Bahamas - Ragged Islands, Ragged Island, Duncan Town
SV Meshugga
Nicholas & Deidre Mace
Wed 12 Feb 2020 18:29
We sailed through the reef between Ragged and Hog Islands and anchored Meshugga just off the new Council Dock for the Mail Ship, and dinghied into Duncan Town through the narrow shallow cutting at Bacchus Point to the Fishing Harbour.
Both sides of the cutting was lined with small Mangrove trees
Arrival at Duncan Town Fishing Harbour
We had read that the Island Administration office is the pink building at the top of the Hill.
The Flag is still flying, but as you can see, the Administration building is devastated from Hurricane Irma 2017, and still not repaired.
As you can imagine, there were no Customs and Immigration staff to check us into the country.
Walking around the town, we could see many private homes had been repaired. The island has less than 100 residents, and after Hurricane Irma the Government declared the island a disaster and order the depopulation, but local objected and stayed. They subsist on Fishing, a small salt works and not sure how else.
The Clinic, pink building on the RHS in the photo below is still closed, with a roof in tatters, and windows blown out. There is no nurse or doctor on the island.
And some homes are in a sad state.
Chatting to some locals we quickly found that the pub was up and running, and we went in to get our first Bahamian beers.
Kalik
We have subsequently heard that the Bahamian Government has allocated USD$8 Million to rebuild Ragged Island School, Clinic, Admin Office, Police Station, a RO water station and Wind Generator Farm.
The locals we met also told us of a ‘Valentines Party’ on Hog Island on Saturday 15th, so we decided to head there to check that out, and then we’ll have to head north to clear-in at the EXUMAS, Georgetown.
Take care
Deidre Mace
SV Meshugga
E: Deidre {CHANGE TO AT} Mace {DOT} co {DOT} za
C: +1 754 213 7663
⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️
Sent from my iPad