T

he Islands Of The Bahamas form a 100,000-sq-mile archipelago that extends over 500 miles of the clearest water in the world. Our 700 islands, including uninhabited cays and large rocks, total an estimated land area of 5,382 sq miles, and register a highest land elevation of 206 ft.

Most notable, however, is that each island has its own diversity that continues beyond geography, carrying through to the heart of The Bahamas, the Bahamian people.

You’ll find it in our heritage. In our culture. And in our humble pride. These are The Islands Of The Bahamas. Population: somewhere north of 300,000.

Geography played a crucial role in Bahamian history. In 1492, Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the New World on the island of San Salvador in the eastern Bahamas. After observing the shallow sea around the islands, he said "baja mar" (shallow water or sea), and effectively named the area The Bahamas, or The Islands of the Shallow Sea.

Since it was located close to Florida and well-travelled shipping channels, The Islands Of The Bahamas caught the attention of explorers, settlers, invaders and traders. These people shaped the colourful history of The Bahamas and made the country what it is today.

You are about to find out why The Bahamas is the tropical paradise you’ve never dreamed of. Maybe it’s the heritage of our people. Maybe it’s the degree of opportunities for adventure and seclusion. Maybe it’s the number of islands we call home. Whatever it is, as long as it’s truly Bahamian, it will make your dreams seem incredibly unimaginative. And that has to be a welcoming thought.

With 700 islands sprinkled out over 100,000 sq miles of ocean, The Bahamas offers the largest assortment of vacation spots of any tropical destination. Islands are circled by cays (pronounced “keys”). Some cays are surrounded by uninhabited rocks. Which island or cay is right for your vacation? Well, you won’t know until you know more about our 14 main islands that serve as hubs for the remaining 686 islands.

Learn about Eleuthera

Eleuthera, or "Lutra", as it is called by native Eleuthereans, is true to its name, the Greek word for "Freedom".  A large, modern-appointed island in the east of the Bahamas, Eleuthera still has some of the most pristine natural environments in the world.

From tip to top, Eleuthera is blessed with 220 miles of shoreline ranging from pink sand beaches to rugged crashing Atlantic. 

The picturesque old fishing villages have a quaint feel, with some houses over two hundred years old.  Famous for its artists and the sweetest, most delicious pineapples in the world, Eleuthereans are painters, fishermen, farmers and craftspeople.

Eleuthera is the birthplace of the Bahamas, the site of the first successful European settlement in The Islands.  In 1648 Puritan Pilgrims led by Captain William Sayle left Bermuda to seek religious freedom, and to lead their lives as they wished. 

Shipwrecked off the Devil's Backbone, they barely made it to shore alive, losing all they had brought with them.  The Adventurers were farmers seeking land to establish food crops. 

When they straggled ashore, the original people of Cigatoo, the island's aboriginal name, had long since been extinguished, leaving virtually no trace.  Although bounded by rich seas, the Adventurers did not know how to harvest food from the waters, and they starved. 

A rescue mission was mounted by Captain Sayle to bring back provisions, landing in the Carolinas. 

News of their plight reached fellow Puritans in the Colony of Massachusetts, and aid came just in time.

Appreciatively, the rescued survivors in The Company of Eleutherian Adventurers cut down braziletto and other rare woods then abundant in Eleuthera, sending them to Boston as a gift of thanksgiving to their saviors. 

The cargo of fine woods was then sold to assist in the building of Harvard University.  The proceeds were the largest bestowment received by the University to that time.  The bond established between Harvard and Eleuthera continues to this day.

The Constitution drawn by the Eleutherian Adventurers is proudly displayed in the Parliament buildings in Nassau.  It outlines the Charter for the first Republic in the New World.

Of course, the story of Eleuthera continues beyond its beginnings.  In the following 300 years, Eleuthera has seen boom and bust through the era of pirates, cotton, pineapple and sisal, the seventies jetsetters, and into the modern home-owner era. 

The story of Eleuthera is a fascinating account.  For more about the history of Eleuthera, read "An Island Called Freedom, The Story of Eleuthera" by Everild Young, when you come to visit SeaView Cottage, and available in finer Eleuthera giftshops.