| Long Island |
 |
 |
 |
|
The chart and following text are from The Southern Bahamas Guide by Stephen J. Pavlidis
“Long” is quite likely the best description of this island. Long Island is 76 miles in length by 4 miles in width at its greatest breadth and stretches from the southern Exumas and Exuma Sound to the deep Crooked Island Passage. Long Island is similar to Eleuthera and Cat Island in that along its eastern shore (its northern shore according to Long Islanders) lies the Atlantic Ocean while to the west (the southern shore according to Long Islanders) lies the shallow waters of an arm of the Great Bahama Bank. Long Island has many natural caves with some having guided tours for visitors. A skeleton believed to be the remains of a Lucayan Indian was found in one of Long Island’s caves. In pre-Columbian times the island was known as Yuma, Yumetta, or Yametta, but the Great Discoverer, who landed there on October 16, 1492, renamed the island Fernandina after his King. Long Island was the third stop for Columbus in the New World after San Salvador and Rum Cay. In fact, Columbus’s flagship, the Santa Maria, went aground on a reef off the northern tip of the island earning the area the name Cape Santa Maria. Long Island has some 40 communities along its length (more than any other Bahamian island) with over 3,500 residents of very different ethnic backgrounds. Some of the most physically attractive people in The Bahamas come from Long Island. Here one can find descendants from many different peoples that have migrated to The Bahamas over the centuries from pirates and slaves to French missionaries and Greek sponge fishermen. Long Island has always been known for its livestock, particularly Scottish “black face” sheep and thoroughbred horses, both introduced to the island over two hundred years ago. At one time there were numerous large estates on the island with extensive stone wall pastures, the ruins of which can still be seen today. The islanders have always been big on raising sheep, mutton being an excellent local dish, and have long been known as “sheep runners.” Many Long Islanders are still involved with the fishing and sponging industry. A curious note for those interested in tilling the soil. Long Island farmers, as many farmers throughout The Bahamas, plant their crops by the phases of the moon. Certain phases cause higher tides resulting in a higher water table, this brings the water closer to the plants roots. Tides in Long Island are quite varied. Tides at Calabash Bay and Joe Sound tend to run approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour behind Nassau tides while Salt Pond tides are 2½ hours later than Nassau tides and tides in the vicinity of Newfound Harbour are approximately 1¾ hours after Nassau. |
