Welcome back! November marks the renewal of winter cruising season and the boats and cruisers are beginning to arrive in droves. Some are returning for what has become an annual benediction to the slow, sweet pace of island life. For others, this will be the culmination of a lifelong dream. Some will tour around the 700 islands of the Bahamas and some will explore only as many as it takes to find one special place, or as Jimmy Buffet puts it, “One Particular Harbor.” Get in your boat and get over here–the fish are biting and we now know the changes to Bahamian fishing regulations soon to be announced will affect conch. Keep checking with the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine. ...

Prehistoric finds

Marsh Harbour, Abaco, is abuzz with underwater fossil discoveries. Underwater caves are producing an astonishing array of prehistoric bones that are painting a vivid picture of these islands in ancient times. The first skeleton was discovered by accident in 2005, but recent scientific expeditions have unearthed new finds. Never before seen giant land tortoise shells dating back 2,500 years have been uncovered and successfully identified. These tortoises would have been somewhat similar to the famous Galapagos variety. The Bahamas National Museum in Abaco is working with divers and researchers to further explore the sites in Abaco, likened to the La Brea Tar Pits in California, for the richness of their finds. Complete skeletons of crocodiles that roamed the area centuries ago have been unearthed as well, along with myriad other intriguing bones. The underwater revelations have surpassed any similar discoveries anywhere in the entire West Indian region and promise to reveal more with each dive. ...

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