Spanish Wells is a small town on the tip of Eleuthera that got its name from the Spaniards in the seventeenth century who used this as a safe harbor while they transported their riches from the new world to the old.  Now it is a fishing village that exports eighty percent of the fish and lobster that come from the Bahamas.  The residents are hard working, industrious and take great pride in their boats, homes and town.  It is a vibrant fishing village of charm and color.

Some residents use their yards as a canvas of sea art.  The flowers you see on the ground are made from shells.

As is Captain Optomiseishismiddlename’s custom, we first checked out several anchorages, then tried to get a mooring ball but it was too shallow, then tried an anchorage only to abandon that and go to the Yacht Haven Marina.  Squalls were coming and we would sleep better being tucked in.

It had been over a month since our last marina stay.  It is luxurious just to step off your boat and be right in town.  We prefer to anchor for a number of reasons.  One, it is more private and two, it is free.  The marinas in the Bahamas charge anywhere from $2.00 to $4.25 per foot (multiply your boat’s length), per night.  Plus they meter and charge for electricity and water.  This marina cost us about $100.00 to stay the night.  We heard that Freedom, the million dollar restoration behind us, was once John F Kennedy’s boat.  Freedom was the talk of the marina.

We took a long walk around town.

And enjoyed a glass of wine.

The Lazy Pot Coffee Shop at the boatyard was open twenty four hours a day.  Just leave a quarter in the jar, or not.

The town was alive and working well into the night.

Spanish Wells
Preaches pastels
Boats and shells
Shipyard bells
Tall tales tell
Of mermaid spells
Bringing fish on ocean swells