SAILING AROUND THE WORLD WITH SPIRIT OF ARGO

Abacos, Elbow Cay (Hope Town) – The iconic seaside town

ht-intro painting

Hope Town, on Elbow Cay, is the iconic Abacos sea side harbour.  With it’s candy striped light house, cottage style homes and palm tree lined beaches it is a very popular holiday spot for the affluent American market.

Just a short ferry ride from the International Airport at Marsh Town, Great Abaco Island, it is probably the tourist centre of the outer Abacos.

So popular with boaters that the harbour is now filled with mooring balls and two marinas, so any anchoring has to be done outside.

The lazy humans left the ‘big boat’ off Tiloo Cay and dingied up to check out the harbour for the day.

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On their way in they passed by anchored boats who had a great view of the lighthouse.

ht-dingy in-lighthouse

The windy entrance into the harbour was lined with holiday homes.

ht-dingy in-houses at entrance

Some of these places even had pools
Some of these places even had pools

Once inside the harbour the humans were confronted with a borage of docks extending out into the water.  Luckily they are well labelled as private, public or commercial.

Marina fuel dock
Marina fuel dock
Private holiday home docks
Private holiday home docks

 

There are docks for restaurants and even restaurants that are docks
There are docks for restaurants and even restaurants that are docks

 

The centre of the harbour is filled with mooring balls
The centre of the harbour is filled with mooring balls
If luxury is more your style there are a choice of two Marinas
If luxury is more your style there are a choice of two Marinas

 

The 'main' town dock is at the far end of the harbour
The ‘main’ town dock is at the far end of the harbour

 

It has a lovely shaded area on the end of the dock and benches to sit on and watch the world go by.
It has a lovely shaded area on the end of the dock and benches to sit on and watch the world go by.

 

Like all the towns in the Bahamas, they are very welcoming here
Like all the towns in the Bahamas, they are very welcoming here

The town itself is well worth a visit.  The holiday homes are pretty, there are lots of gift shops to peruse, an art gallery, museum, restaurants and even an ice cream parlour.

The streets are just wide enough for the golf carts everyone loves around here
The streets are just wide enough for the golf carts everyone loves around here
Museum attached to the art gallery.
Museum attached to the art gallery.
Beautifully kept homes around the harbour
Beautifully kept homes around the harbour
Perhaps you would like to moor your yacht right beside your house.
Perhaps you would like to moor your yacht right beside your house.

 

 

The homes around the harbour have nice views over the moored boats
The homes around the harbour have nice views over the moored boats
Do not forget the view of the iconic candy striped lighthouse
Do not forget the view of the iconic candy striped lighthouse

 

If shops and restaurants are not ‘your thing’, perhaps you are more like me and enjoy a good beach.  The back side of the town faces out into the Atlantic with a long lovely beach.

 

 

Homes on this side of town have chosen a beach view instead of a harbour view
Homes on this side of town have chosen a beach view instead of a harbour view

 

It is hard to decide which view is best.
It is hard to decide which view is best.

After the humans got their fill of town they could not leave without a visit to the lighthouse.

ht-lighthouse-front view

Open to the public, free of charge.
Open to the public, free of charge.
You are invited to climb the winding stair for a view over the town
You are invited to climb the winding stair for a view over the town
A short ladder brings you up the final section to the top and the viewing platform around the light housing.
A short ladder brings you up the final section to the top and the viewing platform around the light housing.
Friends Sarah and Jake, from Prospero, joined the humans for the climb up
Friends Sarah and Jake, from Prospero, joined the humans for the climb up

 

From here they got a great view over the harbour.

View of entrance into Hope Town Harbour
View of entrance into Hope Town Harbour

ht-lighthouse-view of harbour entrance

You can see from up here how the town is backed by the Atlantic ocean
You can see from up here how the town is backed by the Atlantic ocean

 

The lighthouse itself is rather cool.  It is still powered by kerosene and hand cranked each day by the resident Lighthouse Keepers.

Kerosene burners
Kerosene burners
Hand cranking mechanisms
Hand cranking mechanisms

 

The humans found the lighthouse and town a fun visit.  They learned a little history of the area and enjoyed the beautiful homes.

 

ht-town-Cholera Cemetery

The proximity of the Abacos to the United States has made this part of the Caribbean very affluent.

Even the lizards here are a bit more posh, with a curl up in their tails
Even the lizards here are a bit more posh, with a curl up in their tails

 

 

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