The Lee Family: Day 3: Exploring Cat Island

Once again it was very windy out and semi-cloudy, and CK was once again tied down with work, so the girls and I decided to go with the rest of the group and explore the island. I know the girls, especially Sofia would have preferred to stay and play in the sand and ocean, but I wanted to see a little more of the island and thought the girls would enjoy it. We left CK working in the big house and drove to the other side of the island, which Chip and Lisa had been to visit before we hadn't. We planned to hike down the beach and walk about a mile or so to an area that apparently had some ruins of the early sugar plantation that was on the island. We parked near the Greenwood Resort and made our way to the beach. Because it was so windy out, the water was incredibly choppy and rough. We took a group picture before we started walking down toward the point. It was surprising to see the amount of trash that was on the beach, washed up from the rough seas. We continued on our way, stopping for Olivia having to clean out her shoes from time-to-time. There weren't any shells to find and the sand was pretty thick, but otherwise it was nice to get out and stretch our legs. Strangely we ran into some woman who was busy combing the beach for plastic crates that she could use in her garden. Of course, Chip approached her and chatted her up. She was a flight attendant from Holland and decided to retire and move to Cat Island full-time 2 years ago. She has a little house near where we were hiking and she was obviously happy to have people to talk with. I love Cat Island, but I'm pretty sure I couldn't live there full-time.

We walked a bit further, but it was clear that our way was blocked by the rising tide on the cliffs. We could have made it to the other side, but with the tide coming in, it would have been impossible to make it back to our car. So, we ended up turning back prematurely and headed back to our car. It ended up not being a very long walk, but it was great to see the other side of the island and stretch our legs. After we loaded up in our cars, we drove by Greenwood Resort, which looked very bohemian.

From there, we drove to explore Andrew Deveaux's house. Andrew Deveaux was born in South Carolina in 1758 and was sent in 1783 to recapture the Bahamas from the Spanish. Using just 70 men and 6 vessels, he forced the Spanish to surrender, without a single shot fired. When he removed the Spanish flag, it marked the last time that a foreign banner was to fly over the Bahamian capital. As a reward for his efforts in the Bahamas Deveaux was given a large portion of Cat Island where he built a mansion at Port Howe, Cat Island. He left for England shortly after but later lived in New York. The house must have been spectacular when it was intact and I can't imagine the money and effort that went into building it, especially in 1783! It was really interesting to see the ruins and try to imagine how spectacular the house must have been. The ocean was a short distance away and the bay was spectacular!

From there, we decided to show Chris and Allen Hawk's Nest Marina. It's about a 30-45 minute drive down to the far eastern end of the island and there are several really nice houses on the final miles to the marina. There is also a nice little resort and an airstrip that we have to drive over before arriving at the marina. The marina had a few fishing boats, but it was completely empty of people. The kids walked over to the area where the sharks were fed last year and immediately sharks arrived ready to eat! It was incredible! There were suddenly so many sharks! It was amazing. Although there wasn't much activity, Allen and Chris enjoyed seeing it and especially liked seeing the sharks. It was pretty cool. After seeing the sharks, we returned to FBV, about a 45 minute drive from the Hawk's Next Marina. The girls were itching to get back and get in the water or build sand castles. Sofia was a little perturbed that we'd been in the car most of the day and wished that she had stayed behind with Papa. I do think it's good for them to get out and see some of the rest of the island, and I promised that tomorrow would be spent entirely on the beach!

We got back to FBV in time to shower and get ready to get back in the car and drive up island to Shanna's Cove for a fancy 3-course dinner. Again, Chip, Lisa and Charlie have had dinner there before, but we hadn't and Chris and Allen were just as excited as we were to try their dinner. We arrived and had a drink as the dining room filled up with the guests staying at Shanna's Cove. It was a good mix, mainly of Americans of an age to not have little kids with them and they all seemed to get along and have fun together, even though it was clear that they didn't know each other before this vacation. It ended up being pretty lively in the dining room and we were served our first course, which was a beet and goat cheese salad which was absolutely amazing! Of course, I love beets, so it doesn't take much convincing on my part. However, even CK, who doesn't love beets, enjoyed it. The kids all got pasta, so they were easily satisfied. The second course was either filet mignon or fish, and I think I was the only person who ordered the fish. CK and I agreed to split our main courses so we could try both, and it was a great decision. Both were amazing. For dessert, there was a coconut flan that was amazing! The whole meal was really superb and as fun as it was delicious. We lingered for a bit after dinner and then headed back to Fernandez Bay. The drive went by pretty quickly, although I wasn't driving either. Such a fun day and a terrific meal!

The girls - ready to walk down the beach for a short hike.