A Walk Up-along: March 22nd

We spent the rainy Easter weekend in on a mooring Hopetown Harbor (pictured here). During breaks in the rain, we ventured into town on Saturday and Tuesday for some shopping and exploring. Easter Monday is a holiday in the Bahamas and most stores and offices were closed.

On Monday we took a hike southward on the center road of Elbow Cay about mile and a half to see what was happening in up-along and visit the Abaco Inn. This was an area we hadn't explored before. Along the way, we found many pretty cottages and also a couple of roads off into the "bush" where a small community of Haitians are squatting in makeshift homes.

These folks are mostly illegal immigrants who find employment as laborers or service people in the resorts and private homes. Many speak only Creole. As in the US, illegal immigration is a thorny issue here in the Bahamas. There are several squatter communities one of which is only a few blocks away from the Police Headquarters in Marsh Harbor! Despite the often meagre living conditions here and some half-hearted attempts by the government to crack down on it, illegal immigration continues. The immigrants are better off here than in Haiti. Here their children attend school and they find better paying jobs.

Our walk up-along, was interrupted by a substantial rainfall. Luckily, we had just reached the Abaco Inn, our destination. As the rain continued, we sat on the enclosed porch visiting with guests of the Inn and reading. Eventually, lunch time arrived so we had enjoyed some delicious conch fritters and dolphin. By the time we were finished with lunch, the rain had stopped. We gladly retraced our steps back to the harbor, so we could work off a few of the calories we had just consumed.

At right is a view from
Turtle Hill which is the "Up" that the name refers to. The dirt road in the distance leads to some of the pretty homes along the shore. It's the shortcut we took to Abaco Inn. Off this shortcut is where we saw the track road leading to the Haitian enclave.

For a map of Elbow Cay, Click here