To confirm a reservation, (maximum of 6 people) a deposit of $1,000 for each week you stay is required. The balance is due five weeks before you arrive and should include a $100 damage deposit. Mail is very slow to the Bahamas and this gives us time to notify our caretaker of your arrival, so he can meet you and take you to the house. Our caretaker will inform us if there was any other damage other than normal wear and tear and your deposit will be refunded. We do not allow pets.

In regard to cancellations, your deposit less $ 50 will be refunded, if we are notified no less that 120 days prior to the time reserved. If less than 120 days notice is given, the refund will depend on whether another renter can be obtained, which we are usually able to do. If you reserve two weeks, then the cancellation period is increased by 30 days.

When you tell us you are taking a time period, we will hold the house for you for 5 days for your deposit to arrive. We will then send you a letter confirming your deposit. When we receive your final payment we will send you additional information familiarizing you with the house, travel plans, maps, and how people can call you, etc.

About the House Our house is in the Hope Town Point area which encompasses the northern end of Elbow Cay. We are about 1 mile from the settlement, right on the water, on the Sea of Abaco side and all the homes in this area are owned by foreigners such as ourselves. There is a gazebo at the end of our dock with seating and a rope hammock, a great place to get out of the sun.

The walk from the settlement on the sand road is most pleasant, always with a view of the sea and past lovely homes and estates. About 250 yards before you get to our property, you will pass the Hope Town Point community dock in a protected lagoon.

Our private drive winds through the woods and flowering bushes to the house which is situated right at the edge of the sea. Surrounding the house are plantings of bougainvillea, oleander, hibiscus and other flowering bushes along with various hardwood trees and palms. The dense vegetation affords perfect privacy and there is a magnificent view from the front of the house which faces the sea..

The house sits on a 12' high rock bluff and our vista takes in the Hope Town Lighthouse, Parrot Cays, Marsh Harbor, Man-O-War Cay, Johnie's Cay, and the ocean reefs. A path carved out of the stone leads to our own L-shaped dock where you may leave your rented boat (most people rent a boat).

The steps carved into the bluff also take you down to our own small beach and into the water. The whole sea bottom in front of our property is clear white sand and varies from 1 and a half to 4 ft. deep out 150 feet from the water's edge. This is one of the things about our property that we enjoy the most - wonderful swimming right in front of our house.

You can wade all the way to the end of the island (about 1/4 mile) all over a sand bottom - a great way to meet the neighbors in the late afternoon.

Our high bluff plus the elevation of the house gives us wonderful breezes which blow right through. The house is central air-conditioned but all windows open and are screened and we have tropical fans in the bedrooms, living room, and on the porch.

From the drive you enter the side of our 40' long covered porch. On the porch is a table and chairs for outside dining, a sitting area, and chaise lounges. The house is melon color with white trim. You will love the 180 degree view of the multi-hued blues and greens of the clearest water you will ever see. The sunsets are unbelievable. You will discover that our dock at night, is a wonderful place to be. You have the feeling that you are sitting in the middle of the ocean and there is always a delightful breeze.

The house itself has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a large living and dining area, and a kitchen. All rooms have cathedral ceilings for an open, airy feeling.

The walls and wood ceiling are all "pickled" cypress with a light tan finish. The living/dining area, overlooking the sea, has a wall of glass windows and doors. The furniture is rattan and the whole house is beautifully decorated a la Fran. Almost all of the house has white ceramic tile flooring. The round rattan dining table seats six and overlooks the water through two glass walls. The entertainment center includes a stereo/radio/cassette player, playing cards, games, and a large selection of books. There are many interesting books about the Bahamas including two informative guide books for yachtsmen which will help you plan your days. There are also books about flora, shells, fish, and the stars. The large selection of tapes range from Mozart, to Big Band, to Calypso and the oldies. We also have an 18 inch satellite dish and TV with 15 movie channels, the networks, music, and many other channels. In the kitchen is a VHF radio which serves as a local telephone system. You can use it to make dinner reservations, for the ferry, or to entertain yourself by listening to all of the conversations.

The kitchen is very well equipped for almost any of your needs and includes a dishwasher, blender, a microwave, a coffee maker, and a toaster. There is a charcoal grill for your enjoyment (please leave hot coals in grill for at least 24 hours before throwing them into the garbage pail). We have 24 hour city electricity, as well as an auxiliary generator in case of a power failure. Two bedrooms have queen size beds and one bedroom has two singles.

Both baths have stall showers. The water is collected off the roof in a cistern under the house and we ask you to be as careful as possible about wasting water. Towels, linens, and blankets are supplied, but beach towels are not. Please bring your own. A lovely ocean beach is only a three minute walk from our property across the island.

Elbow Cay and the Abacos
The Abacos are 180 miles east of Miami and consist of 100 mile long Great Abaco Island and a string of small islands about 5 miles off its shore. Elbow Cay, with its settlement of Hope Town, is in the middle of this string of islands. The protected area between Great Abaco Island and the barrier islands is called the Sea of Abaco and is consistently listed as one of the best cruising areas in the whole world.

The first inhabitants arrived in the 1700's and the Wyannie Malone Museum in Hope Town is very informative about the early development of the town. Today's islanders are descendents of British Loyalists who fled the United States after England lost the Revolutionary War. Their accents still ring of England and are very pleasant to listen to.

