a SNAPSHOT of SPANISH WELLS

SPANISH WELLS BEACH

We've got two brand new cottages built in Russell Island for those vacationers looking to escape to a peaceful tropical island. Each cottage has ocean views, and can occupy one to four people. Both the Pink Hibiscus and the Blue Crab Cottages are fully furnished with central air and cable tv for your comfort. A golf cart rental is recommendeed to get around, and you only need to travel a short distance over the bridge to reach Spanish Wells for all of your conveniences, food stores and restaurants. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the Atlantic ocean and the spectacular sunsets! Check out the website for more information on these lovely rentals

at: http://www.eleuthera-bahamas-vacation-rentals.com/

Russell Island Waterfront Vacation Rental

Pink Hibiscus Cottage

Blue Crab Cottage

Bahamas Ferries

There is a previous post here on transportation on how to arrive to the island area of Spanish Wells-Russell Island.

In addition to flying into Eleuthera, you can always grab a nice large air-conditioned Ferry from Nassau, called the Bohengy (this is the large blue, yellow & white boat pictured to the left--note the smaller white boat is the government ferry which transports people from Spanish Wells to mainland Eleuthera Jean's Bay dock).

The current routine schedule for the Bohengy (subject to change & holidays) shows the Ferry departing daily from Nassau at 8:00 am and arriving to Spanish Wells at 10:05 am. It departs from Spanish Wells back to Nassau daily from 4:20 pm Monday - Saturday arriving to Nassau at 6:25 pm, and on Sunday departs for Nassau from SW at 1:40 pm arriving at 3:45 pm (2 hr one-way trip).

However, if you are staying in the Spanish Wells - Russell Island area, you may want to just take a day trip to Harbour Island. This is about an hour boat trip each way. Upon arriving to Harbour Island, you can rent a golf cart there, and tour the lovely island, do some souvenir shopping, have lunch, and spend a couple of hours at the great Pink Sands Beach.
Round Trip for this excursion from Spanish Wells to Harbour Island is currently $40 for adults (age 12 & over); $30 for children under 12.
Here is the current routine schedule for the Fast Ferry:

Depart Spanish Wells to Harbour Island Monday - Saturday:

Departure 10:10 am; arrive to Harbour Island 11:00 am; Departs HI 3:40 pm, and returns to Spanish Wells at 4:15 pm.

Sundays (shorter stay):

Departure time from Spanish Wells 10:10 am; arrives to Harbour Island 11:00 am; Departs HI 1:00pm, and returns to Spanish Wells at 1:35 pm.

***Please note rates & times subject to change--please confirm schedule direct with Bahamas Ferries first:

http://www.bahamasferries.com/

Nassau Phone # for reservations: 242-323-2166 or 242-394-9700

SPANISH WELLS EATERIES

Our family has eaten at all of these lovely establishments. Great food and service. Below are three local Spanish Wells restaurants and one carry-out that we have frequently visited.

Anchor Snack Bar, location 5th & Harbour--dockside

Norma's Takeaway, 25th & Harbour Sts.

the Gap Restaurant, 13th & Main Sts.

Eagles Landing Restaurant, 18th & Main Sts.

Spanish Wells - Sunrise/Sunset Table

Link to the Spanish Wells Sunrise, Sunset, Dawn & Dusk Chart:

SPANISH WELLS--a slice of paradise

My family has been visiting Spanish Wells, Bahamas since 1999. To arrive to this fabulous slice of paradise, we fly into the the North Eleuthera, Bahamas airport (ELH), and then take a ground taxi to the North Eleuthera dock, called Gene's Bay. From there we board a five-minute ferry in anticipation of our arrival to the Spanish Wells town dock. While riding in the ferry, I am always enamoured by the sparkling turquoise sea as I approach the unique fishing village with the pastel colored homes and fishing boats. I am amazed at the size and beauty of some of these fishing boats at the dock. Lobster fishing is the primary industry of the locals here, and Spanish Wells is known as the "lobster capital" of the Bahamas. Although the fishermen here are prosperous, it is very hard work.

Spanish Wells is the town of the St. George's Cay Island (about a one-by-three mile area), a charming tropical village with all the modern conveniences. Spanish Wells is where all of the commercial development is located (the restaurants, grocery stores etc.), most of which are located near the dock or on Main Street. The surrounding homes in Spanish Wells are artistically painted with bright and pastel tropical colors, which are offset by the beautiful Caribbean floral landscaping. Spanish Wells also is home to some favorite beach spots.

