The waters off the Abacos teem with boats from spring through fall. Its ideal conditions have made it a popular destination for nautical enthusiasts, thus earning the Abacos its nickname, “sailing capital of the world”.
The Abacos is unique in that it was settled by British Loyalists fleeing the American mainland during the US war for Independence. The Abacos consists of 120 miles of islands and cays, protected by a barrier reef on the Atlantic side. The clear blue waters here draw snorklers and scuba divers, as well as fishermen who come in pursuit of bonefish, marlin and tuna. There are shipwrecks and underwater caves for divers to explore. Marsh Harbor is the largest town on any of the islands in this mini-archipelago which occupies the northern extreme of the Bahamas. Marsh Harbor is a convenient launch point for excursions throughout the Abacos. Hope Town on Elbow Cay is home of the Abacos most photographed landmark, a candy striped lighthouse. The village itself is a quaint mix of New England architecture and tropical flora. Intrepid explorers, or those simply seeking solitude, can boat out to Fiddle Cay, No Name Cay or Pelican Cay, uninhabited islands that jut from the sea at northern and southern sides of the Abacos.
