| Beachcombing: |
There
are plenty of beaches to visit on Long Island. One is right
outside the villa door. This is known as Thompson Bay.
Our beach seems to go on forever. The beach tends to change
according to season, weather, and gravitational pull by the
moon. So the scenery is constantly changing like artwork on
canvas. One week you will have nothing but sand and the next
week you could have harder sand with thousands of seashells.
Natural sponges and huge conch shells are other natural things
you will probably see on our beach.
To
the right of the villa (if you are facing the beach), there
is a turtle preserve. These Endangered
Turtles migrate back to their native beach to reproduce. Click
here to read more about these turtles and other endangered
species you may encounter during your beachcombing walk. For
the most part, in the winter months the sand is soft and the
tide seems higher. In January, you may start seeing the turtles
laying their eggs on the beach. During the spring, you will
see harder sand on the beach and turtle eggs start hatching
in April and May.
Other noteworthy beaches:
Cape Santa Maria Beach
Columbus Harbor Beach (north end of long island),
this one-mile protected beach is where Christopher Columbus
is said to have sailed up on.
Deal's Beach has a lot of pine trees
offering shade along this 2 mile beach. It is located along
the island's main road. Located on the Caribbean side north
of Simms.
Grays Harbor Drive Beach - In Gray's, turn left
on Harbor Drive and follow this road all the way to the end
to reach a beautiful beach - possible surfing spot. Fisherman
net in this cove. See below..
McCann's Beach - (unnamed) - 200 yards wide
crescent beach.
O'Neils (two beaches) - good snorkeling.
Salt Pond Beach
Turtle Cover Beach
South
End beaches
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| Biking: |
We
have three bicycles that can be rented for $35 a week. Depending
on how in shape you are, there are numerous places to bike to.
See Local
Attractions. |
| Birding: |
If
you are a bird lover, bring your binoculars. Some of the most
exotic and interesting birds you may find are located right
outside our villa. Watch for the Bahamas Parrot, Indian Flamingos,
Green Heron, Bahamas Yellowthroat, Striped-headed Tanager, and
many more. During the fall and winter months, migrating birds
will fly through such as the Ruddy Turnstone, Black-whiskered
Vireo and the Eastern Kingbird. |
| Boating
and Sailing: |
Long
Island is the home of the best boat builders and sailors in
the country.
We have a list of people willing to take you around the island
on a boating tour. After you place your deposit with us, make
sure to ask us for our boat tour guide list.
We
have a friend who is willing to loan his boat to experienced
boaters only. After you place your deposit with us, make sure
to request his name if you are interested in renting a boat.
If you have your own boat, check out the marina's
in Long Island.
|
| Calendar
of Events: |
2008
March
27-30th Cornfest Festival 2008, Salt Pond
May
15-17th 4th Annual All Tackle Fishing Tournament, Flying
Fish marina Clarence Town
June
5-7th Long Island Regatta
and North Long Island Long Island regatta Site Homecoming
Salt Pond
17 - 41st Annual Long Island Regatta. Regatta site
in Salt Pond
July
9 - 13th Glintons Park, North Long Island
|
| Cave
Exploring - Spelunking: |
See
Local Attractions. |
| Festivals/
Regatta: |
Long
Island Regatta (held in mid- May). Our villa is
the place to stay during the Regatta. If you have an interest
in sailboats the Regatta is for you. Sailboats participating
in the Regatta will pass right by our villa to get to Salt Pond
(which is on the other side of the peninsula our villa is located
on). You can enjoy the view from our Lanai. The Regatta is a
big four day festival event held in Salt Pond where Bahamians
build their own sail boats by hand and compete in the event.
Bands play during the event and rum is served. Salt Pond is
the main commercial node of Long Island. Another viewing option
to is to walk down the driveway and straight across the road
to the Bahamian Village (as of today Bahamian Village is not
open but they hope to have a hot dog stand open during the Regatta
where you can sit down under a hut to watch the Regatta). You
can also walk to Salt Pond and board a spectator boat in for
a close -up view of the action. The Regatta was started in 1967
by a boat lover named Rupert Knowles. Rupert has long since
passed away however, his relatives are still found on the island.
He is the grandfather of Judy Knowles (Judy owns a furniture
store in Deadman's Cay). Judy Knowles also opens up bar area
in the back of her furniture store during the Regatta. Click
here for more on the Regatta. |
| Fishing
- Bone-fishing: |
Bone
fishing is the best you will ever have it in Long Island.
In other words, it does not get any better than this. Walk
out about 20 feet on the beach in front of our villa and cast
our your fishing line for bonefish. Our bay is one of the
best places to catch bonefish in the entire Bahamas.
Bonefish feed in shallow water. So you can see their tails
splash in the waters by our villa. Problem is as soon as you
see them, they seem to disappear as fast as they came. So
there is skill involved in catching these fish who live in
the most beautiful waters in the world. Even though they weigh
in at more than 12 pounds they are one of the strongest fighting
fish in the ocean.
If
you are interested in Bone-fishing, simply request a list
of bonefisherman after you have placed your deposit with us.
|
| Fishing
- Deep Sea: |
Long
Island is the ultimate destination for sport fishing. Bone
fishing is the best you will ever have it in Long Island.
The North Equatorial Current stream washes the shores of Long
Island bringing with it schools of blue and white marlin,
sailfish, rainbow runners, Yellowfin and blackfin (July -
Dec.) tuna, wahoo (Sept. - Nov.), dolphinfish, snapper, grouper,
jewfish, barracuda, horseye jacks, amberjack, and kin mackerel
to name a few.
