Bahamas Guide for Sailing, Diving, Vacation, Beaches, and Boating

The Bible for Abaco cruisers is now back and better than ever!

The concept for this guide was that of Dr. Jack van Ost who edited the first edition, Julius Wilensky wrote that first edition in 1976 and published the second edition in 1980. The new third edition, long overdue, strives to maintain the best of the traditions of Dr. Jack van Ost and Julius Wilensky. The scope has been broadened so that it is much more than a book about Abaco.

There is a new two page chart with details of exactly how to navigate "The Devil's Backbone" on North Eleuthera. The coverage of Freeport and Grand Bahama Island expanded. The book still contains the best coverage available in the Bahamas for Spanish Wells, Bimini and Nassau. To define “Northern Bahamas” for the purpose of the book, we drew the line at Nassau, North Eleuthera, Northern Berry Islands, and Bimini. We included these islands, and of course all the islands north of that line, specifically Freeport and West End, Grand Bahama and Abaco

The new book is written for cruising boats, and is loaded with tips on fishing, diving, provisioning, and where to find repairs or spare parts. Every major anchorage and marina is described. Even though the book began as a guide for the boater, anyone planning to vacation in the area will find the guide to be the most detailed guide for the area. Hotels, restaurants, bars, and beaches are thoroughly covered.

This new third edition of the classic cruising guide for Abaco and the Northern Bahamas. Completely revised for 2000, the new third edition has 256 pages, including 73 charts, 92 photos (including 28 aerial photos of harbor entrances). Tide tables for Abaco are included. There are many on site GPS way points and LORAN TD's.

Special sections include, "How to clean a conch", where to find lobster and how to catch them, as well as how to prepare them for the table, "Chartering in Abaco", "Flying by private aircraft in the Bahamas", a recipe for Miss Emily's famous Goombay Smash, Dogs in the Bahamas, History and Geography of the Bahamas, Seamanship for Abaco, Pirates in the Bahamas, the Columbus mystery, "Where did he land?", "Itineraries and Provisioning", "How to Catch a Bonefish."

This is a new edition of the original "Wilensky's Guide" to Abaco, first published in 1976, newly revised for 2000, now written by Dr. Darrel Wyatt and edited by Julius Wilensky. Other books edited by Wilensky include guides for the yachtsman to the Windward Islands, Belize, Tahiti, and The Florida Keys.

To give you a guide to the book we have provided you with a detailed table of contents. The page numbers refer to the pages in the book. Many sample excerpts are available on the website and others are added on a regular basis. In some cases the web site actually has information which space did not permit in the books. Follow the links to information on the website.

Editor’s Preface	5
Author’s Introduction	6
Acknowledgements	7
Dedication	7

Chapter 1
History & Geography of the Bahamas	9
Geography	10
Early Colonial Years In The Bahamas	10
The Years Before Independence	11
The Years Since Independence	12
History Of Abaco	12
Pirates In The Bahamas	13
Chapter 2
Getting To And From Abaco	17
Northern Routes To The Abacos	19
Via West End , grand Bahama	19
Old Bahama Bay Marina	22
Anchorages At West End, Grand Bahama Island	23
Entering Little Bahama Bank	23
West End (Indian Cay Light)	23
Sandy Cay	24
Memory Rock	24
Southern Routes To Abaco	25
Grand Lucayan Waterway	27
Freeport, Grand Bahama Island	28
Lucayan Marina Village
Lubbers Quarters Cay
Ocean Reef
Port Lucaya
Xanadu Marina
Other Marinas on Grand Bahama
Bimini	38
Alice Town	40
South Bimini	41
The Berry Islands	42
Great Harbour Marina	42
Bullocks Harbour	42
Slaughter Harbour And Great Harbour	45
Nassau, Bahamas	46
Yacht Haven
Nassau To The Cays Of North Eleuthera	48
Egg Islands To Royal Island Harbour	50
Royal Island Harbour	52
Royal Island To Spanish Wells	52
Spanish wells	53
Devil’s Backbone	56
Harbour Island & Dunmore Town	60
Harbour Island Resorts, North Eleuthera, Bahamas	60
Dunmore Town, North Eleuthera, Bahamas	60
Diving	62
Current Cut Detour	62
Other Bahamas Destinations, (beyond the scope of this book)
Chapter 3
Sailing In The Abacos and the Bahamas	63
Weather And Winds in the Bahamas	63
The Winter Pattern	63
The Summer Pattern	63
Tropical Storms and Hurricanes	64
Tides And Currents	64
Regatta Time In Abaco	64
Chapter 4
Seamanship For Abaco	66
Charts	66
Eyeball Navigation	66
Reading The Water	66
Electronic Navigation	67
LORAN C	67
GPS	68
RDF	68
Radar	68
Variation And Deviation	68
A Word About Channels And Adverse Weather	69
Anchoring in the Bahamas	69
Dinghies And Outboards	72
Chapter 5
Communications In Abaco	75
Radio and Television	75
VHF, CB, and SSB	75
Telephone Service	76
Facsimile (FAX)	76
Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Auxiliary (BASRA)	76
Newspapers	76
The Cruiser's Net

