it hit here on Winding Bay and up at Windermere Island it was “dry” which was fortunate. We lost part of our roof but no water got in the house. All the shingles were stripped off and our satellite dish was later found 100 yards away out in the road. There was enough salt spray kicked up by the winds to spray and kill the lawn and much of the landscape. The palms survived as did the casaurinas and bougainvillas.

When we arrived we had a new roof and Papa, our Gardender, had the outside cleaned up. The lawn is being reestablished which will take some time. It is moonscape at the moment.

Yes, there are Hurricane risks when you have a home in the out islands. The uninsured loss of the roof can be rationalized by the fact that it was a 20 year old roof anyway and would soon have needed to be replaced anyway. When you think about it, three hurricanes in 21 years is one every seven years which isn’t that bad. And, only one caused real damage. So, in 21 years hurricanes caused a partial roof loss and landscape damage ONCE. This puts the risk into perspective.

The key is to have built high enough to avoid surge risk (we are on a ridge 30 feet above sea level) and to have heavy duty shutters and a responsive team of people on the island to manage the process.

Growing up we would pile into various old station wagons, and caravan down to Lighthouse Beach for the day. The trip was about an hour, but for 20 long minutes, we were jostled around going 5mph through an old abandoned, unpaved, overgrown beach road filled with potholes, brush and large rocks that threatened a flat tire. It felt, quite literally, like a miracle when we edged over the last rocky hill to see the heavenly expanse of Lighthouse Beach, the waves and the palm trees with their big fronds swaying in the breeze.

With that said, we’ve learned how to pack well for such a trip. We’ve learned through experience how to make it out and there in back (with children) in one piece, and how to make the most of this memorable outing. Lighthouse Beach has provided endless memories for our family, we hope that others can say the same.

See you at the end of that beach road….

What we threw into the back of our stationwagon in order of our priorities (yours may differ):

snorkel gear (masks, snorkels, fins)
cooler filled with beers, lunches and snacks
Camera(s)
Water bottles, water bottles, water bottles
sunscreen, hats, etc.
towels
a small radio/music player
beach toys: football, volleyball, pail, shovel, etc
running shoes or water/land shoes
sunglasses
matches, lighter fluid, etc to make a sand pit for grilling hotdogs
cups, papertowels, plates, etc

Nowadays, we usually also plan for the trip by:

planning around low tide. The beach is at its best at low tide (around noon)
also bringing our international cell phone
bringing a beach umbrella for needed shade
portable grill

Enjoy your trip!

Point o’ Vue is up 30 feet from sea level so we will not get the surges from a storm. The home was designed to resist Hurricanes. Columbus, our property Manager, completely Boards us up if a storm is approaching. Andrew turned north and hit the northern part of the island in 92. We experienced no major loss at POV but the island was hit hard and 10 people were killed up near Gregorytown. Floyd was a direct hit. No damage to the house but 50 feet of sand in the lawn area near the Beach!

In both cases there was no phone or power for two weeks. Up in Ohio we had no clue as to whether we had roofs or not after they hit. In one case several of us hired a pilot to fly over from Florida to check on the houses. With Floyd, power came back into Nassau after a week and we would fax messages to Columbus’ brother in Nassau who would take the fax to a Bahamasair pilot who would drop it off in Rock Sound and vice versa!

The Bahamian villages are typically down by the sea. Good breezes explain why. Who would ever want to live on a hot, buggy beach? When the Hurricanes hit the villages are flooded, the people retreat to high places. The clean up takes a long time. There is no FEMA here. Just like in the old days in the States, the Churches take over with the pastors receiving and distributing what aid comes in. The people, who have no real government to depend on, come together and pull together. It’s something I think about when I hear our politicians in the States lambasting the Federal government for not supplying total emergency relief immediately!

Eleuthera has captured the hearts of many families that return year after year, especially the Myers family and Erbaugh family who own Point O’ Vue. That is why they invite families to visit their home and have a true family getaway.

Juan Trippe who was the founder of Pan American Airways was the principal owner of South Eleuthera Properties who acquired Davis’s holdings. It was Trippe who transformed South Eleuthera into a destination spot for the glitterati of North America and Europe. He built the Cotton Bay Club in 1959 as a private colony for his wealthy friends. He also expanded the Rock Sound Airport so it could accommodate Pan Am jets from New York City. Trippe died in 1981.