Elbow Cay itself is a four mile long island with Hope Town near its northern end. It has a picturesque protected harbor and at the entrance stands the candy striped lighthouse which is a much photographed Out Island landmark. The village, located between a beautiful beach and the harbor, has perhaps 300 permanent residents and is reminiscent of a New England fishing village set in the tropics. Its main street, the Queen's Highway, is 8' wide and no cars are allowed in the village, There are two town docks for your use and a marina where gas can be purchased. There are three grocery stores (one with its own dock), a liquor store, a bank, a hardware store, and a small drug store, as well as several gift shops and artist studios. In town, the meeting place is the Harbour's Edge Restaurant and Bar. They have their own dock and you can pull your boat up next to your table. They serve lunch and dinner outside under their awning as well as inside. On Saturday nights they have a calypso band and everybody turns out for dancing. There is also Captain Jacks in their new building on the waterfront also serving lunch and dinner. Wednesday and Friday nights they have live music and dancing. The Hope Town Harbour Lodge is a wonderful spot for lunch with its beachside, outdoor patio under the palms. Have a swim in their fresh water pool when you stop by for a drink or lunch. They also serve dinner in their handsome dining room overlooking the harbor.

Down the island at White Sound is the Abaco Inn. This delightful small hotel at the ocean's edge serves lunch and dinner in a wonderful atmosphere. Feel free to stop by for a drink, lunch, or dinner and feel free to use their dock or their pool. Call them on the VHF for dinner reservations and menu selections. You can go there by your own boat or they will pick you up by van from the main public dock in Hope Town. Also in White Sound is the Sea Spray Resort with their own dock and serving lunch and dinner. We recommend their Grouper Royale. They will pick you up in Hope Town. Both the Hope Town Harbour Lodge and the Club Soleil serve a lovely Sunday Brunch.

You will love fresh baked Bahamian bread as well as key lime pie and other good stuff. Vernon Malone at Vernon's Grocery in town presides over Vernon's Upper Crust Bakery. Everything he makes is wonderful and you will be entertained by his signs. Fresh fish and crawfish can be purchased at the fish market across the street from Captain Jacks.

There is a clinic in town staffed by a resident nurse. Doctors are in Marsh Harbor and the local people are extremely helpful in the event of an emergency. Our caretaker, Willard Bethel, owns the Harbour View Grocery in town. I can generally comment that all the people of Abaco are very nice and you will feel welcome everywhere.

Things to Do
By now if you are not already familiar with the Abacos, you will have an idea that this is not Miami or Nassau. The Abacos are for those whose nighttime activities require no more than nice restaurants and an occasional Calypso band with dancing. Evenings are spent reading, playing games, listening to music, or watching TV. The Sea of Abaco is a protected body of water with miles and miles of calm sandy beaches and several quaint villages for you to explore. There are many places for you to cross the islands or take your boat to get to deserted ocean beaches. Snorkeling and skin diving can be done in shallow or deep water and the choices are numerous. For the true diving enthusiast, the reefs are magnificent with wrecks, two underwater marine parks, and miles and miles of reefs to explore on the ocean side of the islands. Combine this with the clearest water in the world and that spells beautiful diving. Fishing is great and includes: wahoo, grouper, snapper, marlin, tuna, sailfish, bonefish, and dolphin. Other species can be found just a short distance offshore. There are excellent local guides and charters available at reasonable prices. Tanks can be rented and filled at Froggies in Town.

Transportation and Customs
Continental (Gulfstream) and Bahamas Air from Ft Lauderdale and West Palm Bch. American Airlines from Miami.Vintage Props and Jets from Jacksonville, Daytona, and Melbourne. Various small airlines.

Ask when you depart from the US if you need to reconfirm your return flight. Bahamas customs allows you to bring food for your personal consumption (no fruit or vegetables). You can bring a cooler (great to have on your boat) with some meat and other goods to avoid the higher cost of groceries, but if you don't want to bother, the supermarkets in Marsh Harbour are well stocked. A taxi will take you from the airport to the ferry whose schedule may coincide with your flight. A ferry can be chartered at any time for US $ 90.00. At no extra charge the taxi will stop and let you do your shopping. Ask the driver to call and tell the ferry that you will be coming. The ferry will take you the three miles to the Hope Town public dock (near the post office) where our caretaker, Willard Bethel, will meet you and take you to the house. As an alternative, the ferry can drop you off at Island Marine where you can get your boat and then go directly to the house. Remember when you arrive on Saturday that stores in Hope Town will be closed on Sunday. You can get gas on Sunday from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon.

Golf Carts
We have a golf cart that is available for rent at an additional charge for $ 200 per week. This is less than is charged by the rental agency in town. The cart is used to get to town only and is not allowed in town unless you are handicapped and go through the necessary procedures. It has lights.

What to Bring
Beach towels, suntan lotion, hats, sunglasses, snorkeling gear, fishing equipment, any food, cooler, long sleeved shirts for sun protection, and flashlight. You will probably bring too many clothes. Days are in bathing suits and dining out is casual (no jackets for men). Bring a portable radio if you want one for the beach.

Boat Rental
We have an arrangement with Island Marine that provides boats for our guests at reduced rates. There are other places to rent boats but Island Marine does the best job. They are less than a mile from the house. The workhorse of the Abacos is the Boston Whaler. The 17 footer can take you anywhere and normally rents for $ 625 per week. Your special rate will be $ 575 per week. They also have 20 foot Man-O-War built boats which are really nice and your special rate is $ 875 a week. Your special rate will be $ 825 per week. They also have 23' Man O Wars at $1100 wk.
Your special rate is $1050. The boats are fully equipped and can be reserved by calling (242) 366-0282. Tell them you are staying at "Fran's Fancy".