I've been procrastinating writing this trip report for months. I suppose I want to keep this magical place a secret, hoping to preserve the qualities that make it so special. On the other hand, the local economy is so dependent on tourism and I promised a few people I met that I'd share my experience because they are hoping others will visit, too. Always true to my word, here it goes...
Lodging:
Things to See:1) Rare fresh water turtles Take care of these gentle creatures. Rare for this part of the world, these fresh water turtles, are found on the ponds on Dickie Road. Just standing on the water's edge, turtles will come swimming from every direction, hoping score a treat. 2) The Hermitage This may be one of the most photographed spots on Cat Island. Built by an British architect, turned missionary, Father Jerome created a beautiful stone hermitage on the highest spot in the Bahamas for his retirement. He passed in 1956, but left a legacy of simple but beautiful churches, including two in Clarence Town, Long Island. Locals are immensely proud of this historical site and will hope that you stop for a visit. I'm not Catholic, but was lucky to visit with someone who grew up in the church, which really added to my appreciation for this very special place. I was struck that during my two week stay on Cat Island, the stories told by two different ex-pats who felt an intense connection to this spot, The Hermitage is easy to find. In The Bight, look for a sign for Mt. Alvernia, follow the road up the hill, noticing farm plots on the way up. The spot to park is obvious and the walk up the path from there can be tricky. If mobility issues prevent you from walking up the Stations of The Cross path, you can instead continue walking on the two track, which will circle around to the back side of the Hermitage. 3) Beaches, Of Course: The beach scene is much different on Cat Island. Because the island is so much less developed, searching on Google Maps for ideas before you arrive is smart. We always make sure to have Google Maps open and fully downloaded on a phone for the island before our arrival, so that it will keep track of our progress, even without WiFi. There are not a lot of guide books, trip reports, etc. to guide visitors to beaches, so you must be willing to be adventurous and try unmarked roads and enjoy the journey. Sometimes, you find a gem, other times, it's a fun, rental car scratching adventure. Not sure of official beach names. With a few exceptions, it didn't seem like beaches had names that could be found easily. Bird Cay A local guy told us about this one, as it's one of his favorites. This Atlantic side beach is long, curving and has white sand. A long, peninsula type cay lies about 400 meters off shore, providing protection from big waves. This is a beautiful beach for swimming and walking. The local guy who told us about it has seen dolphins and turtles there and described it as magical. Directions: Immediately south of Yardie's, take the road up the hill and into the dump. Drive carefully though this area as it's an active dump. At each fork, take the left. Go approximately 3 miles. Airport Beach North of Arthur's Town, head east, travelling around the south end of the closed air field. The road turns east, and keep going about 2 miles. The road is rough, but not terrible, with evidence of sub divided plots, so the road was made with plans for development and for the time being are good(ish). As you get closer to the beach, you will see an engineered channel. This beach was good for combing, and decent for snorkeling. Arthur's Town Check out the beautiful Caribbean side beach behind the police station. Follow the same road southward and you'll eventually find Da Smoke Pot. I loved this beach, with gorgeous turquoise water and soft, white sand with the backdrop of the picturesque and sleepy settlement of Arthur's Town. Shanna's Cove This is an incredibly beautiful beach with gin-clear water near the shore that blends into cyan blue hues in the distance. A beautiful curved beach, edged with white sand, and almost entirely empty makes this a quintessential destination. We loved the beach side snorkeling and were thrilled to find some very fishy coral heads at the south end. When your beach time is done, head up the hill to Shanna's Cove Resort for a Kalik, and pizza. Orange Creek There is a great spot, right along the roadside to stop and take a dip in these crystal clear waters any time you want. I loved stopping on my way through the settlement, too tempted by the inviting cool water to pass up. The sand is soft, but wear sandals (or keep an eye open) due to glass. (This is not uncommon near settlements, and