Tarpum Bay

Tarpum Bay

Tarpum Bay

Tarpum Bay is an artist’s community. It was here that Mal Flanders, an American, came to paint the island life and scenery. His work is well known, and you might want to drop by the studio. Another good place to visit at Tarpum belongs to another artist. Scotsman MacMillan Hughes built the strange-looking structure he likes to call The Castle with his own hands. Take a moment to visit, view his work, and enjoy a tour of his home. Both are on Queen’s Highway.

Rock Sound, along Queen’s Highway, south of Tarpum Bay and north of Greencastle, boasts a number of attractions, including Ocean Hole, a large inland lake connected to the ocean by a labyrinth of subterranean tunnels. Some say the hole is bottomless. Its depth has been measured to more than 100 feet. Either way, it has become home to a variety of fish and marine animals, many of which are accustomed to being fed by hand. Steps cut into the coral make for easy access to the hole, the water, and the fish, providing a rare photographic opportunity.

If you’re a golfer or tennis player, stop by The Club, on Queen’s Highway at Rock Sound. The club’s magnificent 18-hole golf course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, is considered one of the finest golfing challenges in the Bahamas. Greens fees are $70 for 18 holes; $45 for nine holes. Club rental, $15. No need to book tee times in advance.

Walking and bicycling are both popular pastimes on Eleuthera. The miles of deserted roads, vast stretches of pristine sand, tiny bays and coves, side tracks, pathways and trails all make for endless hours of peddling or hoofing. You can rent bicycles at almost all of the island’s hotels for about $15 per day.