Swift

Long Island Road Trip

April 20th & 21st, 2017

We splurged on a 24 hr rental car to explore Long Island's 80 miles. Thankfully the rental agency is used to reminding Americans to drive on the left! 

Our first stop was Dean's Blue Hole: At 663 feet, it is one of the deepest blue holes in the world. Freedivers use this spot for training and competitions. (No, I don't want to think about diving into the abyss on one breath of air!) 
Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas

Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas

Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas
Next stop was Flying Fish Marina in Clarence Town. The marina was very modern and we had lunch there. The anchorage off Clarence Town was pretty exposed; we were glad to be tucked in at Thompson Bay. 
Keep Out! Shark Sighted!

Father Jerome built churches like it was going out of style on Long and Cat Island. He built an Anglican church on one hill in Clarence Town, then decided Catholics have more fun, switched religions and built a Catholic church on the second hill. 
St Peter's Catholic Church, Long Island
St. Peter's Catholic Church 
St. Peter's, as seen from St. Paul's 
Long Island was in bloom!
We rented the car from noon to noon, so the next day we did the north end of the island, starting with Columbus Monument. We had heard the road was really rough, so we asked the rental agent if we could take the car. She said, sure, it's not bad, just don't drive too fast. Not sure how you could drive faster than 2 mph on the "road"! 
Road to Columbus Monument, Long Island
Long Island was originally called Yuma, but when Columbus discovered it in 1492 (his reported third stop in the New World), he renamed it Fernandia. The plaque reads "This monument is dedicated to the gentle, peaceful, and happy Aboriginal people of Long Island, the Lucayans, and to the arrival of Christopher Columbus on 17th of October, 1492." Columbus Monument, Long Island, Bahamas
The view from the monument was spectacular; our favorite stop on the road trip. 
Columbus Monument, Long Island
Columbus Monument trail, Long Island
The trail to the monument

Cove near Columbus Monument, Long Island

Our next stop was Cape Santa Maria Resort. It was beautiful! We could totally see ourselves anchored off this beach indefinitely. 

Cape Santa Maria Resort, Long Island, Bahamas
Cape Santa Maria Resort, Long Island, Bahamas
Long Island Tropic of Cancer
And that's it for our "south of the Tropic of Cancer" explorations. After turning in the rental car, getting gas and diesel, securing one last tin of Pringles, we headed back to George Town. 

 Check out our 2 minute video of Long Island:



When was the last time you had to drive on the wrong side of the road?

This is the story of Matt, Lucy and Hastings, the crew of the sailing vessel Dulcinea, a 1985 Cabo Rico 38.

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8 comments

  1. TheCambriansMay 3, 2017 at 11:46 AM

    Looks fantastic! What I'm wondering, though, is why the driver's seat is on the left of the car? That goes against my best driving/survival rule: driver's keep the center-line closest to themselves whilst driving. Man, just when you think you have it all figured out . . . . ;-)

    Stephanie @ SV CAMBRIA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Boat Life Larks - S/V DulcineaMay 3, 2017 at 3:51 PM

      It's a mystery. It was a Toyota and must have been made for Mexico.... it wasn't an American car because it didn't have cup holders or air bags. If the seat was on the right, it would have been easier to figure out!

      Delete
  2. LiesbetMay 3, 2017 at 4:49 PM

    Great little road trip. We did the same when on Long Island. We did have a quick snorkel in the blue hole and saw the Columbus monument. I don't remember rough roads like this! Wow. Did Hastings like his little adventures, or was he stubborn about his comfort? :-)

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    Replies
    1. LiesbetMay 3, 2017 at 4:50 PM

      Oh, the last time we drove on the wrong side of the road was in New Zealand a couple of years ago.

      Delete
    2. Boat Life Larks - S/V DulcineaMay 3, 2017 at 6:44 PM

      I guess the road has had a lot of rain and not any upkeep. Hastings enjoyed the comfort of home during car trip. New Zealand....I bet they have the seat on the corresponding side!

      Delete
  3. LiesbetMay 3, 2017 at 8:34 PM

    They do. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Cynical SailorMay 4, 2017 at 2:49 PM

    I remember learning to drive on the other side of the road when we moved to Scotland. So nerve wracking at first. Then it was nerve wracking whenever we'd come back to the States for a visit and have to drive on what then seemed like the wrong side of the road.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Boat Life Larks - S/V DulcineaMay 4, 2017 at 4:58 PM

      It's a real problem being a pedestrian too - always looking the wrong way!

      Delete

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