If
you are interested in having a deepsea fisherman take you
out to the best fishing places in the Long Island area, ask
us for the list after you have placed your deposit down with
us. Please note: all of our recommendations have grew up and
know the best places to fish in Long Island.
|
| Hiking: |
There
are numerous places to hike in Long Island. Send us your adventures
so that we can post them for other people. |
| Kayaking: |
There is a place close by our villa that rents kayaks. One-man
kayak rentals are $35 per day or $120 per week and include
back rest , paddle and life jacket. They will deliver kayaks
with one week rental. Please note: we do no allow kayaks to
be taken on top of our behind our SUV. One week rental includes
delivery of kayaks.
If you are interested in renting kayaks, let us know after
you have placed your deposit, and we will send you names to
contact.
|
| Library/
Museum: |
Long Island Museum in Deadman's cay.
 |
| Reefs: |
See
Snorkeling. Long Island has some of the best reefs in the Bahamas. |
| Regatta: |
See
Festivals above. |
| Restaurants: |
Click
here for our restaurant guide and selections. |
| Scuba
Diving: |
Long
Island has some of the best dive sites in the Bahamas. Best
Dive Sites:
Awawak
'Green' Hole: A bottomless blue hole.
Conception Island Wall: A 40 foot wall that
extends into darkness. Not a dive for the beginner.
Dean's
Blue Hole: Click
here for details.
Grouper Valley: See schools of Grouper congregate
together. Best time is November.
Grouper Village: Bring some food as these tame
groupers like to eat out of your hand.
HMS Southampton: It is believed that Captain
Sir James Yeo hit a reef to sink the Southhampton in 1812.
Shark Reef: Want to swim with the sharks?
This reef is for you.
Ship's Graveyard: If you like to explore
sunken ships and an old 1975 Ford van.
MV Comerback was a ship that sunk in 1986
Southhampton Reef: a huge stretch of reef in shallow waters
starting at 10 feet deep and reaching 90 feet deep.
Rum Cay Wall: a wall that plunges 40 feet deep
Closest dive shop is right down the road from our villa at
the Marine store in Salt Pond
|
| Scenic
Drives: |
The
entire island is scenic. Just jump on Queens Highway and this
runs the entire island from North to South. |
| Shopping: |
There
are several small shops on the island (did I mention they
are small?):
Ena
L Majors Creations: Clarence Town Shell Craft, Gift
Baskets
Fox Gift & KC2 Tool Store: - Shown below:
HandiCraft
a manufacturing outlet - located in Millertons handbags
and straw-works.
Hardings Supply Center & Grocery Store - Salt Pond
JB's
Supermarket and furniture store - Deadman's Cay
Seafarer Marine Store - located in Salt Pond
Straw
works:
Simm's Super Straw (next to the Methodist Church) in Simms.
Richie
Rich's Gift Shop purchase straw-work in Deadman's
Cay.
In Millerton's you'll find a roadside straw works
buy handicraft by local artists.
Natural
Products Factory (south of Petty) man-made liquors
of rum and lime.
Wild Tamarind Pottery & Gallery. Pottery
Studio with works from artist, Denis Knight. 242-337-0262
Wood carvings by Charles: Close to Kayak store in Salt Pond.
Clothing:
Island Styles 337-6213
D's Collection 337-2325 in Grays
Le Rose 337-0259
A little big of everything stores:
It's All Under The Sun 338-2025 in Mangrove Bush
Hardings in Salt Pond
Florist/Nursery
Flowers and Things by Emcee in Pettys 337-0345
Lawn/Garden
Cassidy's Plant Shop 337-6455
|
| Snorkeling
on cays: |
Long
Island has some of the best dive sites in the
Bahamas.
Right
outside our villa is Sturrups Cay. Take a boat
over to this Cay for some of the best snorkeling in the Bahamas.
Or keep going all the way to visit many cays all the way up
to Millers. If you don't have a boat there is a couple of
small cays at the end of the beach on Indian Hole Point that
you can snorkel right off the beach and you don't need a boat
to get to them.
Snorkeling
sites on Long Island, Bahamas.
Columbus Harbour - This where Columbus landed.
Coral
Gardens - Great to view turtles,k caves and corals.
Eagle Ray Reef - Groupers and coral formations.
Flamingo Tongue Reef - Moray eels, craps and
tons of fish.
Poseidon Point - Swim with the tarpon
Rainbow Reef - Elkhorn corals and sponges.
Rock Pools - smaller fish and crabs live in
these shallow reefs.
Stella Marais Shark Reef - You can see many
different types of sharks here.
Watermelon Beach - a nice easy site.
|
| Swimming: |
Offered
right outside your door. |
| Tours: |
Island
tours by Land or by sea boat = We can recommend Land
and Sea Tours, once you have placed your downpayment, simply
e-mail us for a Land and/or sea Tour operator. |
| Volleyball: |
Our
villa has a Volleyball net and Ball to rent for $20 for the
length of your stay. We only ask that you put it back in the
same condition you found it. To try to insure this we request
a deposit of $30. |
| Weddings: |
Our
beach goes on for miles, the perfect site for a beautiful
wedding.
Click here for more on weddings
on Long Island.
Expect the following fees:
Marriage License fee: $100.00
Minister only: Weekdays from $150; Weekends from $175;
Rehearsals from $50 per hour.
Photographer only: From $350 per hour (color or black &
white, 36 exposures, negatives & album). Additional time
extra.
Videographer only: From $450 per hour with editing.
Click
here for churches.
|
| Windsurfing: |
Our
beach is perfect for windsurfing in calmer waters. Or take you
board over to the other side of the island to surf on the Atlantic. |
| |
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|
Rent
our villa
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with your reviews and discoveries on Long Island
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