Underway Again #22:  Little Harbour

 

Finally we were on our way to the Abacos.  The Spaniards called it Habacoa.  Although they were the first Europeans to explore the Abacos, they did not settle there and returned only to enslave the gentle Lucayans as mentioned in my earlier blogs.  Although sites of their numerous settlements have been discovered, none have been fully excavated.  Abacos was well situated for piracy as the small cays offered excellent anchorages as well as good lookout points and the combination of the shallow banks and the reefs discouraged pursuers and for over 100 years, pirates were the only settlers, if you could call them that.  Not until late 18th century were any permanent settlements attempted by again the Empire Loyalists.  They had come to farm and found that there only small pockets of soil in the predominate limestone rock and at the dawn of the 19th century saw only about 400 people (200white and 200 black) left in the Abacos.  They were joined by migrants from Harbour island Eleuthra and made their living primarily fishing.  The Abacos were and are still known for their boat and shipbuilding skills.  Although the majority of boat builders turn out sleek fibreglass boats, old fashioned boat building still persists.  Crafting and carpentry skills have been passed from father to son from generation to generation.  The greatest industry in the Abacos and indeed in all of the Bahamas is tourism and it caters to the cruising boaters such as ourselves.

 We left Little Egg Island at 1:00 in the morning and it was a very easy passage with calm waters but little wind so we motored most of the way. I really enjoy sailing or rather, in this case, motoring at night. It was a clear night; there is no ozone layer or pollution here so the stars are phenomenal. I wish I knew more about finding the different constellations. We reached our destination, Little Harbour, by 10:00 in the morning and we anchored at Tom Curry Point, rested and then went to Pete's Pub for a late lunch and a drink. 

 

 

The Gallery

 

 

 

One of the more famous scuptures showing the progression of infant to old man.

 

   

Bill entering Pete's Pub.

 

View of Little Harbour from Pete's Pub

     Pete is the son of Randolph Johnston, a world famous sculptor who was born in Toronto, lived in the States and in 1950 left the "rat race" with his wife and three sons and lived on a boat for two years before finding Little Harbour and deciding that this was the place for him and his family.  Randolph Johnston, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century, spent the next 40 years pursuing his dream of living free to work in an unspoiled environments, remote from the constraints and pollution of life in the developed world.  His son, Pete, maintains not only "Pete's Pub" but also a gallery devoted to the art of his father, his own art and those of local artists.  Roman and I had lemon pepper tigerfish which was tasty.      

Waiting for a "Blaster" at the bar.

The Four Adventurers

If you look closely you will see a sculpture at the beginning of the boardwalk to the Atlantic Ocean.

At the end of the boardwalk 




Collecting shells

Pete's Pub from a distance

      Just behind the pub was the Atlantic Ocean and I walked the shore collecting some shells.   Roman spent the time photographing a hummingbird.

       The next day we anchored off Sandy Cay and went snorkelling at the reefs there.  This was the most interesting and best snorkelling that I have yet experienced in the Bahamas rivalling even Thunderbolt Grotto.  Bill and I snorkelled while Maureen and Roman kept each other company as they waited for us to get tired.  They had a long wait as there were so many different kinds of fish and coral.  I saw a brain coral that had to be half the size of the dinghy.  We saw a school of blue tang fish, angelfish, snappers, blue parrot fish, tiny cardinal fish and so many others that I felt that I was swimming in an aquarium.