Eleuthera
Eleuthera is an island within the chain of the islands of The Bahamas. It is located 220 miles east-southeast of Miami approximately a 70-minute flight and 60 miles east of Nassau, the Capitol of the Bahamas, a 15-minute flight. It has an approximate population of 10,000 people, is 103 miles long, and averages 2 miles wide.
In 1648, British Puritans, now known as the Eleutheran Adventurers, set sail from Bermuda to find religious freedom. Led by a former governor of Bermuda, William Sayles, they became shipwrecked near the northern end of an island that the Arawak "Indians" had named Cigatoo. The Eleutheran Adventurers secured shelter in a large limestone cave where they prayed and preached. This area is now called Preachers Cave. It was here that the thankful survivors named the island Eleuthera, a word meaning Freedom.
During the 1940’s a wave of American investors realized the potential for economic growth in Eleuthera, and a number of hotels were built. Among these were Cotton Bay Club, Winding Bay Club, Rock Sound Club, Island Inn, Buccaneer Club, and Clear Tide Inn. Today there are handful of small hotels on Eleuthera, including a few of the originals.
As a result of these early developments in Eleuthera, the infrastructure on Eleuthera has always been some of the best The Bahamas has to offer. There are three international airports (North Eleuthera, Governors Harbour, and Rocksound), modern telecommunications and electrical systems, as well as a new water system providing reverse osmosis purified water. In addition, major road works have taken place to improve the main road, Queens Highway, which runs the length of the island. Eleuthera also benefits from weekly boat shipments via the inter-island mail boats and fast ferries as well as shipping service from Florida. Eleuthera offers everything you need and more.
