Eleuthera Island

The Lucayan were the original inhabitants of the Bahamas before the arrival of Europeans. They were mostly deported by the Spanish to work in the mines of Hispaniola, where they died out by 1550. The island is believed to have been unoccupied until the first European settlers. These settlers, known as the "Eleutherian Adventurers", gave the island its current name—eleutheria means "freedom" in Greek, while eleuthera means "free".

The settlements include (north to south) The Bluff, Upper and Lower Bogue, Current, Gregory Town, Alice Town, James Cistern, Governor's Harbour, North and South Palmetto Point, Savannah Sound, Winding Bay, Tarpum Bay, Rock Sound, Greencastle, Deep Creek, Delancy Town, Waterford, Wemyss Bight, John Millars, Millar's and Bannerman Town.

,Airports are available at North Eleuthera (MYEH), Governor's Harbour (MYEM), and Rock Sound (MYER).

The island was quite prosperous in the period from 1950 to 1980, attracting several prominent American industrialists and frequent visits from movie stars.

While offshore Harbour Island offers unique experiences, the main island is a destination for those interested in history and nature. Natural attractions include the Glass Window Bridge, Hatchet Bay caves and Surfer's Beach in the north, and Ocean Hole and Lighthouse Beach at the south end. Preacher's Cave on the north end was home to the Eleutherian Adventurers in the mid-17th century, and recent excavations have uncovered Arawak remains at the site.

The principal settlements are Governor's Harbour (the administrative capital), Rock Sound, Tarpum Bay (the last remaining fishing village), Harbour Island with its unusual pink sandy beaches, and Spanish Wells. The island is particularly noted for the excellence of its pineapples and holds an annual Pineapple Festival in Gregory Town.

I went to Eleuthera to work with Bahamas Habitat. These pictures were taken during the October 2010 Fly-In and Help Out. We landed at Governor's Harbour Airport and cleared customs. Our belongings were quickly loaded up and we were transported to Camp Symonette. The next day we split up into work details. I went with a group to help repair a lady's house. At lunch time and after the days work, we went to local beaches for a swim.

The next day we worked a half day improving the driveway of the camp. We then divided up and I went exploring the island with several of the people who work at the camp. We had a fantastic lunch at The Front Porch in Hatchet Bay. We went on to the Glass Window Bridge. Next we stopped at the Island Made Gift Shop in Gregory Town. Sunday morning we had a nice leisurely flight back to Ft Pierce.