News of The Abacos

A Day on Guana Cay
By Isobel Sherman

When I was asked if I wanted to take a day trip to Guana Cay during Christmas vacation, I was delighted. As it happened I picked one of the busiest travel days to Guana Cay. My daughter and I boarded Albury's Ferry to Guana at the Conch Inn. The ride was smooth much of the way when it got a bit choppy. We docked in Kidd's Cove, the bay which stretches along the town part of Guana Cay.

The ferry was full mostly of visitors including my daughter Tecuma and me as it was our first trip to Guana Cay. Some were going to spend a few days there while many were day trippers like ourselves. Guana Cay is the longest Cay in the Abaco chain, seven miles with five miles of beach and much of it is undeveloped land. Golf carts were at the ferry waiting to take persons to the famous Nippers Bar and Grill as well as to Guana Beach Resort and Dolphin Beach Resort.

Tecuma and I walked to the new Orchid Bay development which was quite a walk. The sun was out and it was hot. When we reached Orchid Bay, we found the main building, finished only on the outside and the marina and dock which appeared to be finished. Finding no one there, we returned to town. On our way back into town we passed the Sea Side Gospel Chapel, Guana Grocery Store and Milo's Art Gallery which had unusual sculptures made from coconut, prints, native jewelry and clothing. His gallery, painted bright yellow, is a Loyalist cottage preserved over the years. Along the way is the famous Fig Tree where people sit and pause for a chat or enjoy the beauty of the harbour and the sea. Also we noted Guana Hardware and the Bikini Hut. Tom's T Shirts is a fascinating place where you can obtain information about the cay and browse through a large selection of T shirts, hats, Cuban cigars and all kinds of nick knacks. Finding a golf cart to go to Nippers was a challenge as all of their golf carts were constantly busy. However, we were finally able to get one. Nippers is set on the top of the sand dune overlooking the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. The view from Nippers is spectacular. The bar has the Nipper pirate at its top as a wind vane. The place had a good crowd and is known to be the party spot of Abaco. Nippers has added a deck next to the bar so persons can be on that level or be on an upper deck. Beach umbrellas looking like fringe provide shade.

New to Nippers is their pool with a pirate's face painted in the bottom and painted fish around the bottom as well. The pool has two levels separated by a waterfall, all with a pirate's cannon guarding it. Lounge chairs around the pool and sitting hammocks are provided for those who do not wish to enjoy the beach. The pool will be solar heated by the beginning of January. However, the pool is only four feet deep so diving is impossible. It is clear that Nippers is the busiest spot on Guana. Opened in 1996 by Michael and Johnnie Roberts it is the major tourist attraction on Guana. It is very popular for its Sunday wild boar roasts.

For beach lovers the beach in front of Nippers can satisfy all your wants and dreams. I do intend to spend some time on the beach in the future when, as a Bahamian, I think it is beach weather. Tourists were in the sea thoroughly enjoying themselves. To them the water is warm although to us it is ice. Hopping a golf cart to town our final stop was the new Dolphin Beach Resort which opened in February.

Riding around town to Nippers and Guana Beach Resort, you can see how much land Guana Cay has and how it is just in its tourism infancy. It is a peaceful place, a place to relax, reflect on life, read a good book, talk about the history of the cay with the local residents, enjoy water sports from fishing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, surfing and boating. Pedal a bike around the cay or rent a golf cart. Guana Cay is worth visiting many times. If the weather had not changed, we would have stayed until the last ferry departed for Marsh Harbour. But the sun went in and the liquid sunshine started to pour so we returned early.