Explore The Bahamas

Explore The Bahamashttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/explore/caribbean/the-bahamasExplore The Bahamashttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/explore/caribbean/the-bahamas/native-boat-regattas-in-the-bahamasRacing on locally built boats, the sailors in the annual National Family Island Regatta help keep The Bahamas' centuries-old seafaring traditions alive.2019-12-04T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/explore/caribbean/the-bahamas/native-boat-regattas-in-the-bahamashttps://www.worldnomads.com<p>In The Bahamas, the sea surrounds and nurtures each gem-like island. There are times when it tests a person’s mettle, tries their soul, and tempers both to produce a hardy breed of sailors who take pride in their power to live in harmony with the powers of the wind and waves. They are the Out Islanders. Here, seamanship is the measure of a person. They set out to sea in locally built boats of horseflesh (a strong local wood ideal for inner boat timbers), and heart pine. The tradition was born soon after The Bahamas were settled.</p> <ul> <li><a href="#history">History of the regatta</a></li> <li><a href="#regatta">The National Family Island Regatta</a></li> <li><a href="#trip-notes">Trip Notes</a></li> <li><a href="#podcast">Listen to the World Nomads Podcast: Caribbean</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="history">History of the regatta</h2> <p>The boatbuilding traditions here are strong. Each island community takes pride in its own unique craft. They range from Bimini “bonefishers” to Abaco dinghies to single-masted sloops and twin-masted schooners. There are few plans for these vessels, the construction and hull forms are passed down through many generations. In the early days the boats shared much with the boat-building traditions of West Africa. There are many characters among the boatmen, notably Mark Knowles on Long Island. Mark is the man to beat on the one day above all others that is paramount in the demonstration of prowess under sail – Race Day. They say he builds the fastest sloops in the Bahamas.</p> <p>I witnessed my first race day many years ago off Mangrove Cay, Andros Island. I loved sailing, but I was more fascinated by an undercurrent that ran through the regatta. It was rumored that the islander's knowledge of the winds and waters came to them from an ancient and magical connection upwelling from their African roots. They called it Scratch. Elsewhere in the Caribbean it is called Obeah or Santeria, and its roots are in Nigeria’s Voodoo traditions.</p> <p>Before the regatta, I gently raised the topic with the regulars at McPhee's Diner. Contestants gathered in this ramshackle collection of huts to eat, drink, and measure up the competition. I was directed to a man who slept on the settlement beach. He had but one arm and one leg. I found him late in the afternoon under a casuarina tree and we talked well into night over a bottle of Mount Gay rum. From him I learned that there had indeed been some “spell casting” in the weeks prior to the race. I was told exactly which sloop would win by using an offshore wind that would arise exactly at 3pm. The prediction was eerily and absolutely accurate.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/caribbean/regatta-boats-under-sail.jpg" /><figcaption>Traditional Bahamanian sailboats racing. Image credit: Getty Images / Jim Sugar</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="regatta">The National Family Island Regatta</h2> <p>Race Day is officially known as the National Family Island Regatta. The annual event began in 1954 with the intention of keeping Bahamian boat building and sailing traditions alive. The event has done its job. Mark Knowles learned boatbuilding from his grandfather and father. He’s typical of others who represent generations of local knowledge. More important still, many younger Bahamians are taking an active interest in the tradition, indicating that the future is pretty well assured.</p> <p>In August 2019, the impact of <a href="/travel-safety/worldwide/how-to-survive-a-hurricane">Hurricane Dorian</a> on the Abacos, especially Marsh Harbor, where boat building was centered for many years, put the viability of this tradition in question. But the storm was no match for the ongoing spirit of the regatta.</p> <p>There’s no better way to experience the breathtaking beauty of these semi-tropical waters, no better way of meeting the Bahamian Out Islanders and of getting to know their unique, seafaring culture than the regatta. Many will watch from the shore. Others will arrive early, get to know the regatta officials and the sailors – and perhaps get a spot on one of the fleet of official boats stationed on the start line. This is the best vantage point.</p> <p>Luckier still will be those cruising <a href="/travel-safety/caribbean/the-bahamas/adventure-tourism-in-the-bahamas">The Bahamas</a> in their own boats. Regatta officials often allow the visitor fleet to moor near the start line, in the very midst of the action. This is the single best way to enjoy the regatta. The event is a visual feast, a photographers dream, and a rare opportunity to experience a centuries-old tradition that is alive and well.