Elbow Reef Lighthouse

Thursday, July 12th - Today, we made our way to the Hope Town Inn and Marina and a trip to the Elbow Reef Lighthouse. As we have mentioned in previous blogs, there is no better way to spend a half day than to visit the various resorts on the island. The Hope Town Inn and Marina will send a water shuttle to pick you up and take you to their front steps. From there, visit he gift shop, order delicious food and drink, and lounge around the pool (including wet bar). They even have a "beach" area with games like corn hole for the kids. This is a first class facility and one we will continue to visit during our trips to Elbow. Another reason to visit the Marina is the opportunity to take a 5-10 minute walk to the Elbow Reef Lighthouse. You cannot miss the lighthouse as you travel around Elbow Cay; whether by boat or by cart. It towers above the landscape and offers flickers of light during the evening that light up the evening skies around Elbow Cay. The candy-striped lighthouse went into operation in 1863 and is featured on the Bahamian $10 bill. The lighthouse itself is 89 feet high and there are 101 steep steps to reach the top. The lighthouse remains one of only two non-automated beacons remaining. The walk to the lighthouse and then up the steps is well worth the effort when you reach the top and are able to observe the picturesque Hope Town Harbor and the beautiful cays that dot the Sea of Abaco. The views, suffice to say, are incredible. In the evening, we enjoyed dinner at Cap'n Jacks and trivia night there. The Palmetto State Tigers took home second place. We have always enjoyed trivia night there. Junkanoo at Seaspray Resort and Marina was a wonderful way to finish out he evening. Junkanoo is a remarkable way to experience Bahamian culture and people. On the golf cart ride back north across the island, we all observed the Hope Town sky above us. With very few human environmental influences, the night sky bursts with stars and planets. The milky way actually looks like the milky way. We could sit there for hours looking up; maybe something you should add to your "to-do" list for Abaco.

 

Hope Town Inn and Marina

 

Elbow Reef Lighthouse

 Quick Search for Sea Glass Before The Storm

Trivia Night at Cap'n Jacks

Moore Musings:

The lighthouse is the first thing you will be able to make out on your ferry trip from Marsh Harbour. Each  time we travel here, you know you have "arrived" when you see the candy-striped beacon off in the distance. It's an indicator that you are home. The history and tradition of the lighthouse is rich and worth exploring in more detail. The views from the top are tremendous and you truly get a sense of the geography if the islands. A beautiful place indeed. 

Additional Notes:

• Beach tired is good tired. We don't struggle, each evening, to hit the hay. The sleep here is very much needed after hot days and exploration. 
• We eat and eat some more here on the island. After a hearty supper at Cap'n Jacks; we enjoyed dessert there as well. Then, they brought out huge slices of chocolate silk pie, coconut pie, and key lime pie. We had no room left, but we ate it anyway. 
• The sea glass hunt continues. This year, we have found much more sea glass than usual. Our struggle will be deciding what pieces to keep to take back with us. 
• We have reached the true halfway point of our vacation. It's so nice to save up and enjoy two weeks here in paradise. We have reached the point where I am not sure what day it is; nor do I care. 

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