“Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” – Brad Henry
One afternoon when the little ones were resting Stan, Eric and I went exploring. Our first stop was Hatchet Bay Caves. These caves are located on the western side of Queen's Highway, just outside of the Hatchet Bay settlement...easy to find, just enter the name into your Waze app. It's the most extensive cave system discovered on Eleuthera, extending about 1100 feet underground, with over a mile of twisting passages. We didn't have the right kind of footwear for the adventure, so we didn't venture very far in. We weren't too impressed with what we saw, but fun to see something a little different. The area is rumored to have been a favorite playground for pirates...maybe there are buried treasures in the cave.
Our next stop was the Queen's Bath. It's a group of uniquely formed tidal pools, locally known as “moon pools”, only a couple feet deep. They're replenished regularly by the sweeping waves of the Atlantic Ocean and are warmed by the sun, making them feel like a bathtub. Beautiful pools the color of crystalline and light turquoise, alive with tiny colorful fish and crustaceans.
They're located about half a mile south of the Glass Window Bridge, park near the stone entrance gate on the east side of the highway. From the gate, hike along the sandy road towards the Atlantic. Soon you'll reach the sharp, rocky bluffs that conceal the baths, hike towards the edge of the cliff until you see an access path leading off to the left and down to sea level. Only go during low tide and when the sea is calm. We were glad we didn't bring the little ones...it would have been very hard for them to climb down to the pools.
The path leading to the pools
Watch out for those rogue waves
A short video of the waves at Queens Bath
Our final stop was to see the Glass Window Bridge. The original bridge, formed naturally of rock, was one of nature's true wonders, but after being destroyed by a hurricane it was replaced with a man-made bridge. The bridge is one of Eleuthera's more popular attractions, and the narrowest point on the island, at just 30 feet wide. It's one of the few places on earth where you can compare the rich blue churning waters of the Atlantic Ocean on one side of the road and the calm turquoise waters of Bight of Eleuthera on the other side...the colors are truly amazing.
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