pyright 1998 by Scott Hays
Magazine: OC Metro
Topic: Island Hopping in the Bahamas
Byline: Scott Hays

Island Hopping

For an escape from everyday living, the clear waters of the Bahamas beckons.

Every vacation has its one moment. Mine came while swimming naked on the remote side of Stocking Island in the Bahamas.

Sounds crazy, I know. Grown man throwing his shorts to the wind and going native. But there I was, floating bottom-side up in postcard-perfect water, looking at fish through a glass snorkeling mask. It encapsulated the reasons we take vacations in the first place - to get away from the doldrums of everyday living.

Imagine, briefly, ocean waters so clear and with colors (indigo, emerald green) so extraordinary it's as if God purposely spilled ink from his colored quills.

Technically, the Islands of the Bahamas are not part of the Caribbean Sea, but who cares? Close enough. With more than 700 islands and 2,000 cays (small islands formed of coral or sand), it's the perfect playground for anyone with a taste for the Bahamian lifestyle.

Once my American flight landed in Miami, it was a mere puddle jump (35 minute flight) to Nassau, the nation's capital, a former landing place for pirates and slave-holding British loyalists who fled the United State after the Revolutionary War.

The island itself isn't more than 21 miles long and 7 miles wide, but with a distinctive backdrop. Downtown bustles with straw market vendors, cruise ship activities, and policemen in starched white jackets who best represent the island's British heritage (even though Bahamians won control of the government in 1967 and independence six years later).

A mile or so east of town, under Paradise Island Bridge, is Potter's Cay Dock, a swap meet of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. Although some of the tourists were a little reluctant to try the conch (a large spiral-shelled mussel) salad, I dived in with a spoon and wild abandonment and found it, well, so-so. A taste similar to ceviche.

Just across the arched bridge is Paradise Island, an extravagant, man-made fantasy world of hotels and casinos and yachts and tourists with wide-brimmed hats. No visit here would be complete without a visit to Atlantis, best described as a large Vegas-style hotel with a 14-acre waterscape complete with lagoons, grottos, waterfalls and waterslides, and a shark tank. I wouldn't suggest confining yourself to just this side of the island, though. Too restrictive. Not quite "native" enough for me.

Where to really let go
Better to spend your time with the glamorous resorts and hotels of Cable Beach, a crescent-shaped stretch of sand west of Nassau. At midnight on the beach just outside my hotel (the Radisson Cable Beach Resort) the sky was black as the ocean's indigo patches and the lights from the hotel danced off the water like moon gods. It literally took my breath away.

During the day, you can fish, snorkel, sail and scuba dive. Nassau also has three challenging U.S. Gold Association courses, each with its own ocean view. And there's gambling. The Nassau Marriott Resort & Crystal Palace Casino, for example, offers blackjack, craps, roulette, slot machines, and sports betting.

The next day I experienced what the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism calls a People-to-People Encounter, an intimate glimpse of Bahamian lifestyle by visiting with residents. If you're serious about learning more about the local culture, here's your opportunity. Coordinators try to match you with Bahamians who have similar interests, who can show you around town or take you to church. It's worth the effort.

Other adventures

Less than 35 miles southeast of Nassau are the Exumas. There are two main islands and 365 cays that stretch south for about 90 miles. A prime cruising spot for yachters, and a great opportunity to enjoy the charms of several attractive, friendly towns.

I stayed at the Club Peace & Plenty, a two-story historic inn named after a slave ship that sailed near here in the late 18th century (part of the hotel once served as slave quarters). Just over a mile away is Stocking Island, leased, in part, by the hotel.

Part of the charm here is that you can do nothing, or do everything - whether its bonefishing, snorkeling, biking, exploring, shell collecting, or beer spilling. The local beer Kalik (a rather tasty brew) gets its name from the sounds a cowbell makes (kalik, kalik, kalik). I recommend making your own kind of fun. I spent one afternoon on a scooter and cruised from one end of the island to the other.

One evening a group of us danced to the music of a local Rake 'n Scrape band at Eddie's Edgewater Restaurant. Afterward, I ended slamming shooters and playing dominoes (or is that playing shooters and slamming dominoes?) with Bahamians on a dock/bar that overlooked the water.

North of Great Exuma lies a world of cays, where you can see iguanas, go diving in blue holes of freshwater springs and coral reefs or just sunbathe. In the end, I choose a different path—swimming naked on the remote side of Stocking Island. And had I brought a set of fins I might still be swimming there today.

Choosing the right month

When you go to the Islands of the Bahamas depends on your taste - June to October are the hottest months, December to March are the coolest. Citizens of the United States require a passport. American dollars are fine. Bahamasair has regular flights between the islands.

For more information, call collect either the Bahamas tourism office, 3450 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 208, Los Angeles, CA 90010, or call (800) 4 BAHAMAS.

For information on the People-to-People Encounter, contact the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, P.O. Box N-2701, Rawson Square, Bay Street in Nassau, Bahamas, or call (242) 322-7500.