Island Itinerary: Abaco

MONDAY – July 9

10:00AM – Arrive to Lynden Pindling International Airport. Check-in to Sky Bahamas flight 560 bound for Marsh Harbour, Abaco

10:50AM – Take off
Flight is scheduled to depart at 11:00AM but as all of 10 passengers have already checked-in and are at the gate – we take off early and head North, seems I am the only one on island time this morning.

11:35 – Land at Marsh Harbour International Airport

11:50 – A cab collects me from the airport and drops me to Albury’s Ferry Service dock where I catch a ferry over to Hope Town, Elbow Cay
Experience Tip: Contact cab driver Patricia Cornish at 242.559.8962 to arrange transportation. Patricia also arranges transportation for large groups.  

12:15PM – Hop on Albury’s Ferry Service and cross the Sea of Abaco – East to Hope Town
Experience Tip: One-way or round-trip tickets are available for purchase at the main dock on Marsh Harbour or once on the boat. There are drop off points at three docks, ask the man who takes your ticket stub at which dock you should jump off at, he likely will respond “I’ll tell you once we are there”.

12:30PM – Step on to the dock where Luc from the Hope Town Harbour Lodge greets me and takes me via golf-cart to check-in

1:00PM – After settling in I enjoy lunch at the Lodge’s Reef Bar & Grill

2:00PM – Pull the bow and stern lines in off our rental boat and head North to island-hop

2:10PM – Enter the Man-O-War Cay main harbour, tie up and explore the once boat-building capital of the Bahamas
Experience Tip: Man-O-War Cay is a dry island; therefore not a drip of alcohol is to be found.

2:20PM – Pop in to Albury’s Sail Shop – future Coastal Covet piece – where lined from floor to ceiling (literally) you’ll find handbags, ditties, duffels, and backpacks made out of various canvas patterns. There you can watch the ladies of the sail shop sew handbags made out of sailcloth and learn about 50 years of history as told by Annie Albury, the granddaughter of sailmaker Norman Albury. Norman’s wife Selina in her own right founded Albury’s Sail Shop after sewing a natural bag out of sailcloth – the business grew from there and the rest is history, with each and every stitch.
Experience Tip: The ladies of Albury’s Sail Shop have a “pet” turtle on the harbour side of the shop, swing round to the back and take a look! 

2:45PM – We pull in the bow and stern lines once again and continue North to Guana Cay

3:05PM – We enter the harbour and tie-up at the third dock to the left, also known as Nippers dock. Thirsty, if you know what I mean, I head to Nippers Beach bar & Grill
Experience Tip: Do not tie up at the first dock (Old Club Dock) or second dock (Government/ Ferry dock) these docks are not for public use and you risk having your boat untied.

3:20PM –  As I like to say – as I am sure most experiencers do – get “nipped” at Nippers Beach Bar & Grill on their signature cocktail appropriately called “Nipper”
Experience Tip: If you happen to be visiting from a nearby Cay, which is likely, bring your rental boat around to the North East side of the island and anchor off Nippers Beach & Grill, there is some great snorkeling and swimming to be had there. Did you know the reef there is the third largest coral reef in the world? Certainly day trip worthy especially on Sunday’s when they host a pig roast!

6:00PM – Nipper’d out we head back to the lodge to sleep it off

TUESDAY – July 10

8:30AM – Climb the 101 steps to the top of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse, mistakenly called by many the Hope Town Lighthouse

10:00AM – Off to enjoy a lazy breakfast at Hope Town Coffee House
Experience Tip: Complimentary WiFi available for customers.

12:00PM – Start an afternoon of pub crawlin’ at Sea Spray Resort

2:00PM – Crawl my way to Abaco Inn and continue sip, sip, sipping
Experience Tip: The unexperienced surfer in me would like to point out that there is a great surfing to be enjoyed here. Also, I popped in to the resort’s quaint gift-shop and found a knotted rope bracelet that has kept my wrist company since. An unusual purchase for me given my style but no doubt with the Sperry wearing boaters and many bronzed surfers milling about I was feeling k-nautically inspired. This will surely be a future Coastal Covet piece once I learn more about the man named Willie that makes these.

4:00PM – Last stop and longest sip enjoyed at FireFly Resort where in true summer spirit we jumped off the dock and enjoyed the sunset over cocktails and cuisine good enough to rave about
Experience Tip: Boat slips available for those of you with sealegs. Order the tuna tataki, amazing is an understatement, I ordered this dish at least twice while on the island. 

9:00PM – An early night given a rather long and boozy day

WEDNESDAY – July 11

9:00AM – Late start for obvious reasons. Breakfast at Sugar Shack.
Experience Tip: Sugar Shack serves an inexpensive breakfast, quite possibly the most inexpensive on the island. The shack is located just across from Froggies Outisland Adventure where snorkeling and diving trips are available. A convenient stop before you head out on the water for the day. 

10:00AM – Set foot on a self-guided walking tour of the quaint Hope Town where the rich history is evident with colonial-style architecture and clapboard designed houses, not to mention the monuments.

10:20AM – Pop in Wyannie Malone Museum. The museum which is named after the founder of Hope Town exhibits the cay’s history from the 1780’s to present day.
Experience Tip: Donate $3 dollars and enjoy a lighthouse-guided tour, you read that correctly, follow the lighthouses on the floor and make your way through the museum. The museum is packed with manuscripts, photographs and artificats. My favourite artifact there is the framed colonial flag which was the last to fly over Hope Town on the night of July 9, 1973.

11:00AM – Walk pass the Cholera Garden which upon seeing I said would be beautiful spot for an Island “I DO” wedding, as most passerby’s do – of course before realizing that it is a burial site. In the 1850’s the highly contagious and incurable disease Cholera spread through the community of Hope Town and took the lives of 100 loved ones. The community assigned this spot as the burial site, but no gravestones mark the graves.

11:30AM – Pick up just-out-of-the-oven fresh bread from Vernon’s Grocery, the baked goods there are famous in their own right, as is Vernon who is also a marriage officer and has performed 815 weddings since 1994.
Experience Tip: If you are heading out on the boat for the day pick up a loaf of fresh baked bread and the makings for sandwiches. 

12:00PM – An afternoon of writing and meetings.

2:00PM – Late lunch + WindDown Wednesday with Gary The Explorer, also bartender of Reef Bar & Grill.

3:00PM – Hop on Albury’s Ferry Service and cross the Sea of Abaco – West to Marsh Harbour.

4:50PM – Nassau bound on Sky Bahamas flight #571.

5:25PM  – Touch down thinking how soon can I return?

What would you include on your Island Itinerary? 

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