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Rum Cay Island Bahamas - Photo Tour
Some
35 miles south of San Salvador, this small island is approximately 29 miles square. First known as Mamana by the
Lucayan Indians, the cay was later renamed Santa María de la Concepción by Columbus. Located between
San Salvador and Long Island, Rum Cay makes a pleasant sailing destination. It is under the same jurisdiction as
San Salvador. The island boasts rolling hills, miles of empty beaches, and caves with pre-Columbian drawings.
Spanish
explorers once found a lone rum keg washed up on a shore and changed the name again to Rum Cay (pop: 53 1990 census).
In the north, there is an interesting cave, which has Lucayan drawings and carvings. Farmers have found various
artifacts from the Arawak period in the fertile soil, which the Indians enriched with bat guano. In common with
other islands, Rum Cay has experienced a series of booms and busts. Pineapple, salt and sisal have all been important
industries, but competition and natural disasters, such as the 1926 hurricane, have all taken their toll and today
tourism and second home ownership is the main source of employment. Plantation boundaries known as ‘margins’ can
be seen all over the island, which date from the beginning of the 19th century when Loyalists settled here.
The
mid to late 1800’s brought prosperity to Rum Cay where the population grew to over 5,000 citizens founding a number
of settlements throughout the island. The island people primarily worked the salt claims; shipping cargos of salt
to far away, places like England and Nova Scotia.
Deep
reefs and drop-offs surround this former pirates’ haven. There is staghorn coral at Sumner Point Reef and good
diving at Pinder’s Point. At the Grand Canyon, huge 60ft coral walls almost reach the surface. Sumner Point Marina
has dockage, moorings, bar and restaurant. The Last Chance Yacht Supply has groceries. Batelco office for phone
calls closes at lunchtime. Yachts wait here before sailing to Mayaguana or the Turks and Caicos Islands, or before
returning to Georgetown and points north.
Adventuresome
divers can still find the shaft, anchor chains and hawser holes of the H.M.S Conqueror, Britain's first propeller
driven warship. It sank in 1861 and can still be found in 30 feet of water in a staghorn gully near the breaking
reef.
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