“It was my pleasure, recently, to welcome Dave Gee to Stella Maris. Dave flew in from the UK where he has enjoyed a long career as a builder.
‘I never paid much mind to flying before today but that flight from Nassau was just stunning!’ were his first words as I took his bags to the car.
‘That is one of the advantages of flying lower, you see so much more!’ I explained drawing on my own experience as an aerial survey Pilot of 20 years.
Project tours recently have been more for investors interested in the uplifts in values on their land holdings and ‘Right to Buy’s’ so I was intrigued to hear that, after talking to others at the recent Port St. George update in Leicester, Dave was out to explore that too but also to look into building his own retirement home. As a result we decided between us to extend our ‘Local’ tour so that Dave could get a real feel for what the wider Island has to offer.
Checking in to Stella Maris Resort got us off to a great start when Dave took the lack of need for door keys as being a good indicator of a safe Island! Anyone used to the ‘Gated’ Resorts elsewhere in the Caribbean, where safety and security are always a concern, finds this aspect of Long Island makes them feel instantly relaxed.
As Dave had a whole week to spare I left him to explore the immediate environs of the Hotel and then just sought him out every time I was going to be heading off on other appointments to places he might find of interest.
Anyone driving the Queens Highway could get the wrong impression of Long Island. The nicer properties, for a start, tend to be well off the Highway and out of sight but also, even though you are often just metres away from a stunning beach or place of interest, it remains invisible to you because the ‘Bush’ is so fecund!
On a short trip to Clarence Town to brief ‘Boaties’ on the new Marina at Port St George one example shot to mind as Dave and I cruised into ‘The Bight’, a small blink-and-you-miss-it place between Pinders and Grays and pulled up outside the tumble-down old Church.
There are many abandoned Churches on Long Island, many replaced with newer places of Worship. This one is in a sorry state but I urge anyone to take the time to walk behind and follow the signs through the bush.
After a meandering stroll you come to the unimpressive entrance to the Red Shrimp Hole. With care you climb down and take a peep. Preferably take your ‘swimmies’ to explore it all properly.
The first time I went in I was amazed at how it opened out and went back a good way. It was a bright enough day but there were some clouds about and visibility was initially poor. When the sun appeared the whole interior was transformed by light from crepuscular rays entering through holes in the ‘Ceiling’
It is then you notice the little Red Shrimp glowing away as they eek out their living in the brackish semi-salty waters of their isolated home.
The whole experience is ‘Other-worldly’ and one you could so easily miss but for venturing the thirty or so yards from the highway. That and knowing where to look!
After whiling away an hour or so with my head torch Dave and I headed off for a Beer and to wait for the Clarence Town Fishing boats to arrive from the day’s fishing off the wild Atlantic side of Long Island.
Signing off for now…. Mel.”