Message Board
Chapter 6
Fishing and Diving	78
Diving
Rules And Regulations for the Bahamas	78
Sport Fishing in the Bahamas	78
How To Catch A Bonefish	81
Fishing For Dinner	82
Trolling	82
Lobster (or crawfish)	82
Conch (pronounced Conk)	82
How to Clean Conch	83
Reef Fishing	84
Turtles	84
Diving In Abaco And The Bahamas	84
More on SCUBA
More on Fishing Charters
Water Safety and Medical Emergencies	87
Chapter 7
Chartering In Abaco	88
Charter with a captain--take the worry out
Capt. Robinson on Island Rose
Chapter 8
Itineraries And Provisioning	90
Itineraries	90
Three Or Four Days On Your Own Boat	90
One Week (Charter Boat)	91
A Fishing/Diving Cruise	92
Two Or Three Weeks On Your Own Boat	92
Alternate Two Weeks In Your Own Boat	93
Customizing Your Own Itinerary	93
Provisioning	94
Chapter 9
Travel Tips in the Abacos	96
What To Bring	96
Currency	97
Holidays	97
Driving	97
Customs And Immigrations	97
Flora And Fauna	100
Dogs In The Bahamas	101
Air Service To The Abacos	102
Chapter 10
The Government and Economy	103
Government Under Britain	103
The 1973 Constitution	103
The Pindling Years	104
The Ingraham Government	104
The Budget	104
The Economy	105
Tourism	105
Banking And Financial Services	105
Fishing	105
Imports And Exports	106
Forestry And Owens-Illinois	106
Education	107
The Hawksbill Creek Agreement & The Grand Bahama Port Authority	107
Chapter 11
Abaco Cuisine	108
Dining
Chapter 12
Directory of Supplies and Services	111
Vacation rentals
Chapter 13
Sandy Point to Hope Town	115
Sandy Point To Cherokee	117
Cherokee	118
Casuarina Point	120
Cherokee To Little Harbour	121
Little Harbour Bar Pass	121
Little Harbour	123
Bight Of Old Robinson	127
North Along The Shore Of Great Abaco To Pelican Point	127
Lynyard Cay	129
Pelican Point To North Bar Channel And Pelican Harbour	129
North Bar Channel	129
Pelican Harbour	129
Tilloo Channel And Middle Channel	129
Across Tilloo Bank	129
Pelican Cays Land And Sea Park	130
Sandy Cay	130
Pelican Cays	130
Cornish Cay	131
Channel Cay	131
Bucaroon Bay	131
Snake Cay	132
Tilloo Cay	134
Tilloo Pond	134
Tavern Cay	134
North To Marsh Harbour And Hope Town	134
Passage Through Marsh Harbour Bight	134
Boat Harbour Marina, Marsh Harbour	137
Boat Harbour To Hope Town Or White Sound, Elbow Cay	140
Abaco Inn
Lubbers Quarters Channel	140
Tilloo Cut	140
Hope Town	140
Approach To Hope Town	140
Hope Town Harbour	140
South To White Sound	146
Parrot Cays	146
Frys Mangrove	146
White Sound Harbour	146
Sea Spray Resort	147
Doros Cove (Tahiti Beach)	147
Marsh Harbour To Green Turtle Cay	149
Chapter 14
Hope Town To Marsh Harbour	149
Matt Lowe’s Cay	149
Point Set Rock	149
Sugar Loaf Creek	151
Marsh Harbour	151
Marsh Harbour To Man-O-War Cay	154
Hope Town To Man-O-War Cay	154
Johnnys Cay	156
South Man-O-War Channel	156
Man-O-War	156
Man-O-War To Great Guana Cay	159
North Man-O-War Channel	159
Fowl Cay Preserve	159
Scotland Cay	161
Great Guana Cay	162
Baker’s Bay And "Treasure Island"	164
Dolphin Beach Resort, Guana
Nipper's
Water Cay	166
Foots Cay	167
Fish Cays	167
Leisure Lee	169
Hills Creek	169
Treasure Cay	170
The Marina	172
Villas at Treasure Cay
Treasure Cay Property Owners Assoc.
The Beach	172
Golf and Tennis	174
Whale Cay Passage	175
No Name Cay	178
Pelican Cay And Big Channel	178
Green Turtle Cay	180
New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay	183
Black Sound, Green Turtle Cay	186
White Sound, Green Turtle Cay	187
Bluff House
Green Turtle Club
New Plymouth Inn
Bluff Harbour	190
Coco Bay	190
Chapter 15
Manjack Cay To Crab Cay	192
Manjack Cay	192
Anchorage North Of Crab Cay	192
Coconut Tree Bay	194
Anchorage Off Manjack Beach	194
Passages Between Manjack Cay And Powell Cay	194
Manjack Channel	195
Ambergris Cay	195
Powell Cay	196
Coopers Town	198
Sight-seeing From Coopers Town	200
Spanish Cay	200
Crab Cay ( Between Great Abaco and Little Abaco)	202
Cedar Harbour, Little Abaco Island	202
Chapter 16
Hog Cays to West End Point, Little Abaco	205
Hog Cays	205
Allans-Pensacola Cay	207
Allans-Pensacola Hurricane Hole	208
Guineaman’s Cay	208
Umbrella Cay	208
Moraine Cay Channel	210
Moraine Cay	210
Fish Cays	212
Hawksbill Cays	214
Fox Town	214 </