Spanish Wells

Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Mon 5 Apr 2010 20:44
25:32.23N 076:45.46W
Spanish Wells, Eleuthera
 
We have spent a very quiet Easter weekend in Spanish Wells on the northern most part of Eleuthera.   Everything is closed and we have just relaxed and looked around - taking in the sites of this very pretty community. The name was apparently given by the Spanish explorer's who believed this area to have the sweetest water in the Bahamas!
 
Many residents are descendants of the Loyalists who sought refuge here from the US war of Independence,  and some even claim to be descendants of the original Eleutheran Adventurers who were ship-wrecked off the treacherous reefs in mid 1600's. Like many of the other Bahamian islands, a few families dominate, with the names Pinder and Higgs being very common. I suspect families are very large .. see the detail on these headstone below, which we saw in the graveyard
 
Spanish Wells is actually three separate islands,  St Georges, Charles and Russell, 'joined' by a narrow waterway which dominates life here.  This is a wealthy community by island standards, based on a very large fishing fleet. Many of the boats were 'in town' and docked up and down the waterway, as the crayfish season has just ended. These boats are about 75foot long and have very long out-riggers with paravanes to give them stability while going slowly, or on anchor.  
 
    
 
In true Bahamian style the houses are all painted pastel colours, and have well tended gardens. We enjoyed our walk though this very neat and tidy town.
 
    
 
Tomorrow we are leaving Indigo for the day, and taking a high speed ferry to Harbour Island.