The Rock Sound Club, Winding Bay Club and Cotton Bay Club were all sister organizations each with a different character in the heydays of the 50s, 60s and pre independence 70’s We stayed at all 3 and they were wonderful and well run. With independence came changes and political chaos that ultimately led to their failure and a severe economic downturn for South Eleuthera.

There are still old-timers who remember those days and memories of Davis and Trippe. Those days are gone. South Eleuthera is just as gorgeous as it ever was and slowly redeveloping.

Before it converted into the Club the secretary had a problem for her boss. To the south of Winding Bay is the magnificent Half Sound (itself subject of future blogs). She loved to boat. The problem was that to get from Winding Bay over to Half Sound she had to go outside Winding Bay and navigate the reefs to get into Half Sound. Well Davis solved the problem by blasting through the Rock and creating The Cut which allowed her to boat right from Winding Bay into Half Sound. Great boss or greater secretary?

Well years later people who travelled to South Eleuthera (including us when the kids were little) would enjoy the Cut. Floating in and out with the Tides, diving in and out and boating through just as the secretary did years earlier. The fishermen loved it as did the community.

Well over time the Cut filled in with sand and Hurricane Floyd in 97 really closed it up. All who remembered the Cut missed it terribly. We built our home in 92. The Homeowners debated dredging it open but some panicked over the cost and others over whether it was feasible from and engineering point of view. A home was built near the Cut and we all thought that the issue was dead and the Cut a memory.

Well, guess what folks? New people bought that home near the Cut and have had different mind view. They have engineered and executed a reopening!!!! It’s fabulous and a dream come true. Everyone who comes to Eleuthera should spend a day enjoying Winding Bay and boating or kayaking through the Cut to Half Sound. Miracles do happen!

I can’t wait to give Miss A her first trip through the Cut with Mom and Dad! Love, Me

In the 50’s and 60’s when the Rock Sound Club, Cotton Bay Club and Winding Bay Clubs were flourishing there was direct Pan Am service into RSD from New York! Lynnie (my wife) made this trip several times. Well as the Clubs faded so did the air service. The small terminal was rebuilt in the early 80’s to accomodatee 767 service from Milan when the old Winding Bay Club reopened as the Venta Club catering to all-inclusive Italians (this venture failed, more later).

Today, RSD is a cool little, out-island airport with a runway that can accommodate huge jets. None fly in now except on the occasional charter. There is great service in from Nassau (Nas) with 9 flights daily. Some of our guests use GHB which is fine. Service there is a little better from the States. There is great service into ELH but it’s a hike and expensive to taxi down the island.

Once finished with their cleaning they hose off their tables and the shopping begins. People walk up and check out their “displays”, point to desired purchases and negotiate their deals. They will fillet the fish as you request. Then the purchase is put in baggies, payment is made and off you go with delightful fresh fish and conch.

The scene is very authentic with locals congregating, beautiful Tarpum Bay as the backdrop and the true local fishermen doing their work as their predecessors have done for hundreds of years. One long standing family of fishermen is all deaf and have dreadlocks. They negotiate with you with their hands which can be sort of intimidating to the novice.

So, if fresh fish is your desire, arrive at the pier at Tarpum Bay @ 3 PM and enjoy the entire scene. We stick with the snapper, conch, grouper and crawfish. The natives enjoy some of the other species which to me are unknowable and too ghastly looking for consideration on our menu!

]]> http://pointovue.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=14 0 http://pointovue.com/blog/?p=11 http://pointovue.com/blog/?p=11#comments Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:40:56 +0000 Marty http://pointovue.com/blog/?p=11 Continue reading →]]> Lynnie and I have been coming to south Eleuthera for nearly two generations. We give our guests thorough write ups and information. When it comes to beaches, we thought we had them all. Well, wrong again. We were told of a beach called “Paw-Paw” on the Caribbean side west from Palmetto Point. While really in Palmetto Point off the Queens Highway the road was sort of tricky to find. There it was and we could see power lines out. About a half mile down we came to a house and turned right and on to an entrance to the Beach. There is an old, old house being renovated up the road to the north. Otherwise, desolate.

The beach is rocky in areas but is beautiful. And nearby are three islands, close to the beaches. We are told that you can walk out to one of them at low tide. While not as expansive as Ten Bay there is plenty of beach to walk with interesting curves. Paw-Paw will be private when Ten Bay is not. The islands make it special.

We talked to Wilson Cooper, the contractor doing the renovation on the house and he said that he only just learned about this area and he’s from Palmetto Point. Columbus had never heard of it. It’s a gem made special by the proximity to the islands. Great for sunsets.

Always something new to discover.