Light House Beach

White Pepper came to Rock Sound, Eleuthra to celebrate Easter and the Rock Sound Homecoming festival with Bahamian friends Prof. Don Maples and his wife Paula von Hamm. Paula is from Rock Sound although she and Don live in Freeport. We had met 4 years ago at the homecoming, and this reunion had been on the books for some time.

One day during our stay they drove us out to the Cape Eleuthra Club which is the new name for the marina at Powell Point. The scenery was exquisite with a 270 degree seascape. The service was leisurely even by Bahamian standards. After lunch we set out for the beach. Light House Beach is not just another beautiful Bahamas beach. It is one of the finest beaches I have ever seen! And I have seen a lot of beaches.. However, it is not easy to reach.

First pick up the Queen's Highway east of Green Castle and follow it south east as it bisects the long spine of South Eleuthra heading towards East End Point. This part of Eleuthra is about 10 miles long. Most of the land is deserted. Wemyss Bight is about the only settlement of note. The landscape is dry, thick scrub. Finally at the Bannerman Town city limits the the two lane black top turns right. You, however, continue straight along a narrow dirt trail full of ruts and tire busting rocks. The chart says it is only 2 miles long, but the road takes at least 30 minutes to travel. We passed three cars coming out. Each one said, “yes, this is the right road. The worst is yet to come, but it's worth it.” Finally, when it seemed that the rental car can not possibly take anymore abuse there is a sandy parking lot overlooking a beautiful palm shaded beach facing out into Exuma Sound. But this beach is not the one. To the east is a sandy trail leading over a hill and around the abandoned light house that once long ago guarded East End Point.

No This is not the most beautiful beach in the world

This is the most beautiful beach in the world

Coming over the trail on foot a most amazing beach opens up facing the Atlantic Ocean. It is about 200 feet wide and a half a mile long. The beach is flat with white sand. The sea is deep blue with dense coral formations. For some reason the beach is free of the copious plastic debris that coats most remote Bahamian beaches. I am sure no one cleans this beach. It seems to clean itself. The waves lap gently onto the shore despite a vigorous sea state offshore. Behind the beach are sculpted limestone cliffs. To the south there is the rugged East Point. Above everything is the light house. Climbing up to the light yields fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Exuma Sound to the south. I felt good just being at this most wonderful spot on God's creation. Mere words can hardly describe Light House beach, and the pictures barely do it justice.

 East End Point in the distance

The abandoned light house

Paula, who works in real estate and is quite knowledgeable in these matters, tells me that developers have claimed to have acquired rights to this land for $1 from the descendant of a former slave. The claim has been tied up in court for decades. How could someone buy one of God's best efforts for a dollar? If this beach is ever developed it would anchor one of the world's premier resorts. However, my heart would break to see a tiki bar or tee shirt shop on Light House Beach.