The Word "Eleuthera" is the greek word for "freedom." The island is long and narrow approx. 100 miles long by 2 miles wide. The island benefits from the Atlantic to the east and the calm shallow Caribbean to the west. The small population of 11,000 is incredibly friendly and helpful. The main form of employment is fishing, farming and the tourist industry.

A Bit of History

One and a half centuries after Christopher Columbus first set foot on the island of Guanahani (San Salvador), the Bahamas again saw the presence of Europeans on its soil. Eleuthera (formerly called Cigatoo by the native inhabitants) was settled by William Sayle, a former governor of Bermuda and his small band of followers seeking religious freedom. Sayle and his band shipwrecked off the northern tip of the island of Eleuthera in 1648, eventually making it to Governor's Harbour to set up the first republic in the New World, as well as the first permanent European settlement in the Bahamas. After disputes arose, Sayle's tenuous settlement split up. He and a few followers sailed to the island of New Providence to establish the Bahamian capital at Nassau.

For many years the Bahamas and Eleuthera were havens for swashbuckling pirates, mercenaries, and British loyalists who sought asylum during the American Revolution. Locals have made money in activities like "wrecking", blockade running during times of civil war and prohibition and growing pineapples. In recent years, the Bahamas has gained independence from Britain (1973) and established itself as a major centre for banking, investment and tourism.

Local attractions on Eleuthera such as the spectacular Glass Window Bridge and Hatchet Bay Caves are well worth a visit. Harbour Island is well worth a visit for a day trip. A golf course is also in the vicinity at Cotton Bay and local fishing trips can be arranged, as can the hire of bicycles.