Black Point: straw weaving, beaches, Scorpio's

Black Point Settlement, the only town on Great Guana Cay, is a non-touristy island known for their straw weaving. Walking the street you often see men and women sitting out making baskets or braiding the palm fronds into very long strips which will later become purses or bags. This is a dying art as the younger generation is not interested in learning to weave.

Black Point is one of our favorites for several reasons. The people are very friendly, although that seems to be the case on every island; there’s a great laundromat which was definitely needed by now; the school is quite appreciative of supplies cruisers drop off; and Scorpio’s.

Buildings are small and colorful. Below clockwise is the school; laundromat/grocery all downstairs; post office (mail boat comes once a week); and police station.

Scorpio’s, home of the best melt in your mouth cracked conch we’ve had yet. This plate of conch and fries with a Kalik was plenty to share as dinner. 

A second anchorage on the south side of Black Point had a marvelous wide fine sand beach full of sand dollars and some star fish.  Enjoyed an afternoon with a picnic lunch and books one afternoon. Here too is a defunct (2005) marina and a castle. We walked up a short rock path from the beach to a “road” that led to the castle in one direction and the ocean and marina on the other.

                                         
                                           fine sand, very wide beach especially at low tide

defunct marina; it's for sale if you're interested!

unoccupied castle

Next stop, Little Farmers for the 32^nd annual 5F’s (First Friday of February Farmers Festival). There is a weekend of Bahamian boat races and partying which we attended last year. This year we arrived on Thursday just in time to crew for Endangered Species on their boat in a cruisers race! What fun and what a learning experience! Rick and Robin have raced for years and not surprisingly came in first in the twice around a triangle course. That evening was a celebration at the marina with locals providing a dinner of chicken, ribs, cole slaw, rice and beans and the Bahama’s traditional mac and cheese. Wash it down with gratis rum punch or Kalik and a good time was had by all!

With an unexpected week-long good weather report we are heading next for the Jumentos, small out islands that are part of the Ragged Island chain and as far south as we have been yet.