Marsh Harbour
Encyclopedia
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 revenues. A number of inns are located here. Although the town is not as large as New Plymouth or Hope Town
, it does have a shopping center and various other facilities not found in many Out Island settlements. Good water-taxi connections, as well, make this a popular place from which to explore offshore cays, including Man-O-War
and Elbow
." Boat rentals are available, as are bicycles and motor bikes.
The settlement lies on a peninsula just off the Great Abaco Highway, which runs south through Great Abaco to Cherokee Point and Little Harbour. North of town, the road becomes S.C. Bootle Highway, another smooth stretch that runs north and west toward Treasure Cay
and Little Abaco.
Marsh Harbour has the majority of services available in all of the Abacos, including a post office, bookstore, grocery stores, specialty shops, travel agencies, and laundries. Visitors come to boat, swim or snorkel, and stay at one of the lodges located near Bay Street on the waterfront, though some adventurers reserve a day or two to kayak
in the Marls on trips conducted by naturalist guides.
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...
, Bahamas, with a population of 5,314.
With more than five thousand residents, Marsh Harbour is the third largest town in The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
, and the main focus of tourism in the Abacos. Marsh Harbour is a shipbuilding center, but tourism accounts for most of its revenues. A number of inns are located here. Although the town is not as large as New Plymouth or 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....
, it does have a shopping center and various other facilities not found in many Out Island settlements. Good water-taxi connections, as well, make this a popular place from which to explore offshore cays, including Man-O-War
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...
and Elbow
Elbow Cay
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...
." Boat rentals are available, as are bicycles and motor bikes.
The settlement lies on a peninsula just off the Great Abaco Highway, which runs south through Great Abaco to Cherokee Point and Little Harbour. North of town, the road becomes S.C. Bootle Highway, another smooth stretch that runs north and west toward Treasure Cay
Treasure Cay
Treasure Cay, Bahamas is a small coastal community on the east coast of the island of Abaco in the Bahamas. Treasure Cay is approximately 165 miles due east of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States....
and Little Abaco.
Marsh Harbour has the majority of services available in all of the Abacos, including a post office, bookstore, grocery stores, specialty shops, travel agencies, and laundries. Visitors come to boat, swim or snorkel, and stay at one of the lodges located near Bay Street on the waterfront, though some adventurers reserve a day or two to kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
in the Marls on trips conducted by naturalist guides.
Notable Events in Marsh Harbour History
- On 25 August 2001, American R&B singer AaliyahAaliyahAaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
was among eight people killed in a fatal plane accident while departing Marsh Harbour AirportMarsh Harbour AirportMarsh 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...
after filming the music video for her song "Rock the BoatRock the Boat (Aaliyah song)"Rock the Boat" is an R&B song written by Static Major, Eric Seats and Rapture Stewart for Aaliyah's third studio album, Aaliyah . It was produced by Keybeats and released as the album's second single in North America in August 2001 and as the 3rd international single during the first quarter of...
." - Rhonda Lea Cornea Hull, Miss Commonwealth Bahamas 1985 is from Marsh Harbour, and she represented the Bahamas at the 1985 Miss World Pageant in London.
- Lolita Armbrister Monpetit, Miss Bahamas 1978 was born in Dundas Town, located on the outskirts of Marsh Harbour. She represented the Bahamas at the Miss Universe Pageant in 1979 in Perth, Australia.