New
Plymouth and Green Turtle Cay
With
the rising tide we followed Alizann and
our host “Donny” into Black Sound for a few days on Green Turtle Cay. This charming settlement again has historic
links to those loyalists who left the American east coast after our
revolutionary war. We learned that
almost 1500 were rewarded with land here in the Abacos. The descendants of this
population have persisted in spite of the harsh conditions. We come for the
mild weather and beautiful water, but the islands lack an abundant supply of
fresh water and suffer from a thin, poor soil.
As a result, the traditional trades here have been fishing and boat
building – not the agricultural endeavors previously perfected in the Americas.
More recently tourism has been the main game.
In
the New Plymouth history museum we saw photos of the destruction caused by the
1932 hurricane and came away with an even greater admiration for a population
that has continued to rebuild and find a way to survive. This museum – in a traditional
home complete with exterior kitchen and latrine, was full of treasures from
life in the past. We especially enjoyed
all the model ships built mostly by the museum namesake, Albert Lowe. His son, Vert, continues the tradition, and
we were lucky to spend some time in his workshop listening to his stories of
lobstering in his youth. Another one of Vert’s
brothers is an accomplished artist and his work was also on display in the
museum.
On
the whole, New Plymouth is a densely packed but tidy community built on a flat
spit. The scale of the buildings fits the surrounding bordered by a small
harbor on one side and the Sea of Abaco on the other. The town is crisscrossed by
narrow streets perfectly suited to the golf carts that zoom around. Fortunately they have devised a one way
system to allow the occasional “car” safe clearance. Businesses co-mingle with homes and a few
rental units – it is an easy place to wander and get the feel of the
Bahamas. The town offers every necessary
commercial enterprise including three groceries, liquor stores, two hardware
stores, numerous eateries and the requisite “gift shoppes”. The official government
complex was a cheerful white and pink clapboard compound with a library, post
office and public restrooms.
Green
Turtle has two “sounds” or bays that open out to the Sea of Abaco. In Black Sound, where we stayed on Donny’s dock
the town was short walk up the road. We
took a dink ride over to the White Sound area where the famous Green Turtle
Club and Bluff House Marina are located.
These two resorts offer luxury accommodations, services and marinas that
could be located anywhere. Surprisingly
their docks and restaurants seemed empty.
Luckily our visit missed the rush of bone fish season and the crush of
boaters heading north.
We
did manage to enjoy a few rum drinks on the deck at Bluff House! Just doing our part to support the local economy.....
