Sitting right at the heart of the Exuma Chain, tiny Staniel Cay is buzzing with activity.
The airstrip sees the comings and goings of numerous daily flights; chartered small planes fly in visitors to neighbouring private islands, who complete their journeys by boat, scheduled flights from Nassau and Florida bring tourists to the many rentals and small hotel accommodation across the island.
James Bond’s “Thunderball”, which gave the cave its name.
Staniel Cay is surrounded by stunning scenery; to the north is the Exuma Land and Sea Park, a no-take zone that has proved very successful.
Fish and conch breeding in the park naturally spread out beyond the no-take boundary at Conch Cut, repopulating the whole chain.
Wardens patrol the length of the park, protecting it for all.
Further south you can follow the chain all the way to Great Exuma with its extensive yachting facilities and famed Family Island Regatta at George Town.
Innovative and attractive businesses thrive on Staniel and at the heart of it all is the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, a long-established marina, bar and restaurant with extensive rooms and chalets and a lively atmosphere.
The charming set of colourful Chamberlain Cottages nestled next to the public beach are just one of the many enterprises managed by three generations of the Chamberlain family (see later in story).
Lindsay’s Boutique, next to the old “Happy People Marina” and main street
Liquormat, a unique establishment, all in one Liquor store and Laundromat for the many visiting sailors
Over the wooden bridge on South Staniel are an ever-increasing number of second homes. We were fortunate enough to stay in the old home of dear friend and artist, the late Joan Mann.
Many thanks to Joan’s son John Lawrence and his wife Sue who let us use the magnificent beach house during our stay in Staniel.
The creek, that runs up the middle of the island from the south, swirls with the many blues of the Bahamas.
New developments along its shore have changed the nature of this area, but the waters are as stunning as ever.
We met holiday makers staying in Nassau who had come on a ‘day trip’ to Staniel; a break-neck tour of the Thunderball Cave, Pig Beach and a traditional fish lunch.
They were amazed at the beauty of what they saw and so glad to have dipped into the Exumas, even if just for a day.
Keeping the Sailing Tradition Alive
Steve Smith was up bright and early working on his latest project; the mast we’d travelled with on the Captain C mailboat was now resting in the Staniel Cay Shipyard.
Steve was tackling the job of extending the length of the mast for owner Richard Lloyd of Barraterre; his C class “Bull Rich” was being prepared for the upcoming racing season.
Sailing sloops play a central role in Bahamian culture.
Once built only for the practicalities of transport and fishing, they have now been elevated to a new level of respect.
In 1954, a group of Bahamian and American yachtsmen realised that the traditional boats were being replaced by more modern vessels.
They formed the Out Island Squadron to encourage organised races and in April of that year the Family Island Regatta was born in George Town, Great Exuma.
“Tida Wave” in the George Town Regatta skippered by Staniel Cay’s Rolly Gray (yellow hat) (1988)
where both visitors and locals raced together (1996)
Staniel Cay has a long history of involvement in the art of boat building and racing.
The Tida Wave, famed for its speed, was built by Rupert Knowles of Mangrove Bush, Long Island back in 1965.
What a tribute to the historic significance of this boat to find Rupert’s great nephew, Mark Knowles, working on major repairs on the same boat 60 years later in Staniel Cay!
Mark was spending several days removing and replacing a large section of the keel which had split and was taking up water.
He was hard at work, so Steve Smith explained to us some of the new innovations which had caught on and were changing the rules with regards design.
The latest change was the use of the ‘micro-balloon’ finish. A layer of foam covers the traditional wooden hull and is topped with a sleek waterproof coating which reduces drag.
As yet, the Tida Wave hadn’t taken up this new direction so this may be the next big job.
Steve Smith has been working on sloops since 1982.
He learnt his craft from some skilled locals; Kenneth Rolle, his uncle who ran the Happy People Marina, Burke Smith, who recently passed away and ran the Blue Store and the late Reverend Alpheus Kelly.
All three of these legends have gone now but would be proud to know that the tradition is alive and well.
Kenneth Rolle (on left) of “Happy People Marina” and Bob
Chamberlain, founder of the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. January 1991 at Staniel’s New Years Day Regatta.
Local, Dave Moxey, supported by Tida Wave’s current captain, Brooks Miller, runs a Youth Sailing Programme in the warmer summer months.
Staniel Cay children are encouraged to get the basics in the fleet of Sunfish dinghies which are stored in the Shipyard.
The hope is that there will be enough sailing prowess to keep the tradition well and truly alive.
Sons and Daughters of Staniel
We acknowledge fully the privileged position of knowing people in the islands over so many years.
All through the Bahamas we have connections and personal history and, with youngsters who won’t know us, we are able to show them images of how their home looked decades ago.
It’s an excellent ice-breaker.
Thank you to the people of Staniel Cay, Exuma, for letting us into your lives.
Local pilot Dreko Chamberlain fishing on the old dock of Staniel Cay back in the spring of 1998.
Mikael Popov looking down!!
Rhonda Miller-Culmer has now retired, but over the years we have always seen Rhonda hard at work.
A longtime employee of the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, Rhonda would get involved in preparing and serving food at any fund-raising events.
She spoke to us fondly of the days when locals would go out to Ho Tai Cay, a tiny islet in the creek of South Staniel.
People went there to enjoy the pristine beauty around them and sometimes to pray.
It was a sacred place.
Keiran Miller is running Staniel Cay Adventures and Dive Shop.
Taking day trips up through the Exuma Cays as far as Highbourne, this 5 year-old business has been housed in its current home since 2023.
Keiran was raised in Staniel Cay and is bringing a new aspect to the thriving tourism industry.
Renee Thompson lived and worked in Nassau for many years, but she says the best decision she ever made was to come back home to Staniel Cay eight years ago.
When she was working off-island, she always made time to be a part of special occasions back home.
Eloise Smith (pronounced ‘Eloyce’) arrived as a new bride from Barraterre at the age of 23.
Her husband and brother- in- law set up adjoining shops in the village, which are still at the heart of things.
The Blue Store, run by Eloise and husband Burke Smith and the Pink Pearl Store, run by brother-in-law Huey Smith and wife Florene, still flourish.
Ivy, one of Eloise’s nine children, now runs the store but Eloise can often be found in the afternoons working on her plait in the shade.
The Chamberlain family have a long history on Staniel Cay; John and Bernadette Chamberlain are key members of the community.
They find time to keep everyone up to date with useful community information via their website as well as juggling several business ventures; they manage the arrival of visitors to Pig Beach, run several charming cottages at Chamberlain’s Cottage Rentals, a mall on the airstrip where original paintings of local scenes by Bernadette are amongst the many things for sale and their son Dreko runs two charter planes under the name Graceful Wings.
The couple find time to take care of their young grandchildren.
“Staniel Cay is a jewel, a magnificent pearl in the Exuma chain and less than 2 square miles,” says Nicolas. “I’ve been fortunate to visit Staniel in the early 70s as a child and much more in the 80s on research expeditions and then through the 90s and early noughties with Jane documenting the annual Staniel Cay New Year’s Day regatta. Like any small island it is very vulnerable to changes and over the last 10 years these have been tremendous. There is a lot to think about now to make it more sustainable for the future.”
Written by: Jane Popov
Photos by: Nicolas Popov
Now…
… and Then
