Back to Eleuthera

After a one night stop at Little San Salvador, which is owned by a cruise ship line, we sailed into the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Yacht Club. It is a beautiful place that saw better times back in the 1970's when there was a world class golf course on the property. They sustained extensive damage from Hurricane Andrew and we saw foundations of small cottages that were destroyed at that time. It is now under new management and the staff is very friendly and helpful. Pascal's Restaurant had just opened the week before we arrived and we had two delicious meals there. Since we rarely stay at marinas and eat in restaurants, we dubbed these two days, "Dan and Laurie's vacation."




While at Cape Eleuthera, we toured the Island School and the Cape Eleuthera Institute. The school opened in 1998 with a goal of conserving marine life and providing alternative food sources and jobs for the residents of South Eleuthera. The yacht club (owned by Dick DeVos from Grand Rapids, Michigan) donated 18 acres of land to the school. They now have local middle school students who study there as well as high school and college students from around the world.

All of the high school students who come to the school for a semester of "Study Abroad Learning," get certified in SCUBA. They also train and complete either a four mile open swim or a half-marathon run at the end of the semester.




One of the students, Alisha, gave us a tour and explained research projects involving marine life and sustainable development initiatives.





The school was built using "green design" using recycled and locally produced and sustainably grown materials. They have their own farm where they grow citrus fruits and their own vegetables. They also raise pigs and chickens. They power all of their vehicles and some of their boats with bio-diesel. They reclaim the cooking oil from local restaurants and cruise ships and turn it into usable fuel.



The school is powered by wind and solar. It is an inspiring place and seems to be a great place for students interested in marine biology or conservation to get some hands on experience.




We had a light air day and motored the short distance to Rock Sound. On the way, Laurie got this shot of a dolphin. This looks like a swimming pool, but is actually 12 feet deep water in Rock Sound.




Before we left Rock Sound, we went for a long beach walk on the Atlantic side of the island. The beach is about two miles from town where our boat was anchored. On the island of Eleuthera, it is hard to walk very far without someone stopping and offering a ride. We caught rides both ways without even putting out our thumbs.

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Location:Cape Eleuthera and Rock Sound