Spanish Wells, in the north end of the Eleuthera archipelago, was a strategic pit stop for us before jumping to the Sea of Abaco. Unlike other towns we’ve visited, Spanish Wells has a mostly white population (of roughly 1600 inhabitants), descendants of crown loyalists who arrived after the American Revolutionary War. Nowadays Spanish Wells has a brisk fishing industry, boat yards, restaurants and a variety of shops.
As the days, settlements and miles passed, we had been seeing more and more yellow signs and yellow t-shirts for the incumbent Progressive Liberal Party. Spanish Wells was, in contrast, all red for the conservative Free National Movement. The night we arrived we heard celebratory chants, hollers and honks and immediately knew who had won. We hope they don’t ditch Paris.
Our stay in Spanish Wells was uneventful. We didn’t encounter exotic critters, lightning or 10-knot currents. By far, the most remarkable thing we experienced was the supermarket, the largest we’ve been to in almost four months. It was less than a tenth the size of a small Walmart, but we were dazzled, like kids in a toy store.
Hey, you see propane – you grab it – and then look around for a place to dump trash. It’s the simple joys, really. I really like that you guys went to many of the spots we missed – I feel like I’ve been there too!