Regatta Point

I chose George Town in the Exuma chain of the Bahamas because it is at the end of the line, but not over it, when it comes to commercial air and civilization. Regatta Point is the embodiment of this concept. Situated on an isolated cay that is connected to the island by a narrow causeway, the property is a step back in time to what the Bahamas used to be and still is in my mind. This is not Paradise Island or the Four Seasons; instead it is the epitome of relaxation and escape. There are no frills – only necessities. There is no polish – only the patina of a slower way of life. This year marks my third trip to Ms. Bottomly’s property where I will again sleep late and awake to the sound of waves and the occasional passing dingy on its way around the point to take provisions back to an anchorage. On the mornings I do rise early enough to see the sun low over Stocking Island, I’ll wander barefoot with a cup of coffee to the Adirondack chairs that sit at the tiny island’s edge where I’ll sip and stare at the golden reflections of sailboats bobbing in the harbour. Towards noon I’ll clamber aboard a Boston Whaler (tied up only steps from my room’s front door) and motor across the Harbour to Hamburger or Volleyball beach on Stocking Island for a conch burger or grouper and enough Kalik or Goombay Smash to slow down the rest of the afternoon. When the long shadows wake me from a hammock nap, I’ll motor back across the Harbour for a shower before heading into town for dinner at the P&P, Sam’s, Cheater’s or any number of other local places offering authentic, local Bahamian fare that takes as much time as the cooks and staff want to take to make it.