Return to Paradise at Peace & Plenty

P&P, as the locals call it, sits on the Elizabeth Sound overlooking Stocking Island where every room overlooks the impossibly azure sea. The inn's launch ferries guests to the island twice daily.Stocking Island is a long barrier beach which protects the harbor of George Town from the Caribbean.

This is really a special place known only to those who seek serenity and who don't necessarily want to spend their holidays with tourists. There are never many of the latter on Great Exuma.

But we always run into people from Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard who like us have tired of the madding crowd. We only hope not too many of you will follow our example.

The water around Exuma is Bahama blue, and the pink stucco walls of P&P remind one of the Greek isles. This is a very laid-back island, and everything is marvelously low-key Bahamians have had their independence for generations, and the former British rule was benign.

They are your equals in everything except stress and tension, which may best explain their gracious attitude toward Americans.

The inn serves meals and has a new chef, Tony Williams, whom P&P brought in from one of Nassau's large resorts. The Reef Bar around the pool and dock is a sailor's mecca. That's Stocking Island in the distance in the photo above on right.

The Island's "IN" place

Natives and visitors from all over the island frequent the two bars off the P&P pool area. Be sure to have a Gumbay Smash. Two should make you forget the off island world. The bartender's name is Lerman, a.k.a. "Doc", and he's been there since Captain Kid. That's him above on left.

Our room literally hung over the salt water, and it's a three minute stroll (you don't walk, or run, or jog in George Town, you stroll, and slowly) to the town dock where you can watch a fisherman unload his catch or the weekly supply boats.

You may decide to spend the entire day on Stocking Island. There's a picturesque snack bar on the island run by Doralee who is in her 25th. year making great "conchburgers" and hamburgers, or come back in the inn's launch for an afternoon stroll round George Town.

There's thankfully NOTHING to do on the island. You may walk over to the Caribbean side to look for the 30-year-old airplane wreak which comes to the surface after storms, or relax, read and work on your tan.

When you've had enough sun, take a very slow stroll around Lake Victoria in the middle of George Town. Just amble south through this unspoiled Caribbean village town and turn right at the rotary. There are maps at the bottom of this story to help you.

This road winds around the harbor, past and a new Internet Café and Eddie's Edgewater, a good local restaurant, and comes out near the Anglican church in front of Peace & Plenty.

Visit the Straw Market next to the inn. The library is across from it and open from 10 till noon. Why don't you donate any books you've read, and pick up a few new ones in "trade".

Castaways restaurant in Moss Town just south of the airport is my favorite local local eatery and another good reason to rent a car. Their Grouper Fingers with Peas and Rice plus veggies and a salad were a bargain, and my wife had a marinated chicken to die for.

Beautiful Downtown George Town can be examined in ten minutes. The straw market above on left is next to a little park across from Two Turtles.

There is usually a local band playing at the Two Turtles on weekends. The Friday Night Bar-B-Q at Two Turtles is still only $12 for either Ribs or Chicken. That's owner-chef Mark on the right

Walk behind the park to the town wharf where the island supply boats arrive early in the morning in mid-week.  Remember to stop by for Mark Turnquist's at Two Turtles on Friday night for the Bar-B-Que, and as you wander around town stroll again to the town wharf and continue past the Bahama Houseboats to visit Nancy Bottomley at Regatta Point, a lovely resort at the harbor entrance. She's an island original and will help with ideas for your stay.

Sailing and eating out in George Town

On the left is world famous financier and pig roaster K.B. Bowes who puts on a great feast on Sundays at Volleyball Beach on Stocking Island. And here's a great way ro get there.

The Bahama Houseboats are another great option for a stay on this undiscovered Eden. Each boat is like a modern motel room, but this floating room includes a huge sundeck on top and a waterslide to cool off.

And remember, these boats will take you to all the places in the huge harbor where you could never visit, secluded Sand Dollar Beach, or to the Pig Roast on Volletball Beach. A tankfull of gas is included, and if you dread spending a week in a hotel room with your kids, this is the answer. The lkittle dears will be ecstatic.

Each has plenty of elbow room and a good sized galley. If you have any doubts, read the praises from these recent houseboaters here. A sparkling new boat rents for $360 a day, 3-day minimun, or stay afloat for a whole year in paradise for only $2,350.

This is also near here you grab the free ride to the weekly Pig Roast. That's the best way to spend Sundays on Great Exuma, and you can make it a whole day playing volleyball or picking up sand dollars on the beach by hat name a bit south of here.