Nearby Russell Island is an approximately two-by-four-mile island that connects to Spanish Wells by a small bridge. As much of the town of Spanish Wells is already developed, many of the newer homes are being built in Russell Island by the younger Bahamian generation, or by foreigners moving in.

Russell Island is still fairly quiet, as it is a larger area than Spanish Wells, and many of the homes are sparsely scattered as it is in its early development stage. As you are traveling through some of the roads here, it is fun to watch the goats that are fenced in, as you pass them by in your rented golf cart. Russell Island is home to many different kinds of fruit trees such as bananas, sour oranges, breadfruit, coconut trees and more. There is great birdwatching here, and the sunsets are spectacular, too.

The population of the Spanish Wells/Russell Island area is about 1,800 people. Many of the Bahamian locals here share the same common last name such as Pinder, Higgs, etc. You will find that the locals are very hard-working people, and many multi-talented. This is a close-knit, family-oriented and religious community. Many of the businesses are closed on Sunday.

The main mode of transportation for tourists is golf carts. Golf carts can be rented at the dock.
The locals generally own either a car, pick-up truck or golf cart. Driving is on the left side of the road. Many of the locals are very friendly and welcoming, and it is very common for them to wave to tourists as they pass them by on the streets.

Although Spanish Wells may not be for everyone, I highly recommend this island to those vacationers who want to relax in a nice tropical atmosphere, and for those who know how to entertain themselves. Spanish Wells is not for those seeking glamourous, glitzy casinos and shopping meccas. However, Spanish Wells is a wonderful place if you are an enthusiastic with water sports, such as boating, fishing, kayaking, diving, snorkeling, or just enjoying a day a the beach. Bicycling is a great option, too.

SPANISH WELLS ON UTUBE

Check out Spanish Wells here, with a good local tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU3AiYyopD4

Check out kiteboarding in Spanish Wells with the Lenny Kravitz song "Fly Away". Lenny is known to be a frequent visitor of Eleuthera and has a home in North Eleuthera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvHmV50JP0I

Fiction Book "Malice in Pinderland"

"Malice in Pinderland" Derek Hawkins, is a fictional story that takes place in Spanish Wells, and has the spice of humor, love, adventure and crime. The main character is a scoundrel from London named David who chooses Spanish Wells as a get-away vacation. On his flight to the Bahamas, David hooks up with a lady lawyer named Melanie, and thus the beginning of their romance. While visiting Spanish Wells and observing the local lobster fishermen getting paid well in cash, David gets an idea, and plots to heist the local bank...

This book can be purchased on Amazon.com, or you may try the Island Gift Shop in Spanish Wells.

EXCELLENT COOKBOOK

There is an excellent cookbook put together by the locals called the Spanish Wells Museum Cookbook. You can purchase this at the Museum or Island Gift Shop located next to each other on Main St.

Yesterday, my husband made the Tuna Fritter Burgers for dinner. He substituted the sweet peppers for diced, red tomatoes. The sandwiches were sure delicious. I won't give away all the secrets, but encourage you to pick up a copy to enjoy. Wonderful fish recipies, deserts, drinks, etc.

SPANISH WELLS ELEUTHERA MAP LOCATION

TRANSPORTATI0N: HOW TO ARRIVE

The closest airport to Spanish Wells is the North Eleuthera airport on the mainland of North Eleuthera, airport code (ELH). Use this code when checking out flights from some airline services such as Expedia or Travelocity. Governor's Harbour Airport (GHB) is also located on Eleuthera, and is a little further than the North Eleuthera Airport at about 30 miles south of Gene's Bay dock, North Eleuthera.

Once you arrive to the North Eleuthera airport, you will need to take about a 10 minute cab ride to the North Eleuthera dock called "Gene's Bay". There are taxicab drivers available at the airport, or you can try to schedule in advance. From Gene's Bay, you can board a Government ferry boat and take a 5-minute trip to arrive at the Spanish Wells dock (Spanish Wells is about a half-mile in the distance from Gene's Bay). The government ferry routinely makes scheduled runs back and forth during the daytime. Pinder's Taxi Service is another option, and they provide direct combined ground taxi and ferry transportation from North Eleuthera Airport to the Spanish Wells Dock or vice versa, call 242-333-4068 to pre-arrange.

At the Spanish Wells dock, you can pick up a 2-4 seater golf cart. There are a couple of golf cart rental vendors at the dock.
Abner's Golf Rentals, phone 333-4890 or Harbourside Golf Cart Rentals, 333-5022.
Another Golf Cart rental vendor is JJ's Golf Cart Rentals, 333-4575.
You can rent golf carts by the hour, day, week, etc.
There is also a local Taxi service on Spanish Wells, Taxi1 @ 333-2444.

