About Eleuthera
Eleuthera is one of the Bahamas Out Islands, located about 250 miles from Florida. The island is 110 miles long, and from one-half to two miles wide. (Which means there are 200+ miles of coastline and hundreds of beaches, some long and some small.) It is the perfect getaway if you are looking for peace and quiet.
If you have never been to Eleuthera, here are some things you should know.... The towns on the island (called settlements) are spaced out along the length of the island, with a few miles of countryside in between them. There is not much in the way of American-style resort development, although some is starting. It is much the way most of the Caribbean was fifty years ago...quiet and unspoiled. You won't find any multi-national chain anything on Eleuthera... not McDonald's and not Hyatt or Sheraton. While there are a few inns and boutique resorts, most of the visitors stay in rental houses. There are several good restaurants, and a little bit of night life if you know where to find it.
The people of Eleuthera, as the people of the Bahamas in general, are friendly and hospitable, with an overlay of polite British-style reserve. As far as they are concerned, a visitor is a guest in their country, and they treat you just as they would a guest in their own home. Life on Eleuthera tends to be relaxed and informal (as you will see if you read the section about car rentals).
There is a great deal of history on Eleuthera; the first European settlers arrived in 1648; a group of Puritans led by Capt. William Sayles. (Let's see... Plymouth Rock or the Bahamas... which ones were the smart Puritans?)
Basic Facts
Bahamian dollar = US dollar one-to-one; US currency is accepted everyplace so there is no need to change money if you are coming from the US
Electrical current is the same as US
Drinking water is perfectly safe (although it might not taste wonderful, it won't hurt you)
Eleuthera can be reached by direct flights from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale; no need to transfer through Nassau
The grocery stores will have everything you need, although perhaps not with the variety of choice you get at home
We drive on the left in Eleuthera
There is no public transportation system on Eleuthera
Mostly relax and enjoy the tranquility. Opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, and shelling are found at every turn. The bonefishing is excellent. Some local captains offer fishing excursions on their boats. "Surfers Beach" is one of the best surfing beaches close to the East Coast of the US. There are several famous scuba-diving locations off the shores of Eleuthera. You will not find such activities as wind-surfing or para-sailing on Eleuthera.
There are several good restaurants, both local and more American-style, and a few places offer live music on certain nights. There are a few good gift shops for souvenir shopping, notably in Governor's Harbour and Gregory Town. The historic Haynes Library in Governor's Harbour is an excellent place to spend a quiet hour or two. It is the only public library we know of with spectacular ocean views on two sides!
Realistically, if you want to enjoy all Eleuthera has to offer, yes you do. While you can walk to the beach, and even to a nice restaurant/bar, there is no grocery store within walking distance. If you really wanted to do it without a car, you could have the taxi stop at a grocery store on your way from the airport, and spend all your time at the house or nearby beaches. But that misses the fun of exploring this beautiful island!
Cars are easy to rent on Eleuthera. But don't expect Avis or Hertz! The car rental system is very informal. You make arrangements with one of the people who rent cars, and they meet you at the airport and hand you the keys. (Our caretaker rents cars.) On your return trip home, they meet you at the airport again and you give them back the keys and pay the money. Cars tend to be older-model Ford or General Motors vehicles with lots of miles on them, but they are reliable and run like a dream. (If you want to know where your uncle's old Bonneville went to retire, now you know).
The main road (the Queen's Highway) is a well-paved road that runs the 110 mile length of the island. Cross roads can be paved or somewhat rocky. Some of the beaches and attractions are accessible by sandy or rocky roads that should only be driven with a vehicle with good clearance. There are a few places where four wheel drive is needed. But you can easily spend a wonderful week on Eleuthera and not drive on any road that is in worse shape than you are used to at home.
We drive on the left in Eleuthera, but since there are few cars on the road, and even fewer intersections, it is not confusing or scary at all even if you are used to driving on the right.
There is a cell phone at the house for your use while you are there. You can purchase a phone card in most grocery or liquor stores, that will allow you to deposit money on the phone's account. If you are lucky, there might be funds left from a previous guest. Your own cell phone will probably not work; newer phones are incompatible with the technology on Eleuthera.
There is no internet connection at the house (we tried, none is available right now). High-speed internet is available at Haynes Library in Governor's Harbour.