K.B. Bowes' Pig Roast at "Chat 'n Chill" at Volleyball Beach on Stocking Island is a cruising sailor's hang-out, the kind of "happening" you landlubbers would never get to be part of without K.B.'s free barge ride.

His barge leaves on the half hour between 3 and 7 from the Houseboat dock. That's K.B. above on left with a mess of roast pig.

You'll see great sunsets over George Town from K.B.'s, and the free barge ride back to town can be a blast after enough fine, Bahamian beer.

Exploring the Island

We always rent a car at Airport Car Rental the minute we leave customs at the airport on our arrival.

This not only saves us the $25 plus tip taxi fee to our hotel and back, but it allows us to dine out and explore the whole island.

After settling into P&P and strolling through George Town, you should start your exploration by driving to Barreterre at the north end of Exuma where we met this lovely 96 year-old woman who has lived there all her life.

The bone fishing here is outstanding, and all the beaches are open to everyone. Our two favorites are at both ends of the road to Moss Town, see the map below.

On your way north, about six miles past the airport, you'll go by the new Four Seasons Resort at Emerald Bay, a.k.a. Farmers Hill, which opened a year ago. The photo on the left is Four Season's beach on a windy January day.

This really impressive property goes for $495 a night and up, but you should stop and have lunch if you get hungry for off-island food. Our only caveat is that you might as well be at any Florida oceanfront resort - there is nothing "Exuma" about the property and that's what we come back for every New Year's.

Luckily Four Seasons is a slow, 18 mile drive away from George Town, and it's really a destination in itself with few guests venturing to "rub hides with the natives". On the left is a typical island menu.

A mile or so south of George Town you should try Cheater's Restaurant. Chef-owner Justin Cheater serves dynamite Cracked Conch and local Cracked Lobster. Least you are disturbed by the name, it's just the way his team mates spelled the word "cheetah" when the owner-chef was a speedy track star.

A little south of Cheater's you should make a left to the top of the hill in Rolletown, see the map below. This is one of the most beautiful and panoramic views in the Caribbean.

Pedaling around town

I'm a bit of a bike-nut, even have a Bike Friday which I fold-up and travel with, but on Exuma I always stop in at Starfish Adventure Center in the middle of George Town and rent my wheels by the week.

Starfish also rents kayaks & everything you'll need. They also offer eco-tours and scuba trips as well. If you want to read what others have to say about Starfish, click here.

If it gets too hot during your stay, drive a mile north of town to one of P&P's other properties called the Beach Inn a mile north of town.

The Beach Lodge has a good menu, and Coconut Cove next door offers an even larger choice including the best pizza I've ever had in the tropics.

Their third property is several miles in the opposite direction at The Ferry just before crossing over to Little Exuma and is called P&P Bone fish Lodge due to the great fishing around this paradise.

You can continue past the Bone fish lodge, crossing the one-way bridge at The Ferry to visit Williams Town on Little Exuma. If you continue on the dirt road when the pavement ends you will arrive at the rumored site of a new Ritz Carleton Resort and Spa due to open latter this decade.

Useful Links:
Starfish Adventure click here.
Peace & Plenty click here
Airport Car Rental click here
Exuma Sites, Inns, Restaurants, click here & here
and click here for Exuma information.

The word Bahamas comes from the Spanish words “baja mar” meaning shallow sea, and is an archipelago of over 700 islands stretching over 100,000 square miles in the Western Atlantic Ocean. The Exumas have over half of them. This laid-back, frozen in time Eden is a collection of 365 cays and islands stretching over 120 miles. The two main islands, Great Exuma and Little Exuma, form the southern tip of the Bahama chain. Hidden coves, bays, and harbors throughout have been magnets for yachts and sport fishermen, as well as pirates both modern and ancient for centuries. Christopher Columbus (the first European visitor) made his first landfall in the New World on San Salvador (called Guanahani by the Lucayan Indians) in 1492 The first English settlers of Eleuthera shipped Braselitto wood to Boston as a thank you for the support given by the people of Massachusetts. The proceeds from the sale of this precious wood went to purchase the land for Harvard College, which eventually became Harvard University. The Bahamas with over 270 years of democratic rule is one of the most politically stable countries in the world and does not have a standing army.  

Walter and Patricia Brooks are the founders of Best Read Guides, eCape.com and this online newspaper.  They started these companies in 1988 after extensive careers in the newspaper business beginning at The Village Voice and New York Post and culminating at MPG Communications and The Cape Codder before launching their own companies. They live in East Harwich overlooking Pleasant Bay. Pat is a native Cape Codder. They have lived on the cape since 1965. They have two sons, two grand children and two cats, Todd, Jay, Will, Marina, Rama and Shiva.