From there, you can go to your vacation rental or lodging, or touring, if applicable.

AIRLINES (ELH, North Eleuthera airport closest) :
Most people fly into Eleuthera from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, or through Nassau, Bahamas.*Please note airlines/schedules are subject to change. Please check with airlines directly in advance to making any final vacation acommodation arrangements. We do not endorse any particular airline.

Transportation from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida(1 hr. flight):
Major Airline:
American Airlines, ph 800-433-7300Continental Airlines ph 800-525-0280
Delta Airlines, ph 800-221-1212 (from US, Bahamas, or Canada)
Smaller Airlines: Lynx Air Int'l US tollfree ph 888-596-9247;954-596-9247Flies to North Eleuthera, Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun. Flies to Gov. Harbour, Mon, Fri, Sat, & Sun. Twin Air ph 954-359-8266 Island Express (has daily flight to North Eleuthera); ph 954-359-0380Yellow Air Taxi (scheduled flights to North Eleuthera); ph 954-321-0292
From Miami, Florida, (1 hr. flight):
Continental Airlines ph 800-525-0280
By Air from Nassau, Bahamas to Eleuthera (20 minute flight):
Bahamas Air ph 800-222-4262 Southern Air Charter ph 242-377-2014 or 2015. By Boat Ferry,

FERRY FROM NASSAU TO ELEUTHERA:
"Bo Hengy", from Nassau, Bahamas to Eleuthera: (2 hrs) Bahamas Ferries (check schedules for departures/arrivals to Spanish Wells). Ph: 242-323-2166

POSTAL SERVICES

The post office is located at 7-8th St. & Main, ph: 333-5254.
There is a UPS Courier service located at Pinder's Supermarket 333-4068 or 333-4048.

UTILITY COMPANIES

St. George’s Cay Power (electric): 333-4141 ofc; plant 333-4407
Water & Sewer Co: N. Eleuthera, 335-1250; 332-2370 Gov. Harbour
Batelco (Phone Co): 333-4290; 333-4053

MONEY & BANK

Remember that most stores, restaurants, vehicle rentals and gas stations in Eleuthera DO NOT accept credit cards. They accept cash only.

The American dollar can be used in the Bahamas, and when used at local stores, one American dollar is equivalent to a Bahamian dollar. Mixed currencies are accepted most everywhere. However, currency exchanged at banks require a small conversion fee.

There is also a bank in Spanish Wells with ATM. Normal hours are around 9am to 3pm weekdays, so plan ahead:
The Royal Bank of Canada, phone 333-4131; location Food Fair shopping plaza off of Main St.

SPANISH WELLS PARK

There's a wonderful little public park in Spanish Wells located near the Russell Island Bridge.
There is beach access there, picnic tables, barbeque grills, public restrooms, and a few hungry geese!

WATER SPORTS

Swim, snorkel, scuba dive, fish, or boat activities around the island.
Spanish Wells has beautiful beaches to explore.

Boat Rentals:

Capt. Ron's Boat rentals 242-333-5100 for 14-22' boat rentals or Lorraine 242-333-4080
also check with them about snorkel or scuba tours.
Woody Perry Boat rentals 242-333-4433, VHF CH16

Locals that take People out for Fishing:
A-1 Broadshad, 242-333-4427
Woody Perry, 242-333-4433

Try a day or overnight trip to Harbour Island. For rates & schedules check with the Bahamas Ferry Service on the "Bohengy". Ph: 242-323-2166 or 323-2168.
http://www.bahamasferries.com/

TINGS TO DO

The Spanish Wells Cemetary on Main St. is one of the most beautiful cemetaries I've ever seen.
I know this sounds a little morbid, but the flowers there are so beautifully arranged.
The cemetary is located next to the beach, and the colorful bouquets look stunning with the seaviews. Go check it out for yourself...the picture above does not do it any justice.

HISTORICAL INTERESTS:
Spanish Wells Museum; 8-9th St & Main; ph 333-4710
Spanish Wells Cemetary; 10-11th St. & Main & 4th.

INTERNET SERVICE:
Computer Concepts (Internet service, computer services, and office supplies)
(located in the Food Fair Plaza area). Current rates for internet use are $10 per hour, prices subject to change.

TENNIS:
The Tennis Centre; Russell Island

DIVING EQUIPMENT:
Manuel's Dive Station: 333-4495, Main St.

PHOTO STORE:
Magic Photo: 333-5300, Main St. (camera supplies, photography)

SHOPPING:
Lynette's: 333-4841; 333-4205, Main St.
The Islander Shop: 333-4104, Main St.
Three Sisters Variety Store, Main St.

