trying to get a trip together this fall. tell me what you know. family is going. want a house or something. no resorts. better surf spots on eleuthra i've heard. so abaco or eleuthra?
i've been to Eleuthera 3 times but not to Abaco so cant help with the comparison. The parts of eleuthera that have easily accessible surf don't have any resorts so that parts not a problem. If there is swell, the spots are very fun and uncrowded but there's a reason, its inconsistent, expensive, and kind of desolate in a beautiful rugged way. I love that, but driving shitty bone jarring dirt roads to isolated surf spots with nothing around eventually tipped my wife to the desolate camp. The surf areas in Abaco seem like they are clustered around touristy fishing destinations, so there is probably more on offer.
Been to Hopetown, (Elbow Cay in Aboacos) it's expensive and you'll want to rent a skiff. You can fly into Marsh Harbor and rent one to skip around the out islands. Very sharp reefs but cool vibe and great folks. The good breaks are 10 miles south of Hopetown at Abaco Beach Inn - Rush Reef is the spot, and Indicas is halfway between the two. Hopetown has a few boutiques and restaurants, nothing much elsewhere. If you have a boat you can hit some reef passes and go up to Green Turtle for a day trip, and hit Purple House off Guana near Nipper's Repeat - you will need to rent a boat, but if it's flat or blown out the reefs are great to dive and spear fish. World class in 30 feet or less.
There are world class waves in the Abacos, especially Fall to Winter. Bring a gun. There is a marlin ledge right off shore it goes from 30 feet to 600 feet like boom! Here is some thing I found, Ben Gravey he is not, and the waves get way mo bettah than what is seen, but you get a sense of the spot. BTW it's a five minute paddle, not 20.
my days of loading up two boards, 3 t shirts and a pair of trunks a spending a month surfing remote breaks by riding buses and sleeping on floors are over. i need to balance the trip for things for my wife and daughter to do as well. is the surf is disappointing i can still fish and snorkel, cliff dive, eat good food etc.
Therein is the making of a great vacation. We did that, we being, wife, 16 year old daughter, and me, in St Thomas (Red Hook Bay)--zipped around islands for 1 full day in a Mako 25. Dropped anchor, and snorkeled at different bays and coves. We still talk about it 20 years later. Summer in Caribbean or extra_Caribbean (Bahamas) is usually dead flat, unless there is a hurricane about.
Good call on going late in the year...late fall could be good. Plus one with SIS's description. I have not been to Elbow Key but one of my best friends goes frequently. He takes his family (two kids), he loves to fish (definitely rent a boat), and he has caught fun size and quality surf. He probably lives within 15 minutes of you....
I liked Eleuthera. Took my wife there. We had a drink with Lenny Kravitz. She got all wet in the britches over him. I was gonna knock him out because that's what a jealous husband is supposed to do. She talked me out of it. Been to Elbow Cay a couple times. Buddy with a boat. We scored. Posts above are right though. It wasn't cheap
One year we rented a cottage and a 23' Boston Whaler center console. Was a blast for the kids, and there are lots of out islands, each with a unique personality. Pig roasts on weekends here and there. Caveat - our cottage "Romantica" was anything but. The septic tank was constantly backed up. A/C not too good. I'd look for a modern or newly renovated place to stay next time. But I would go again. I've never been to Eleuthra, but heard Harbor Island on the north is where the jet set go, and Surfer's Beach is just south of the cut. Some old dudes I knew used to camp in the caves and surf for a month or so and then bring back some crappy jah to pay for it. The weed there sucks, I used to bring some kine with me, but not after the last incident. I'll just suck it up and drink lots of rum next time.
Its just so expensive and questionable with a swell Im only looking at it from a surfing point of view though. Its a beautiful place with lots to do and explore so i know you'll have a great time. I guess i just didn't have a great experience but I could have expected to much also.
Note how clear the water is at 5:32 of the video. Eleuthera has the clearest water I've ever surfed in. The Maldives is probably the only place you could go and find it clearer. My first session there was about 2 feet over head with a ledgy takeoff. I'd never surfed a coral reef before and this one was one of the more shallow and jagged ones I've surfed. I'll never forget how unnerving it was at first pushing over the ledge and seeing every single piece of coral on the bottom. I've probably surfed much more nasty bottoms in Puerto Rico but the water wasn't clear enough for you to see what was down there.
I recall seeing every piece of reef at Maria's / Domes in Rincon, water gets super clear there too. Pretty awesome flying down the line and seeing it all pass underneath as you cruise on by.
What's awesome is nose riding over clear reef, no board in your POV, the coral heads and sea fans flying by in a blur, it is all you see. Totally surreal. I hope Da 'Tard is having a ball.