</p> <h3>Getting there</h3> <p>Nassau, The Bahamas is served by major US airlines feeding into Florida and leaving from two major hubs, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Airlines and smaller charter services fly directly into Exuma International Airport from these hubs for approximately US $600 round trip. Schedules run throughout the week. In addition, ferry services and charter boats travel from Potters Cay in Nassau direct to Exuma, 35 miles south of New Providence. The air-conditioned ferry service costs as little as US $50. Charter flights cost around US $200 round trip.</p> <h3>Being there</h3> <p>The 635 Cays of the Exumas offer a wide variety of modern, quality accommodations, at least twenty with excellent reviews. Most are centered around Marsh Harbor.</p> <h2 id="podcast">Listen to the World Nomads Podcast: Caribbean</h2> <p>Learn about safety in Jamaica, bomba dancing in Puerto Rico, the hidden Dominican Republic, and more.</p> <iframe width="100%" height="190" src="https://webplayer.whooshkaa.com/episode/545890?theme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay"></iframe>Venture Minimalists/Flickr Creative Commons 0

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/explore/caribbean/the-bahamas/january-junkanoo-bahamasHeld on 26th December and 1st January each year. Bahamas’ national festival is a mass of energy, color and partying. Here's what to expect.2010-12-17T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/explore/caribbean/the-bahamas/january-junkanoo-bahamashttps://www.worldnomads.com<ul> <li><a href="#location"> Location </a></li> <li><a href="#dates"> Dates </a></li> <li><a href="#description"> Description </a></li> <li><a href="#participation"> Level of Participation </a></li> <li><a href="#essentials"> Essentials </a></li> <li><a href="#attractions"> Other Local Attractions </a></li> </ul> <h2 id="location">Location</h2> <p>The parade circuits around Bay and Shirley Sts in Nassau, Bahamas.</p> <h2 id="dates">Dates</h2> <p>1 January and 26 December.</p> <h2 id="description">Description</h2> <p>More funk than junk, Bahamas’ national festival is a mass of energy, colour and partying that roars through two nights of the year. Celebrated throughout the country, Junkanoo is at its wildest best in the capital city, Nassau, where the first ‘rush’ (as the parade is known) takes place on Boxing Day and the second on New Year’s Day. The latter parade attracts the largest crowds, with up to 50,000 people lining the streets.</p> <p>The parades begin at 2am and usually finish up around 8am. Standing amid the crowds on Bay or Shirley Sts, you’ll feel the music before you see its source…a frenzied barrage of whistles and horns overrides the jangle of cowbells, the rumble of drums and the blast of conch shells. Then the costumed revellers stream into view, whirling and gyrating like a kaleidoscope in rhythm with the cacophony.</p> <p>The most elaborate performers are the human parade floats, with costumes made from aluminium rods, cardboard, wire, crepe paper and contact cement that can weigh more than 90kg. The costumes depict exotic scenes and are adorned with myriad glittering beads, foils and rhinestones. Many marchers spend all year planning their costumes, keeping their designs a carefully guarded secret.</p> <p>Junkanoo is fiercely competitive and many marchers belong to ‘shacks’, groups that vie to produce the best performance, costume, dancing and music. Amid the many shacks, four major groups – the Valley Boys, Saxons Superstars, Roots and One Family – compete for the grand prize.</p> <p>The festival’s origins probably date back to the early 18th century in Ghana, and it evolved on the plantations of the British Caribbean among slaves who were forbidden to observe their sacred rites. The all-male casts hid their identities, following West African mask-wearing traditions. At first, Junkanoo was suppressed by the colonial governments, which feared it might get out of hand and lead to slave uprisings. On Jamaica and other islands, Junkanoo was suppressed to extinction, but in the Bahamas it became an integral part of the culture.</p> <p>There are several possible origins of the name Junkanoo, though most contend that the festival is named for John Canoe. He was either a tribal leader who demanded that his enslaved people be allowed to enjoy a festivity, or a Ghanaian chief actually involved in the slave trade.</p> <h2 id="participation">Level of Participation</h2> <p>3 – for the greatest involvement, skip the grandstands and join the throngs clambering for viewing positions along the streets.</p> <h2 id="essentials">Essentials</h2> <p>Grandstands line the parade route and tickets for seats go on sale a few weeks beforehand.</p> <h2 id="attractions">Other Local Attractions</h2> <p>Continue the Junkanoo experience by visiting the Junkanoo Expo on Prince George Wharf. Bask in the sun on Cable Beach, or on the famously white sands of Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island, home to the world’s most expensive hotel room (around US$25,000 a night) in the Atlantis Resort.</p> <p><strong>More Info:</strong> <a href="https://www.bahamas.com/junkanoo" target="_blank">The Junkanoo website</a> has festival and ticketing information.</p> 0