The Eleutheran - Eleuthera News, Sport and much more from Eleuthera: Eleuthera Byways - Lighthouse Point

Eleuthera Byways - Lighthouse Point
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admin on 24 April, 2009 
 
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