Eleuthera Byways - Lighthouse Point

Photo at Lighthouse Point by Ian Langworth http://flickr.com/photos/statico/tags/eleuthera

By Richard M. Langworth

Ministry of Tourism officials on Eleuthera are erecting small curved stone entries at sites of interest, from the "Queen's Baths" (January issue) to the Blow Hole south of Rock Sound. They haven't yet marked the entrance to Lighthouse Point, perhaps with good reason. But for many Eleutherans, a drive through the bush to this spectacular beach is well worth the effort.

Lighthouse Point commands a pink sand beach set between magnificent coral formations and shallow translucent water: a scene out of the South Pacific, unmatched anywhere on our island. Two new residents are so enthralled that they've returned repeatedly, leaving early in the morning to have lots of time.
This is literally the end of Eleuthera, where you can stand on the last piece of dry land and temporarily become our Most Southernmost Person. Glass Window isn't the only place where Atlantic meets Caribbean: here, the water is so shallow you can actually set foot in both oceans at once.
Climb to the derelict lighthouse and you're rewarded with a breathtaking panorama. To the west over the trees, we saw an enormous cruise ship, actually anchored off Princess Cay, but looking like Noah's ark atop Mount Ararat. On the eastern horizon were the hills of Half Moon Cay (formerly Little San Salvador)-waypoint to Cat Island, our nearest neighbour to the south.
Knowledgeable visitors come for the swimming, diving, sunbathing and bird life; but there's a wide choice of little cul de sac beaches. And if these photos don't tempt you, search Google for "Lighthouse Beach Eleuthera"-the posted photos will soon have you  hooked.
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Directions: drive south on the Queen's Highway to the Bannerman Town sign (25 miles from Tarpum Bay), where the main road turns to the right. Continue straight on the quarry road for 3.3 miles, keeping a large inland lake to your left, and follow the track to the beach. Drive very slowly over rocky bits and avoid coral "shark's teeth." Carry a good spare tire and, if possible, a portable, dashboard-powered tire pump. A Jeep or SUV with high ground clearance is recommended. The best of us may still puncture a tire - trust me.

Mr. Langworth may be contacted at richardlangworth.com