Acklins and Crooked Islands
Two of the least known islands in Bahamas, Acklins and Crooked Island are located in the southern and southeastern part of the bahamian arhipelague, about 280 miles far from Nassau. Due to their rough terrain with unusual forms of rocks, hidden coves, unexplored beaches and a variety of plants and fauna, especially the island's "VIP", the swamp turtle.
Also untouched by modern hands, the villages impress by their tiny and colourfull cottages along the coast. These islands history dates long time ago, since 1783 when american Loyalists settled in these parts of Bahamas. The land was proper to start a cotton industry, so they brought with them slaves and amounts of money to start this business. By the 19'th
century the plantations owners achived more than 40 plantations and around 1200 slaves. Unfortunately dued to soil depletion and the Emancipation, this business became uneconomical and they orientated to water sponges, a business that also declined becouse of a fungus that affected them. Nowadays the islands main activity and earness is fishing. The most known place for diving and fishing is the lagoon that encloses Acklins with Crooked Island named the Bight of Acklins. But these two islands are part of a group of four that together form an atoll that hugs the waters of the Bight of Acklins. The other two islands are Castle Island and Long Cay, that border Acklins and Crooked Island, and despite time flowing they are as natural as they were when Columbus first discoverede Bahamas. Legends say that being that unhabitated and isolated they were a really refugee for pirates that used these shallow waters to attack mercendize ships through a narrow Crooked Island passage. Located in the southeast part of New Providence at about 240 miles, the two islands are surrounded by splendid beaches, in some parts the sand being still untouched for quite many years.
Being so perfect preserved in time, Acklins and Crooked Island are the ideal nest place for many birds. The ocean's
clear waters provide snorkelers and divers the perfect atmosphere to enjoy their vacation. Also on land, for true explorers there are some interesting caves, remains from the pirates such as connons. Getting hungry it is not a problem, cause despite their inhabitance, there are some small, authentic restaurants that have preserved the local cuisine in time. Tired of an island it is also not a problem in Bahamas, especially on these appropiate islands, a ferry can get you from Acklins to Crooked Island and backwards. To take each island appart, there are some particularities to be shown and revealed to some of you who have never put feet on these bahamian lands. So, known in Bahamas for its natural beauty, Crooked Island has many quaint villages, the weather is perfect for cruises and tarpon fishing, and of course its most famous particularity could attract you, cause the island has been called for years the bonefish paradise.Along with Long cay, Crooked Island forms the NW part of the lagoon, offering a very naturistic peisage. Secret caves, hiddend into the rocks, coral gardens, shelves, reefs are the ideal resources for divers.
The local fauna formed by native plants and flowers gain this island its first name, "Isabella" as Columb named it after his queen, then the second name given by the Arawaks "Samoete" and third and final a more functional descriptive name "Crooked Island".
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