Around & About Rainbow Bay

Brand New Key Lime Cottage

We have a brand new beach cottage just completed this 2008, and now available to rent. We have painted it lime, and appropriately named it the "Key Lime Cottage", to remind us of the delicious Key Lime pie we have tasted on the island.

The home's location is directly across popular Rainbow Beach on Wandering Shore, and can accommodate one to four guests. This cottage is fully furnished with all of the amenities for your comfort, including central air and satellite tv. A great place to unwind and relax.

For more information, you can check out our website:

http://www.eleuthera-bahamas-vacation-rentals.com/

Rainbow Bay Beaches

Rainbow Bay subdivision is fortunate to be a part of some of the beautiful beaches that surround Eleuthera.On the Caribbean side, is Rainbow Bay Beach (pictured above), which is a great place for swimming and snorkeling. This beach is located on Wandering Shore Drive.

On the Atlantic ocean side, here are four located on Ocean Drive:

Little Twin Beach (intersection of Ocean Dr. & Twin Beach Road)

Smugglers Beach (intersection of Cross Island Dr. & Ocean Dr.)

Hidden Cove Beach (intersection of Hidden Beach Dr. & Ocean Dr.)

Come 'N Go Beach (on Ocean Dr. near Treasure Hill Road area)

Beach-hopping is a must-do on Eleuthera. Each beach offers something unique, whether you're looking for calm water, waves, shelling, etc.

BRINGING YOUR PETS TO THE BAHAMAS

Someone called me on the phone today and said they were interested in bringing a Chiquaqua dog with them to Eleuthera on vacation. I knew there was a certain procedure, and came across this site on importing a pet into the Bahamas. Here is a link for the required import permit and specifications:

http://www.bahamas.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Bahamas_Application_to_Import_Domestic_Animals_in_TIOTB.pdf

Eleuthera Online Newspaper

Go here to see the online Eleuthera newspaper called the "Eleutheran"

Here's some other Bahamas online newspapers:

The Nassau Guardian

The Bahama Journal

Bahama Pundit

Bahamian Food Recipes

Click here for website with

Bahamian Food Recipes

The Seahorse

One of my favorite sea creatures is the Seahorse. I was fortunate enough to see a small one floating majestically by itself one day in the water at Rainbow Bay Beach, and I was totally fascinated with it.

Song, "SomeWhere Over the Rainbow"

Popular song, "Somewhere over the Rainbow", Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. Listen on youtube. Pleasant song, and great scenery visuals.

Article: Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bay

Do you want to visit a tranquil paradise setting like Oz? I have personally witnessed some fantastic colorful rainbows in Rainbow Bay, Eleuthera, Bahamas, as well as gorgeous sunsets.

If you want to escape the crowds, and get to an affordable island destination, then you should consider Rainbow Bay. Eleuthera island has miles of beautiful, unspoiled beaches, and Rainbow Beach is one of the most popular. The Rainbow Bay community has a large land area, but homes are sparsely scattered here and there, with homes on both the Caribbean and Atlantic oceansides.

The Rainbow Bay area is a highly sought after area for visitors to stay. Most of the accommodations are private home rentals, where there is a local Caretaker to assist you. The location of the Rainbow Bay community is about 8 ½ miles north of the Governor’s Harbour Airport (GHB), and located between the town villages of Hatchet Bay (four miles to the north) and James Cistern (4 miles south).

A car rental is highly recommended to get around the area to explore the various beaches, and to get to the grocery stores, restaurants, etc. The nearest grocery store in Rainbow Bay is a convenience store called Big Rock. However, there are larger grocery stores elsewhere on the island. There is also a nice restaurant called the Rainbow Inn which is located near the tennis courts off of the corner of Queens Highway and Lazy Shore Road. As Eleuthera is a long skinny island (about 110 miles by 2 miles at the widest), there is one main road that travels all the way north or south called Queens Highway, so it is hard to get lost.

Although the Rainbow Bay area has beach areas on both the Atlantic and Caribbean oceansides, the most popular beach is Rainbow Beach located on Wandering Shore Drive. This beach is family friendly and has picnic tables. This is a great place to snorkel, and kayak rentals are available on the island.

