Travel Tales

The island time forgot

Exuma, the undiscovered Eden fifty miles north of Cuba

  A fleet of Bahama boats with their incredibly long booms, fresh from a race around Elizabeth Harbor, are towed past our hotel room in George Town, Greater Exuma.

By Walter & Patricia Brooks

I shouldn't be telling you about Exuma. You might be wise enough to recognize it for the forgotten tropic paradise this isolated Bahamian Island has remained even into the 21st century.

Rolle Town is typical of the ruined beauty here.

The Straw Market is across from the library which you  can join for $3 and take a handful of books away.

The Fish Shacks noth of George Town offer Bahamian delights at very low cost. This is Charlie's.

Contrast that with J.P.'s Bistro at February Point.

Or the view from the deck of the restaurant at St. Francis Resort on Stocking Island across the harbor.

But our favorites are Santana's beach shack in Williams Town where these fishermen prepare our lunch, and

The Original Three Sisters in Mount Thompson north  of the airport is perhaps the best deal.
And be sure to rent a Boston Whaler and go looking for starfish on Stocking Island.

But my compulsive nature and big mouth will undo me every time, and here I am abetting the befouling of this unspoilt, almost empty isle by writing about it once again.

This will only encourage the few of you who have the desire to seek the peace and quiet, friendliness and warmth which Exuma exudes instead of the fevered excitement and posh amenities of the usual modern and sophisticated winter destinations.

So, if you require five star hotels and Zagat recommended restaurants, turn the page right now, because you're in the wrong place.

Same old, same old, thank heavens

Exuma is different because it's the same.  The same as it's been for the nearly three decades we have visited to escape the madding crowd and gilded opulence of today's modern resort scene.

God knows there are a thousand other Caribbean resorts which will allow you to feel like you've never left home - places which will give you the comfort you had when you last visited Orlando, Hilton Head or Palm Springs and their ilk.

If this sounds like reverse snobbery, I plead guilty.

My inestimable wife Patricia and I have now traveled to and written about over one-hundred countries, and usually as the guest of the government which houses us in their proudest properties like the recently terror-bombed Taj Palace & Towers in Mumbai, India.

But whenever we find a third-world country safe enough for a visit, or an untamed wilderness, we hurry off into the unknown, witness our two trips to Haiti (the last one included our being high jacked by a Haitian air port guard sticking an Uzi machine-gun in our bellies on the way out) and the Marquesas in the middle of the Pacific where Herman Melville jumped ship.

So why do we expose Exuma to your eyes?

The simple (and true) answer is pride. Pride in my wife's photography which I would otherwise not have an excuse to publish.

Now having warned the wary traveler away, Patricia's art will lure them back, so here's what you will find when you arrive at George Town on Great Exuma in the southern Bahamas about 50 miles north of Cuba in the Tropic of Cancer.

George Town is a hot, slightly dusty town about the size of one New York City block.

There is nothing to do here.

Although crime is virtually unknown, and the locals are very friendly, it isn't safe to walk the streets (there are two in town) because there are no lines in the middle of the roads and the Bahamian police stay inside the air conditioned comfort of their building next to the Straw Market where you can buy many typically tacky trinkets made in Asia.

The biggest excitement is a stroll to the town dock to watch the ferry or freighter from Nassau which arrive every few days.

So you must rent a car and drive to either end of this thirty-seven mile long, half mile wide island.

To the south of George Town

Almost at the southeastern tip you will come to Santana's beach bar in Williams Town on Little Exuma which is connected to Greater Exuma by a hundred yard long, one lane bridge.

The food is wonderful and inexpensive - Pat had a whole snapper (including the head) and I had Grouper covered with a delicious tomato, pepper and onion sauce, both with tasty peas and rice, corn and Cole slaw, total cost $27.

There are persistent rumors that a Ritz resort may be built just south of here.

Since you brought your bathing suit, on your way back take the third dirt road on your right north of Santana's (the telephone pole at this road is covered with blue reflectors) to Tropic of Cancer beach, the best strand on Exuma.

Two miles before you get back into George Town look for February Point on your right, and drive in to be amazed at the million dollar homes this Canadian family-owned company has built.

After a few days of Snapper and Grouper, you will be dying for a brief return to haute cuisine, and there isn't any much more haute than at the new restaurant here at the marina.

J.P.'s Bamboo Bistro is run by chief Jean-Pierre who is French by way of Zaire.

For an hour or two you will be swept away to St. Tropez or St. Bart's right here in this tiny, almost primitive Caribbean island.

We had the best Conch Cake and Lobster Bisque ever, followed by a Ginger & Curry Lobster and Grouper and a hot chocolate Lava Cake with ice cream.

Across Elizabeth Harbor

If you rent a boat ($120 a day for a 15-foot Boston Whaler) you can ply lovely Elizabeth Harbor which lies east of George Town and is sheltered by a series of barrier islands.

The largest one, Stocking Island, is the site of the very attractive, new St Francis Resort. It's nearly four acres stretches from harbor to the ocean with eight rooms on the bluff overlooking both. The interiors looks like a high-end US resort's rooms with a kitchenette, and bath, $285 a night.

The restaurant has the best view on Exuma, and the food matches it in quality at modest (by Caribbean standards) prices.

The fish sandwich came with excellent fries on toast, and was spiced slightly with curry and pickle.

Northwest to Barraterre

The northwest is much the same as the southeast. The final town, Barraterre, is a bone fisherman's paradise.

On the way stop for lunch in Mount Thompson at the Original Three Sisters on the right.  It's a simple, local bar and bistro, but the food is really good and the prices for lunch the lowest on the island.

On our last visit Pat had Fried Chicken and I had the Pork Ribs. Both came with three sides, Macaroni & Cheese, Harvard Beets and Lettuce and tomato, $10 each.

            Ode to Exuma

We lounged in languor on the strand,
(That's a fancy word for a stretch of sand.)
Arabs may call this site just dandy,
Pragmatist would demur, "It's awefully sandy."

We ate greasy grouper without bibs,
While pitying the unfortunate Caribs,

And now bid farewell to Great Exumer,
'Cause home is where we'd rather be sooner.                                                -wb

Dinner at the Fish Fry

For dinner most nights we drive a mile north of George Town to the "Fish Fry" shacks, about a dozen small restaurants clustered together on the beach.

The usual snapper, grouper, chicken and ribs are standards, but try the Chicken Souse at Charlie's for a real Bahamian treat.

Imagine the best Greek, lemon soup you ever had, had chicken wings, legs, potato, celery, onion, red Louisiana peppers in a spicy soup you will long remember, $8 with a big hunk of Johnny Cake. We added eight, large conch fritters for $3. and a bottle of strawberry soda for a buck - $20 total for dinner for two.

If you must have a touch of Hilton Head, drive 18 miles north to the Four Seasons Resort at Emerald Bay in Farmers Hill. The resort has nearly 300 units and was less than 20% filled this week. Built for over $1 billion four years ago, it has been in bankrupcy for two years and is  said to be available for $130 million today.

So why build a swank resort on Exuma? It's the weather - it's dependable and wonderful 95% of the high season days.  Four Seasons looks like the scene below.