HISTORY OF THE BAHAMAS
 
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas. an independent nation since 1973 consists of some 700 islands and nearly 2,500 smaller islands or cays. Of the 30 inhabited islands, the two major population centers are the capital city of Nassau, located on new Providence Island and Freeport on Grand Bahama Island.

The other islands and cays are known collectively as the Bahama Out Islands, the major one being Abaco, Andros, Berry Island, Bimini, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Harbour Island, Long Island, Deep Water Cay and San Salvador.

About 50 miles of the east coast of Florida are the Biminis and are the closest
islands to the US main land.  The others are spread across roughly 100 ,000  square miles of ocean and come within 50 miles of Cuba and Haiti.  Although the total land mass of the islands is approximately 5000 square miles, the distance between the islands are relatively short.  Island hopping in small aircraft is a very popular way to see and visit these glorious islands.
 

No place in the world  compares to the pilot's play ground that awaits you.The Bahamas are a short distance off the coast of Florida.  The Gulf stream keeps the islands warm in the winter months, and the tropical trade winds provide the perfect temperature the year around.  It has been said, that seen from the air, the chain of islands making up the Bahamas, look like a giant necklace in a turquoise sea.  Aviators find that the tropical skies are perfect for flying almost everyday.  The pilot is almost always in sight of  land. The present day people of the Bahamas are originally of West African descent, brought as slaves to the islands to work the cotton plantations.The British abolished slavery in 1834 in all its territories, including the Bahamas.  Life changed very much for the better.  The freed slaves became farmers and a vigorous trade emerged between the islands.

The original inhabitants were in fact Lucayan Indians, probably from the northern coast of South America. Many cave drawings are still being found along with utensils and implements of daily life of these sea-faring people.

White people who inhabit the islands today are descendants of the first British Loyalists who felt unwelcome in the newly formed United States of America, after the revolution which made America a free and independent nation.  Not wanting to return to England, these people settled in the Bahamas and became expert boat builders.

The 1700's brought pirates and privateers to the islands.  They made a great living by plundering hundreds of ships as they sailed from the new world back to Europe. Pirates dominated the Bahamian waters until 1836 when the British government decided enough was enough and brought several notorious pirates to trial.  The most famous pirate of all, Black Beard ( Edward Teach ) was finally chased out of the Bahamas and killed off the coast of Virginia.

To this day, the waters of the Bahamas are world famous for wreck diving on the more then 500 Spanish treasure ships and  pirate ships which litter the ocean floor. You can share the thrill of adventure of treasure hunting in these waters and explore the many caves where treasure is still being discovered to this day.
 

 

The islands offer a vast range of International and Gourmet Cuisine. It would be unforgivable not to try the local staples of Bahamian Cuisine. Conch and Rock Lobster are served extensively throughout the islands in a variety of ways. Fresh sea food is cooked in an array of spices to develop subtle flavors, unique to the islands.
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