Rented a car and explored Eleuthera 2/11

It is Monday and we were getting bored - and in need of some supplies. The nearest town is 10 miles north and a "decent" grocery store was in Rock Sound. We decided to rent a car with a sticker smack in the middle of the windshield that said to "KEEP LEFT".  We purchased a tourist map of the island that lists only one road the Queen's Highway and set off to explore.

Our first stop was a bank and a quick visit to the grocery store to by non-perishables and check out the meat selection. Tom popped into the bank and replenished our funds and we went in search of "Sammie's" a place recommended for native food and lunch. We found the restaurant then went on down the road to a beach on the Atlantic ocean side. 

Down a long two track we came to the beach. Everything is very quite here but I did spy two American Oystercatchers, and found Nerites in the crevices of the limestone. Tom found a Lucine that was still hinged together, so my collection of shells was increased. We headed back to the restaurant, had sandwiches not a lot of native food on the menu  The coleslaw as different. Long shredded cabbage, carrots, sweet peppers in green and red, relish, or sweet pickles chopped up in a sweetened mayo dressing. It really was quite good. 

Next stop was the "World Famous Ocean Hole a natural blue hole that locals say is bottomless.  It actually is an inland salt water lake a mile from the ocean. Many people including Jacques Cousteau have looked for a connection but have been unsuccessful.

I took some interesting pictures of the fish and have tried to identify a few. It would be a neat place to go scuba diving. 

Back in the car we went to Governors harbor - it was the capital of the Bahamas at one time, then wanting to be back before 4 pm we turned around and headed back to Cool Hand. 

Tomorrow we will start our next leg, the norther part of the Exumas.

Tom  enjoying the beach

Nerites

Purple sea fan

American Oystercatchers

The Queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris) looks very similar to the closely relatedHolacanthus bermudensis, but the Queen angelfish has completely yellow tail, and a dark ringed spot on its forehead that looks almost like a crown. The ring that surrounds the spot is electric blue. As juveniles, the two species are very difficult to distinguish form each other.

may be a kind of snapper 

one of many Island roosters 

even got  one of the elusive butterflies