After topping off the fuel and water tanks dockside at Pinder's Supermarket in Spanish Wells and tying back up to our mooring ball in the channel between St. George's Cay and Charles Island it was time for some exploration and adventure. The larger island of Eleuthera was just a mile across the water so we buddied up with our good friends from Cheers and made a dingy dash across following the ferry route. Having made it safely to shore without getting run over by a ferry boat, we hauled the dingys up near the dock and secured them to the seagrape trees bordering the beach.



Now we needed land transportation to the other side of the island so we inquired at the liquor store where the folks there were kind enough to call a taxi for us. Amos arrived a few minutes later in his van and following some negotiations we were trekking across north Eleuthera. Our friendly and knowledgeable driver gave us a guided tour as we passed the outskirts of Upper Bogue, cut through the airport and finally dropped us at the Three Islands Ferry Landing on the eastern side of the island. There, we jumped aboard a large run-about that zipped us 3 miles across the protected waters between Eleuthera and Harbor Island where we disembarked at Dunmore Town, the only settlement on the island.



We strolled the quaint village, checking out boats,



bayside shops,



and cottages,



eventually finding our way to a path



that led us to the coral pink sand beach on the Atlantic Ocean side of Harbor Island.



While ambling along the 3 mile expanse of pink sand and gazing at the infinite shades of blue ocean we came across Mark and Kathy from S/V Nancy Lu who joined our little group.



We made our way off the beach via a long flight of wooden steps that lead to one of the many villas and rental houses that line the oceanside bluff. As we headed down the road back toward the village a chap in a golf cart offered us a ride so we all hopped aboard for a "fast tour" on the way back to the harbor side of the island.



Meanderings down the streets took us past churches,



into a few more shops, including the local "hardware" store which housed an eclectic mix of general store items,



and finally led us back to the harbor where we couldn't resist the pull of Queen Conch with its colorful signage and waterside deck.



Mark, Nancy, and Jeff staked out some shady tables and Keith purchased some icy cold Kaliks from the liquor store across the street while Ida and I studied the menu and queried the Queen Conch ladies tying to decide what island delicacies we should order.



With slicing and dicing that belonged on a cooking show, conch salads and fritters were whipped up before our eyes with the freshest of ingredients and conch just minutes out of the sea. It was heavenly as we relaxed on the deck, taking in the view, and savoring our sumptious fare.



"King Conch" provided after lunch entertainment when he stepped barefoot into the water next to cage full of conchs and made short order of cleaning several dozen so they would be all ready for the evening diners.



Being well nourished, hydrated, and amused we made our way back to the Three Islands Ferry landing, boarded the boat, sped across the water to Eleuthera, and called Amos for a taxi ride. As he was filling us in on some of the island history, the six of us decided a detour to Preacher's Cave, at the north end of the island, would be fun and Amos agreed to take us on a tour there.



We explored the capacious cave where in 1647 the first settlers in the Bahamas, known as the Eleutheran Adventurers, sought shelter after shipwrecking on The Devil's Backbone, a treacherous reef off the northern shore of Eleuthera.



A short walk took us to the long and broad sweeping Tay Bay Beach where we could see and hear the waves breaking along this dangerous stretch of rocky reefs. With the sun about to set, we climbed back into Amos' van and he chauffeured us back to Eleuthera's western shore where we lugged the dingys down to the water, cranked up the motors, and crossed the water back to our boat-homes moored in Spanish Wells.