Eleuthera itself has a small population of less than 12,000 people. The main city, Governor’s Harbour, is located about 16 miles to the south, where there is a larger grocery store, gas stations, some souvenir stores, restaurants, deli, bakery, library, and other government buildings. However, up and down the island, there are many town settlements such as Hatchet Bay, which has an internet café, and James Cistern which has a couple of small restaurants, gas and convenience stores.

Eleuthera is that special place to have quiet tropical relaxation, to enjoy water sports, soak in the sun, and to breathe fresh ocean air. This is not a place for those looking for commercialized areas with fancy shopping malls or casinos. This is a casual dress, laid-back island with shorts and t-shirt as the standard.

It is common for visitors to Rainbow Bay to take a day trip to explore the tourist places such as Spanish Wells or Harbour Island. To visit either of these island locations, it involves about a 30 minute drive to the north. Park your car and take a five minute ferry over. Both of these locations have golf cart rentals to tour. Spanish Wells is a quaint fishing village with pastel colored homes, and Harbour Island has the famous Pink Sands beach as wells as souvenir shopping and restaurants.

Prepare for Hurricane Season

As you know we are approaching prime hurricane season, so it is important for homeowners in the tropics to make sure they are prepared. Official hurricane season is June 1 through November 30 of each year. Although hurricanes can occur at any time, history has shown major storms to have developed around mid August through mid September. Hurricane Floyd was particularly hard on Eleuthera, and occurred September 14, 1999. I have experienced several hurricanes in the Florida Keys, and Hurricane Wilma flooded Key West pretty bad on October 24, 2005. Hurricanes can cause severe wind damage to roof structures, and/or severe flooding. However on the positive side, (in contrast to tornados which give virtually no warning)hurricanes generally give you several days notice to prepare, and for Tourists and Residents to plan their evacuation or preparation. As a result of my family's hurricane experiences, I would like to share some tips on protecting you and your property:

Storm tracking can be seen at http://www.noaa.gov/
This is an excellent site for following the timeline and projected path of any hurricane. We also stay in tune with the Weather channel, as the tropical updates are generally ten minutes before each hour (1:50, 2:50, 3:50, etc.)

Trim any large tree branches that are near your roof. Fallen trees can pose a real problem during high winds.

Make sure you have all of your shutter hardware and tools stocked and available to cover all windows and patio doors. Don't wait until the last minute.

If in a flood zone, consider putting your appliances like your washer & dryer on blocks. Store your car somewhere at a higher elevation. The salt water ruins appliances and engines. Place your outside air condition unit on a high platform so that it doesn't get flooded. Consider buying a water vacuum. This works nice if your home gets flooded, as it is important to get the water out asap so that mold doesn't set in. Mops, paper towels and cleaning supplies are good to have on hand too.

Have an evacuation plan for your family and pets. Remember to take any prescription medicines you may need, and pet supplies. Plan where you will be staying in advance, and if evacuating the island, keep in mind when the airports will be closing due to inclement weather.

If you are not evacuating, make sure you have plenty of food & water, and in a secured building, (and at a higher elevation if flooding is a threat from storm surge).

Know where your homeowner's insurance papers are safely stored, and other important documents.

Make sure your family photographs are stored in waterproof containers higher off the ground if you are in a flood zone. Buy some bags of inexpensive painter's plastic drop cloths to cover furnishings or computers. In flood zones, keep computer hardware off the ground. Make the necessary data backups and store in a safe place.

Prepare a hurricane kit or tub. We fill ours with flashlights, batteries, candles, matches, manual can openers, plastic bags, cordless drill, tools, etc.

Prepare your communication systems, cell phones, radios, emergency contact #'s, etc.

Generators are nice. You can count on the power going out in a major storm. Just practice safety with the generators (place accordingly to prevent carbon dioxide).

It's good to have a tarp in storage readily available in the event of roof damage. It may be hard to find one on the island after a storm hits and you'd have to wait to import one in.

Secure your boat (if applicable).

