I recently came across an article about some resort developer talking about what makes the Bahamas special.
It just goes to show how far apart two people can get when looking to find value from the same object.
When I think about what makes the Bahamas awesome I do not thing about jet skis, dolphin encounters (except when you actually encounter a dolphin, like, out in the wild), golf or horseback riding.
Those might actually be things I find distasteful about the Bahamas. They are the sorts of things and places I actively avoid in the Bahamas.
Here are a few of the things I find awesome about the Bahamas.
This guy is fun to fish with.
1. The Vibe
The Bahamas, I’ve found, are very welcoming. They want you there. They want you to have a good time. They want you to get to know and love what they love, their home. I have not felt resentment or anger at being a tourist. I have only felt warmth. The smile seem genuine for the most part. The pace of life is a bit slower, but that is why you are likely there in the first place.
Perfect
2. The Ecosystem
From the massive mangrove nurseries of Andros to the the Marls, the Bahamas is, for the time being, still a very functional ecosystem. The predators are still there. The prey is still there. You see turtles and osprey and cudas and sharks and permit and tarpon and jacks and blue crabs and so on and so on and so on. It might not stay that way, but it is that way right now. It feels very in-tact.
3. The Food
Cracked Conch, Conch Fritters, Conch Salad and some lobster thrown into the mix. Yes please. Yes and yes and yes again. I love the local cuisine and the care and love with which it is served.
perfect
4. The guides and the fishing
Watching a Bahamian guide work the water is a thing of beauty. The deep knowledge they have in their bones, the eagle eyes, the flawless and effortless casting… it is an experience to be out with a good guide in the Bahamas and one I relish and look forward to every time. Even guideless, the fishing can be exceptional and you are almost certain to have your shots. You may not convert, but you’ll get shots and some days… some days are magical.
Dwayne, calling out a fish to Jason Bourne (photo from Aaron Vanderwall)
Those are a few reasons I love the Bahamas… not because of Atlantis or jet skiing.
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Tags: Bahamas
To quote Joni Mitchell, “they pave paradise and put up a parking lot. “
You clearly understand what the outer islands are all about!! Let the developer have his say and get all the tourists to go to Nassau leaving the real Bahamas to the bonefish and the odd rod!!