Acklins Island
is one of the least known
islands of The Bahamas, Acklins comprises the southern and
southeastern part of the chain. The terrain is hilly and desolate,
with unusual rock formations, and varied plant and animal life,
including an occasional swamp turtle. Along its coastline are
numerous hidden coves with extensive, beautiful beaches and a
number of tiny, colorful, villages. Acklins
and Crooked Island are
separated by a shallow lagoon, known as Bight of Acklins. They are
two of the four islands forming an atoll which hugs the beautiful
shallow waters of the Bight of Acklins.
Bordered
by the nearly uninhabited Castle Island and Long Cay, they are as
natural as they were when The Bahamas was first
"discovered." Columbus reputedly sailed down the leeward
side of the islands through the narrow Crooked Island Passage,
which has ever since served as an important route for steam ships traveling
from Europe to Central and South America.
The bight of Acklins is more than
1000 square miles of shallow water. This is one of the largest
area of bonefish-flats in the Bahamas. Exploring this system of
flats, creeks, channels and mangrove marls could take a lifetime.
Acklins Island has many
interestingly named hamlets--Rocky Point, Binnacle Hill, Salina
Point, Delectable Bay, Golden Grove, Goodwill, Hard Hill, Snug
Corner, and Lovely Bay. Some Crooked Island sites have more
ominous names, such as Gun Point and Cripple Hill.