We certainly don't want to see any more hurricanes for a while, but they are a part of the tropical lifestyle. Most importantly, listen to your local officials and heed their warnings. Don't take chances with your life. Stay safe!

Bahamas Radio Stations

AM RADIO:

810 R. Bahamas Northern Svc (ZNS3) Freeport
1240 Inspiration, Nassau (ZNS2)
1540 Radio Bahamas, Nassau (ZNS1)


FM RADIO

89.9 Splash FM, Spanish Wells
93.5 Radio Abaco
94.9 More 94FM, Nassau
96.1 Cool FM, Freeport
97.5 Love 97 FM, Nassau
100.3 100 JAMZ, Nassau
102.9 Island Nassau & Caribbean ,World
104.5 Power 104.5 ZNS FM, Nassau
107.1 ZNS-1, Nassau
107.9 ZNS-2, Nassau

Eleuthera Map--Rainbow Bay location

Bahamas Wedding Requirements

Interested in planning an Eleuthera beach wedding? Check out the Bahamas wedding requirements.

http://www.islandbrides.com/destination/Bahamas/requirements/3/

A marriage application can be applied for at the Pink Administration Building in Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera ph: 242-332-2113. You can inquire here for marriage license fees. A local administrator or minister can perform the ceremony.

ISLAND HOPPERS 4-PART VIDEOS ON ELEUTHERA

Island Hoppers has made an excellent video photography segment of Eleuthera, click below

Part 3

Rainbow Bay Association -- Annual Meeting

The annual Rainbow Bay Property Owner Association meeting was held at the maintenance building on March 8th. As far as attendance, there was a full-house, as there were not enough chairs to go around (many were standing). John Kavali was elected the President for the new two-year term. Although the wind was really wild this day, it didn't stop the picnic from being held after the meeting. The food was the usual delicious barbeque and Bahamian dishes catered in by Mr. & Mrs. Stubbs. Attending the annual picnic is a great way for property owners to get to know some of their neighbors.
For more info on the Rainbow Bay Association, check out the website:
http:///www.rainbowbay.org

KAYAKS FOR RENT, INTERNET SERVICE & BURGERS!

I have found Deb and staff at the Waters Edge cafe staff to be very friendly and offer great services to the local community.

One of the services is Kayaks for rent:

Current rates at time of posting (subject to change):
$35 for 1/2 day; $55 for full day. Weekly rates available upon request.
They indicate they can pick-up and deliver for an extra fee.

This place also offers internet services, computer supplies, and sandwiches and drink.
Located in a Pink building near the "water's edge" in Hatchet Bay.

Phone: 335-0679

PICTURES OF RAINBOW BEACH

Bahamas Holidays & Government Website

The Islands of the Bahamas celebrate ten national holidays:

For 2008:

Jan 1 New Years Day
Mar 21 Good Friday
Mar 24 Easter Monday
May 12 Whit Monday
June 6 Labor Day
July 10 Independence Day
Aug 4 Emancipation Day
Oct 13 Discovery/Columbus Day
Dec 25 Christmas Day
Dec 26 Boxing Day

Government Website

Rainbow Bay Phone Directory--Useful Contacts

Emergency Contacts
Fire/Police: 242-332-2111, or 919
Chris Goslin Ambulance Service: (located south of Gov. Harbour): 332-3178 or cell 557-7006
Air Ambulance: 242-362-1606/1692 Nassau
BASRA Air-Sea Rescue: 242-322-7412/7413
US Coast Guard, Miami: 305-535-4314
Florida Marine Patrol: 305-325-3346

Medical:
Dr. Cliff Bacchus, Banks Road, Governor's Harbour, 242-332-2902
Governor's Harbour Medical Clinic: 242-332-2774 or 242-332-2001
Hatchet Bay Clinic: 335-0091

Dentists:
Dr. Olga Bacchus, Governor's Harbour, 332-2774
Dr. Hadassah Knowles, Palmetto Pt., 332-1477

Pharmacist:
Spanish Wells Food Fair, ph: 333-4676

Information: 916

R.B.P.O.A.: http://www.rainbowbay.org/

Utilities:
Batelco (Telephone), 242-332-2476
Bahamas Electricity Corp. (BEC), 335-5394
Water & Sewage Co., 242-332-2370