there are often sharp rocks, so I usually swim in sandals). During low tide, it's fun to swim over to the sand bar. For smaller people and not so strong swimmers be aware of the current. Read more about the settlement of Orange Creek and see a video of the grocery store HERE. West End of Dickie Road I absolutely love this spot. Low tide exposes interesting tide pools with bits of sea glass treasures. High tide gives an opportunity to take the edge off a hot day with a quick plunge and float. The seas were rough during our visit, but we did a bit of snorkeling here and were delighted with super fishy coral heads close to the iron shore. You will notice a notch cut out of the iron shore, which was once used as a public toilet. East End of Dickie Road The beach here was rough and not at all suited for getting in the water the two times I visited. However, when a moody ocean side walk is needed, this is the perfect spot. We enjoyed poking around tide pools and watching waves crash over the iron shore beach. Greenwood Beach Located on the southeastern tip of Cat Island, this is a gorgeous Atlantic side beach with incredible coral heads within a very short swim from the soft sand shore. Places We Ate: Because Cat Island is smaller and less developed, places to eat out take a little more work and planning. Don't let that prevent you from experiencing Out Island culture through local food, all while supporting small businesses. Understand that dining will truly be a farm/sea to table experience and options will be limited to what is available and calling ahead is always a good idea. Northend Liquor Technically, we didn't eat here. However, this fantastic little bar was within a 5 minute walk of our rental and at 3 for $10, happened to be the best deal on Cat Island for a cold beer. On top of that, it was an important gathering spot for residents of Orange Creek. Click HERE for my blog post on this wonderful northern Cat Island spot. Yardies (Benett's Harbour) Ice cold soda from the freezer, flour cakes with exactly the right amount of nutmeg, delicious jerk chicken, and fresh conch salad. All that and you can fill up your car's gas tank. I love jerk chicken and Odette serves it up all wonderfully spicy, with great sides, and so much food you'll get at least a second meal out of it. Da Smoke Pot (Arthur's Town) We were passing through and decided to stop for a cold Kalik. The setting is lovely and the conversation even better. Hopefully, we'll be able to stop for a meal on our next visit. Flora's (Arthur's Town) I met Flora when she was working at the nearby elementary school, getting the building ready for the school year to start. I was there to take advantage of the WiFi so I could check in with my family. She and I chatted a few days until she asked me to try her food sometime. One thing lead to another and we had Flora make us some roasted chicken with slaw and corn. It was delicious and a treat to have a meal out. Flora's food stand is on the western edge of the basket ball court in Arthur's Town. Mary's Crab Shack (Port Howe) I saw a video showcasing Mary's local baked crab and it did not disappoint. We were so lucky to drive by and find her place open. She had many tasty treats for sale, but we only tried the baked crab. The meat is taken out of the shell, mixed with spices, pork and breadcrumbs, then packed back in the shell and baked. The heat was a perfect level and I loved the bits of rosemary. Da Pink Chicken (south end) This is a wonderful place to stop for a drink, eat delicious and very fresh food made by Patty, shoot the breeze with everyone else who shows up, take a dip in the creek, and well, just relax. Even if you're a little hungry, I highly recommend anything Patty makes. I still dream about the grilled red snapper. What I left on the plate when I finished eating looked like a cartoon of fish bones. We have been fortunate to enjoy many visits to The Out Islands, including Eleuthera and Long Island. Out of all our trips, the two weeks spent on Cat Island gave us the best exposure to Bahamian culture. Every trip to the Out Islands has been absolutely beautiful, and Cat Island is no different. However, the beauty of this island has a different quality, more mystical. I've had the privilege to travel all over the world and never felt as welcomed by locals as we were by the residents of Cat Island. We are already planning our return trip this spring.
0 Comments
|
AuthorI'm a mom to two, wife to one, and a math teacher to many. We live on Michigan's West Coast, in the beautiful town of Holland. We love the people, natural beauty, and peaceful vibe of the Bahamas Out Islands. Archives
December 2021
Categories |