PLANT & GARDEN:
Touch of Paradise, Main St.

CHURCHES:
The People's Church, 2nd & Main; ph 333-4701
Spanish Well's Gospel Chapel, 6th & Main; ph 333-4644
Spanish Wells Methodist Church; 22nd & Main; ph 333-4819

BEAUTY SHOPS:
Nails "R" Us 14th St, Nail Salon, 333-4817
New Image Salon & Spa, Main St.

***Keep in mind many places may be closed on weekends, particularly Sundays. Check schedules in advance.

Entertainment: The Rev Tomato

Click below:

The Reverend Tomato's Dance

A PEEK AT RUSSELL ISLAND

Above images of Russell Island include palm trees, goats & view of the Atlantic ocean.

MEDICAL / EMERGENCY RESOURCES

Police/Fire: 333-4030
Police Station is at 7th St & Main.

Spanish Wells Clinic, 18th & Main St; ph 333-4064 or 333-5145
Open Mon-Fri (call for specific hours)

Dr. Stephen Bailey's Office (private doctor in Spanish Wells)--office in Food Fair plaza.
phone 333-4869 or 333-4868

Spanish Wells Pharmacy (inside Food Fair on Main St.): 333-4676

Note there are no hospitals on Eleuthera. Critical/life threatening injuries are generally life-flighted by air ambulance to a Nassau, Bahamas or Florida, USA hospital. Eleuthera has a few clinics/doctors on the island for treatment of minor illnesses or injuries only.

AAS Lifeflight Air Ambulance, 1-242-377-1606, Nassau, Bahamas

BASRA Air-Sea Rescue, Nassau
242-322-7412 or 242-322-7413

FOOD SOURCES

GROCERY STORES (all in Spanish Wells):

Spanish Wells Food Fair (the largest): 333-4677;4678;4679;
office 333-4675
(pharmacy inside this store, phone 333-4676)
***note the Food Fair is closed on Sundays & closed on Wednesdays at noon)

Pinder's Supermarket: 333-4068; ofc 333-4048 (UPS Courier service also)

C.W.'s Groceries, Main St., by Photo store.

SEAFOOD STORE (fresh fish & lobster, Spanish Wells):

Ronald's Seafood; 3rd St.; ph 333-4143; 333-4021 (by dock)

RESTAURANTS (all in Spanish Wells):

Anchor Snack Bar: 333-4023
The Gap: 333-4230, 333-4464
Eagle's Landing: 333-4955
Norma's Seaside Takeaway: 333-4192

SPECIALTY TREATS:

Kathy's Bakery (located at home across from Food Fair)
Papa's Scoops
The Conch Buggy
The Peanut Man: ph 551-0376

LIQUOR: There are not any alcoholic bars on Spanish Wells or Russell Island, and liquor is not sold in the local stores. Therefore, you may wish to stock on your liquor supply at Gene's Bay Liquor Store (located near the dock on Eleuthera mainland where you get on the 5-minute ferry to go over to Spanish Wells.) Gene's Bay Liquor Store is normally open daily 9-5pm except Wednesday they close at noon, and are closed all day Sunday

***Note keep in mind that many places may close at night, and on the weekends or are closed all day Sunday. Keep this in mind if you arrive on the weekend to plan ahead with food & groceries. Some of the restaurants are open at 5:00pm on both Saturday & Sunday. The grocery stores generally close by late afternoon or early evening during the week & are closed all day Sunday.

BATELCO PHONE CARDS

When you come to the Bahamas, it would be nice to leave all your worries and business behind.
However, you may find it necessary to telephone back home to check on things....

And, it may be possible that your vacation lodging may not have a telephone available (there is a current waiting list for land-lines).

And, your cell phone may or may not have coverage in the Bahamas. Also, there may be expensive roaming charges involved. You should check with your cell phone provider in advance to your trip.

Another option is to purchase Batelco calling cards directly from the phone company here in Spanish Wells. The Batelco building is a yellow building located on Main Street. This building is open weekdays from around 9-5pm. Batelco cards allow you to make international calls. You first dial 1-242-300-CARD; enter your card code #, then the telephone number your are dialing.

Spanish Wells has at least three working phone booths that you can use these Batelco cards from: one in the Batelco Parking lot on Main Street, one next to the Anchor Snack Bar near the dock, and another telephone booth across the Russell Island Bridge near the construction equipment site.