Internet Cafe & Satellite/TV service hook-up/computer supplies:
Water's Edge Internet Cafe, Hatchet Bay, 335-0679; watersedgecafe@hotmail.com

Satellite Bahamas (satellite tv subscription service): Nassau 242-393-4200

Bottled Water:
Lutra Pure Water Co., Hatchet Bay, 335-0499

Convenient Store/Variety Store/Groceries:
Big Rock, Rainbow Bay, 335-6008
East & Final, James Cistern, 335-6570
Triple T Grocer, Alicetown, 335-0119

Restaurants:
Rainbow Inn, Queen's Hwy/Lazy Shore Rd., (dinner only); 335-0294
Kel-D's, James Cistern, 335-6061
Lee's Cafe & Takeaway, James Cistern, ph 335-6444
Under the Tamarind Tree, Billy & Brenda Stubbs Barbeque, James Cistern (Fri & Sat starts around 11 am until food gone)

Property Tax Info:
Derek Elden, Tax Assessor for Rainbow, N. Eleu phone, 242-335-1484
cell, 242-359-7764, fax 242-335-1492; Email: eldenderek@yahoo.com
Nassau Main Office:
Bahamas Ministry of FinanceReal Property Tax Div, Family Island Section, PO Box N-13, Nassau, Bahamas, phone 242-322-5200; fax 242-325-5750

Upholstery:
Wells Upholstery, Gov. Harbour, 332-2149

Nursery & Landscaping:
Green Thumb Nursery, Gov. Harbour, Banks Rd/North Shore Dr.; 332-2647
N. Eleuthera Nursery, Lower Bogue, 335-1446

Banks:
Royal Bank GH, 242-332-2856 or 2858
First Caribbean Bank,GH, 242-332-2300

Shipping:

Bernuth Shipping, 725 S.E. 9th Crt; Hialeah, FL 33010; ph 305-887-4899
http://www.bernuth.com/

G&G Shipping, Ft. Lauderdale, 954-920-9292, http://www.gandgshipping.com/

Custom Broker, Paul Simmons, Gov. Harbour, 242-332-2571

Bahamas Fast Ferries: (Bohengy); 242-323-2166; http://www.bahamasferries.com/

GHB Airport: 242-332-2321

Taxi Service: 242-332-2216

Airlines:
American Airlines: 800-433-7300
BahamasAir: 800-222-4262
Continental: 800-231-0856
Delta Airlines: 800-221-1212
Lynx: 888-596-9247; 954-596-9247
Southern Charter Air: 242-323-6833
Twin Air: 954-359-8266
Yellow Air Taxi: 954-321-0292

MUSIC, Who let the dogs out?

Take a listen to the popular song by the Baha Men, "Who let the dogs out?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He82NBjJqf8

Rainbow Potcakes

Daisy & Red, Sept 2007

When our family travels to Eleuthera, we always look forward to seeing our favorite potcakes (the wild dogs that freely roam the area). We do not recommend tourists approaching wild dogs or feeding them, but the two potcakes that we have become to know the most are very friendly with humans, named Daisy & Red. Daisy, the female black dog looks like she has some kind of German Shepherd in her, and Red is a light brown male dog. I'm a little more partial to Daisy (because my first dog as a child was a black poodle named Daisy, and my dog as an adult is a black poodle named Daisy).

Daisy in Rainbow is a highly intelligent dog with a sweet temperament. She will take a swim in the ocean with you, and she loves to pose for a camera. She is independent, and a leader of her pack. Red is a little shyer and a little more hyper. I feel more sorry for Red sometimes because when eating, he gets Daisy's leftovers if they are together (Daisy's the boss). Many of the locals and tourists feed them, and they are like "shared pets" of the community. I am amused at watching these dogs bounce from house to house to get their share of goodies.

I hope the dogs are still doing well. It would be nice if we could ensure that all the free-roaming dogs on the island could get rabies shots, and are just as well cared for as Daisy and Red.

Posted by Tammy