Elbow Cay
Encyclopedia
Elbow Cay is a six-mile long cay
in the Abaco Islands
of the Bahamas. Originally populated by British loyalists fleeing the newly independent United States of America in 1785, it has survived on fishing, boat building, and salvage. Its main village of Hope Town
surrounds a protected harbor with a noted red and white striped 120 ft (36m) lighthouse built in 1863.
on Great Abaco Island. Most visitors fly into Marsh Harbour and take the ferry to either Hope Town at the Northern end of Elbow Cay or White Sound, a mid-island harbour and settlement developed in 1960. At the Southern end of the island is Tahiti Beach near Doros Cove. The Atlantic Ocean
runs along the entire Eastern coast of Elbow Cay while the South Abaco Sound is on the Western Coast.
Elbow Cay is between Man-O-War Cay
to the North and Tiloo Cay to the South. Lubbers Quarters Cay is West of the Southern End of Elbow Cay.
Indians earlier, the first known permanent residents arrived in 1785 in what was known as Great Harbour. Wyannie Malone, originally from Charleston, South Carolina
and other British Loyalists left the United States
for the nearest British territory in the Bahamas.
Elbow Cay and the Abacos were very isolated until the Marsh Harbour Airport
was built in 1959. Before that, the residents survived by fishing, limited trading, and salvage of ships wrecked on Elbow Reef. Since then, contact with the outside world has brought in additional residents and tourism.
Hopetown originally served as the administrative centre of the Abacos, until it switched over to Marsh Harbour in the 1960s
There is telephone service, but most residents depend on the VHF radios to communicate.
. It nearly cut a new inlet near White Sound. The road remains damaged to this day.
were filmed on the island for the Janitor and Lady's wedding. The lighthouse and other businesses were shown in the episode.
Cay
A cay , also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island formed on the surface of coral reefs. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans , where they provide habitable and agricultural land for hundreds of thousands of people...
in the Abaco Islands
Abaco Islands
The Abaco Islands lie in the northern Bahamas and comprise the main islands of Great Abaco and Little Abaco, together with the smaller Wood Cay, Elbow Cay, Lubbers Quarters Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Great Guana Cay, Castaway Cay, Man-o-War Cay, Stranger's Cay, Umbrella Cay, Walker's Cay, Little Grand...
of the Bahamas. Originally populated by British loyalists fleeing the newly independent United States of America in 1785, it has survived on fishing, boat building, and salvage. Its main village of Hope Town
Hope Town
Hope Town features one of the last operational kerosene-fueled lighthouses in the world. This lighthouse was built in 1862 and became operational two years later, it is striped horizontally red and white. Its light can be seen from away....
surrounds a protected harbor with a noted red and white striped 120 ft (36m) lighthouse built in 1863.
Geography
Elbow Cay is located about 4 miles East of Marsh HarbourMarsh Harbour
Marsh Harbour is a town in Abaco Islands, Bahamas, with a population of 5,314.With more than five thousand residents, Marsh Harbour is the third largest town in The Bahamas, and the main focus of tourism in the Abacos. Marsh Harbour is a shipbuilding center, but tourism accounts for most of its...
on Great Abaco Island. Most visitors fly into Marsh Harbour and take the ferry to either Hope Town at the Northern end of Elbow Cay or White Sound, a mid-island harbour and settlement developed in 1960. At the Southern end of the island is Tahiti Beach near Doros Cove. The Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
runs along the entire Eastern coast of Elbow Cay while the South Abaco Sound is on the Western Coast.
Elbow Cay is between Man-O-War Cay
Man-O-War Cay
Man-O-War Cay is a small island in the Abaco region of the Bahamas.It has a population of about 300 Bahamian residents and about 135 foreign resident families. During the summer some local houses are rented by vacationing families that have a reputation as good house guests...
to the North and Tiloo Cay to the South. Lubbers Quarters Cay is West of the Southern End of Elbow Cay.
History
Although visited by LucayanLucayan
The Lucayan were the original inhabitants of the Bahamas before the arrival of Europeans. They were a branch of the Taínos who inhabited most of the Caribbean islands at the time. The Lucayans were the first inhabitants of the Americas encountered by Christopher Columbus...
Indians earlier, the first known permanent residents arrived in 1785 in what was known as Great Harbour. Wyannie Malone, originally from Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and other British Loyalists left the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for the nearest British territory in the Bahamas.
Elbow Cay and the Abacos were very isolated until the Marsh Harbour Airport
Marsh Harbour Airport
Marsh Harbour Airport is an airport serving Marsh Harbour, a town in the Abaco Islands in The Bahamas.Marsh Harbour is a major tourist attraction in the Bahamas. The airport serves Nassau and a few Florida cities...
was built in 1959. Before that, the residents survived by fishing, limited trading, and salvage of ships wrecked on Elbow Reef. Since then, contact with the outside world has brought in additional residents and tourism.
Hopetown originally served as the administrative centre of the Abacos, until it switched over to Marsh Harbour in the 1960s
Today
Hopetown is the largest settlement which contains several grocery stores including Vernons Grocery run by a descendent of Wyannie Malone, rental properties and restaurants. The Hopetown Harbour Lodge is the largest hotel on the island at the south part of Hopetown. Cars and golf carts can drive up to, but not through Hopetown. Further south, there are more residences and rental properties spread out along the roads to the narrow part of the island near White Sound. The Abaco Inn and Seaspray properties offer rooms and restaurants. At the Southern end of the island is Tahiti Beach with a beautiful sand beach and nearby snorkelling in Tiloo Cut, the inlet separating Elbow Cay from Tiloo Cay.There is telephone service, but most residents depend on the VHF radios to communicate.
Hurricane Floyd
Elbow Cay suffered significant damage in 1999 from Hurricane FloydHurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached...
. It nearly cut a new inlet near White Sound. The road remains damaged to this day.
In popular culture
The episodes My Soul on Fire (Part 1 and 2) of ScrubsScrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
were filmed on the island for the Janitor and Lady's wedding. The lighthouse and other businesses were shown in the episode.