George Town and Stocking Island

Elizabeth Harbor is a beautiful spacious sheltered basin attracting a large contingent of cruising yachts. Since many boaters spend the winter season here, a unique society has evolved with its own activities and hierarchy.  On Stocking Island there are daily volleyball games, yoga, beach walks, a cruisers’ net on VHF giving news, weather, and announcements from local businesses, boaters, cruisers’ regatta committees; weekly Bible study, bridge club, Sunday Christian services on Stocking Island, regular AA meetings; restaurant specials with weekly barbecues and “rake and scrape” music; even Trivial Pursuit and Texas Holdem games.

The George Town settlement is accommodating to yachts, providing more concentrated facilities than anywhere else in the Exumas. There is great provisioning at the Exuma Market and free Wifi at Eddie’s restaurant and the BTC building. In George Town you can get free R/O town water at the dinghy docks.  If you need fuel gas or diesel, you can also get it at the dock by Jerry Cans, there is no official Marina so you have to use the gas station on land to get what you need.  It is kind of like going back in time, where you go to the town well for water every couple days. Although the store is pretty well stocked, it is also expensive for our taste, it is about twice as much for food here as in the US and the veggies & fruit are so so. George Town reminds me more of Marsh Harbor than Hope Town.  It is more of an industrial center for the people.  Stocking Island on the other hand is an island for the cruisers, with Chat & Chill being the center of town.

We can’t wait until this storm passes so we can get out of the boat and enjoy some of the activities.  There are also many hikes available on the island, if you love to explore nature, you will enjoy hiking and seeing what the island is all about.