Whenever a house is built the most important part are the foundations. You should really look for some solid bedrock and building on sand is very much frowned up. This is well illustrated in Pisa with its leaning tower which seems to have been built on pizza crusts rather than stone. In Eluthera, Govenors Harbour has been built upon a foundation of Pineapples and with the pineapple trade drying up its foundations have started to crumble.

One of the main reasons for beasting our way upwind to Governors Harbour, apart from its pink beaches and stories of faded grandeur was the search for cooking gas. We’d heard that we could simply drop our gas bottle off at the hardware shop and magically 2 hours later it would be returned full. The face of the chap in the hardware store said it all as we walked in. We’d been given the wrong day and the gas man was now in the exact location that we’d come from and wouldn’t be back here until next week!

As we now had the ‘benefit’ of not having to fill our gas bottle we readied ourselves for exploring Governors Harbour. Along the main road we had to dodge huge American air conditioned SUV’s and in the back roads we were amazed that the local kids amused themselves by playing on rusty old bicycles without any tyres. The kids seemed to defy the laws of physics, and, more specifically, the laws of static and dynamic friction, as they raced around at breakneck speed and pulling wheelies where the only thing attaching them to the ground was a thin sliver of metal wheel which is not known for its traction.

Back at the grocery store at Hatchet Bay our search for the gas man continued and we now discovered that he’d returned to Governors Harbour. With this revelation some locals took us under their wing and so the next morning we found our lonely gas bottle randomly dropped off at someone’s house with a promise that it would; ‘Get Sorted’.

Some hours later, after having a bizarre experience of waiting for electricity at the Laundromat we returned and true to form. It was ‘sorted’.

The generosity and openness of everyone we met extended way beyond their homes and the stores. It extends to the roads, everywhere we went the first car that passed us picked us up and delivered us to exactly where we wanted to go. More often than not the vehicle that pulled over was a pickup, we’d then jump into the back and have the joy of the wind blowing through our hair.

One particular journey stands out as exceptional. The driver seemed overjoyed at being able to pick us up and he sped off at full speed, clearly thinking he’d make us really happy if he got us to our destination in super quick time. We rocketed along taking the racing line around all the corners with the pickup showing that it was more like a sofa than a race car and leaning over at alarming angles. In the middle of one of these corners the driver reached across to the passenger seat, picked up a big bottle of rum and topped up his glass. When we finally stopped his glass was once again empty and we felt very much alive having survived our close shave with death.

With the approach of another cold front Hatchet Bay, which is billed as the ‘Safest Harbour in Eluthera’, was filling up and a mini cruisers community was started. We had excursions to surf beaches, where Don, Gregory and Knarly Kyle (aged 11) pulled sweet moves on the waves, pot lucks, where Shannon plied everyone with way too much alcohol and fires on the beach where chocolate cravers Katy (aged 9) and Kaycee showed us how you can make marshmallows even better by cramming them full of chocolate.

We also organised a Lionfish fishing expedition under the expert guidance of Gregory and Keith. We ventured out fully tooled up and oozing testosterone. After hours of searching we’d only bagged 1 lionfish, a yellow grouper and a hog fish; a small haul for a lot of work. Killer Kevin then emerged from the deep with a 2ns lionfish on the end of his spear and a look of anguish on his face. He’d bagged the biggest fish but in the mighty struggle the lionfish had impaled its spines deep into Killer Kevin’s hand.

There is no antidote to the Lionfish toxin and Kevin had got himself a ‘real good dose’. The only way to ease the pain and neutralise the toxin is to immerse the sting in hot water. The pain is immense and the infected area feels like its on fire, so putting the area in hot water is literally like adding fuel to the fire.

As Kevin’s whole body shook in pain and his ability to speak was removed we took the decision to get him to hospital. The nurse was very professional and gave him the same amount of sympathy as the rest of us as we all headed off to get some ice pops to bide the time. Three long hours later and $350 lighter Kevin returned to Cascadura like a new man, intent on eating every last bit of the most expensive lionfish in the world.

With the front passing and our tidal window for getting though the cut and onto the Abacos getting smaller, it’s time for us to leave the safe confines of Hatchet and all our new friends. There is always a reason to stay but visiting the 3rd biggest barrier reef in the world is a great reason to leave.

The windward side of Eluthera is just a world of beaches.


You’d never guess that all the money at Govenors Harbour came from pineapples. They’re everywhere, on the doors.


And in the fences.


The seas produce conch the size of small houses.


This is clearly not a good hurricane hole.


Just chillin’ at the beach.


The most dangerous form of transport ever, but at least its free.


Perfect evening activity – Kyle burning off excess energy.


Kevin gets his revenge on the dreaded Lionfish.


Here’s looking at you kid.


Greg finally catches a wave.