MUSIC & RADIO

I really enjoy listening to the Spanish Wells radio station, called the "Splash". This station offers a variety of music along with local news. They play Bahamian music, popular oldies, reggae, calypso, rock, country, etc.
The station dial is 89.9 FM

I've also been fortunate enough to meet a local construction worker nicknamed "Big Redd" who provided me with one of his soulful country music CD's. Big Redd's CD is very entertaining to listen to. You can purchase one of his CD's in the Spanish Wells Food Fair. "Sea of Heart Break" is a favorite song of mine.

FRUIT TREES

Spanish Wells/Russell Island area is abundant with many delicious fruit trees:

Coconut trees, Bananas, Sour Oranges, Breadfruit, Coco Plums, etc.

Sour Oranges are commonly used for fish marinades. I've had a local give me some very tasty coco plum preserves. Pictured above is a banana tree in Russell Island.

Prepare for Hurricane Season

As you know we are approaching prime hurricane season, so it is important for homeowners in the tropics to make sure they are prepared. Official hurricane season is June 1 through November 30 of each year. Although hurricanes can occur at any time, history has shown major storms to have developed around mid August through mid September. Hurricane Floyd was particularly hard on Eleuthera, and occurred September 14, 1999. I have experienced several hurricanes in the Florida Keys, and Hurricane Wilma flooded Key West pretty bad on October 24, 2005. Hurricanes can cause severe wind damage to roof structures, and/or severe flooding. However on the positive side, (in contrast to tornados which give virtually no warning)hurricanes generally give you several days notice to prepare, and for Tourists and Residents to plan their evacuation or preparation. As a result of my family's hurricane experiences, I would like to share some tips on protecting you and your property:

Storm tracking can be seen at http://www.noaa.gov/This is an excellent site for following the timeline and projected path of any hurricane. We also stay in tune with the Weather channel, as the tropical updates are generally ten minutes before each hour (1:50, 2:50, 3:50, etc.)

Trim any large tree branches that are near your roof. Fallen trees can pose a real problem during high winds.

Make sure you have all of your shutter hardware and tools stocked and available to cover all windows and patio doors. Don't wait until the last minute.

If in a flood zone, consider putting your appliances like your washer & dryer on blocks. Store your car somewhere at a higher elevation. The salt water ruins appliances and engines. Place your outside air condition unit on a high platform so that it doesn't get flooded. Consider buying a water vacuum. This works nice if your home gets flooded, as it is important to get the water out asap so that mold doesn't set in. Mops, paper towels and cleaning supplies are good to have on hand too.

Have an evacuation plan for your family and pets. Remember to take any prescription medicines you may need, and pet supplies. Plan where you will be staying in advance, and if evacuating the island, keep in mind when the airports will be closing due to inclement weather.If you are not evacuating, make sure you have plenty of food & water, and in a secured building, (and at a higher elevation if flooding is a threat from storm surge).

Know where your homeowner's insurance papers are safely stored, and other important documents.Make sure your family photographs are stored in waterproof containers higher off the ground if you are in a flood zone. Buy some bags of inexpensive painter's plastic drop cloths to cover furnishings or computers. In flood zones, keep computer hardware off the ground. Make the necessary data backups and store in a safe place.

Prepare a hurricane kit or tub. We fill ours with flashlights, batteries, candles, matches, manual can openers, plastic bags, cordless drill, tools, etc.Prepare your communication systems, cell phones, radios, emergency contact #'s, etc.

Generators are nice. You can count on the power going out in a major storm. Just practice safety with the generators (place accordingly to prevent carbon dioxide).

It's good to have a tarp in storage readily available in the event of roof damage. It may be hard to find one on the island after a storm hits, and you'd have to wait to import one in.

Secure your boat (if applicable).

We certainly don't want to see any more hurricanes for a while, but they are a part of the tropical lifestyle. Most importantly, listen to your local officials and heed their warnings. Don't take chances with your life. Stay safe!

Bahamas Holidays & Government Website

The Islands of the Bahamas celebrate ten national holidays:

For 2008:

Jan 1 New Years Day

Mar 21 Good Friday

Mar 24 Easter Monday

May 12 Whit Monday

June 6 Labor Day

July 10 Independence Day

Aug 4 Emancipation Day

Oct 13 Discovery/Columbus Day

Dec 25 Christmas Day

Dec 26 Boxing Day

Government Website

the Fisher Kings, by Alex Roslin

Here's an interesting article about Spanish Wells culture, dated 12-1-07, by Alex Roslin,

the Fisher Kings

Coming Soon...

Coming soon, a page about for vacationers who want to visit the quaint island area of Spanish Wells-Russell Island. A truly tropical gem in the Bahamas!
Check out our soon-to-be-built 2-bed vacation cottages,
Eleuthera Bahamas Vacation Rentals