Eleuthera

Some 60 miles east of Nassau lies Eleuthera, the largest island in the Bahamas Out Islands chain, favoured for its stunning beaches, tranquil cays and beautiful anchorages. Spanning more than 100 miles in length but just one mile wide, Eleuthera is ideal for exploration via a yacht charter, with the open Atlantic on the east and the Great Bahama Bank on the west, making it a breeze to head ashore. With a name meaning “freedom” in Greek, Eleuthera offers charterers plenty of freedom when it comes to setting an itinerary. Along the west coast are several settlements, including the capital, Governor’s Harbour, the most photogenic town, home to a historic waterfront, well-preserved colonial architecture, and the Haynes Library. The east coast is home to towering cliffs, Surfer’s Beach, with natural rock pools and the Queen’s Bath, a cluster of tidal pools carved into the rock shelf by waves over the years. Straddling both is the Glass Window Bridge, a key point on the island where it narrows to just about 30 feet wide. And at the southernmost tip of the island lies Lighthouse Beach, offering miles of pristine, pale-pink sands, dunes, and a rock formation. Said to rival Harbour Island’s famous pink sand beach, Lighthouse Beach also offers a sense of peace, calm, and tranquility. Beyond the waters surrounding Eleuthera lies the Devil’s Backbone, a spectacular reef running along the north shore between the Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, and all worth further exploration.