Category Archives: Bahamas

Where are you taking Amy for your 30th anniversary?

The Bahamas, I answered.

Oh my! Youre going to love Atlantis.

My mind suddenly filled with visions of turbocharged slides rocketing screaming kids under shark-filled pools, while sea turtles languidly swam through massive saltwater tanks tugging signs advertising the all you can eat conch fritters.

Uh...well, we wont be going to Atlantis.

Not us. Weve been to Disney World many times so why bother with a Bahamian version? We wanted to see the real Bahamas, up close and personal. For years weve seen the commercials and advertisements and often wondered; is the water really that blue, that clean, that amazing? Are the people really that friendly? Are the starfish really that big?

Six months ago, with our 30th anniversary on the horizon, we started to plan our trip and we knocked around a multitude of ideas and destinations; and we both kept coming back to the tropics. Weve never been to the Caribbean and the thought of sinking our toes into a place that keeps time with the tides, where the sea is the clock, where we could relax and enjoy the peace and serenity that only a natural setting offers, was just too intriguing. And as we looked around, we were captivated by the Instagram account of Katie Storr. Shes a dive master for Stuart Coves Dive Bahamas and her underwater photos sold us on the Bahamas. Yeah, we wanted to do that.

Katie Storr

So we made our plans and blocked off our calendars. We would stay at Sandyport Beach Resort, go bird watching with Scott Johnson, Science Officer with the Bahamas National Trust, snorkel on Sandyports beach, take a cooking class at the Graycliff Hotel, find the best bar in Nassau, seek out Bahamian cuisine, take in the Bahamas Art Gallery, take a seaplane ride to Carriearl Hotel on Great Harbor, jump into a blue hole, snorkel some more, and finally go diving with the folks at Stuart Coves. After wed made our plans and were counting the days until our trip, the owners of Carriearl reached out to us and asked if wed mind being their guest chefs on our first night there.

Are you freakin kidding me!?

So how did it all go and what did we learn that would be of assistance to those planning their own Bahamas adventure? Well for one we brought too many pairs of underwear. Ill explain later.

We arrived at Lynden Pindling airport via American Airlines. We flew out of Charlotte, NC, on a day filled with rotten weather across the southeast and we had a relatively bumpy flight dodging thunderheads until we were a few miles off the coast of Florida. The weather broke and the clouds and turbulence gave way to a gorgeous blue sky and water that turned slowly from almost black to a shimmering turquoise. Bahamas means shallow sea, a name given by Christopher Columbus (yeah, that guy), and if youve never been to the Bahamas, the sight of that water can really bring out the child in an adult. As we eased below ten thousand feet and the vista opened up, animated voices filled the aircraft.

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Now to find an Uber. Uh...first lesson learned, Uber hasnt made it to the Bahamas, and there are no taxi services, only private taxis. Each taxi is independent so if youre staying at a hotel, or an AirBnb, the manager will have a few taxis he or she prefers. As the Bahamas are surrounded by 20 mph salt-laden air, the cars tend to look like outcasts of the latest Transformers movie. And they drive on the wrong side of the road so our first impression of the Bahamas was a bit of culture shock.

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We drive on the proper side of the road, John. So claims our friend Serena Williams. If you dont know, this group of islands was a British territory until 1973 and apparently the British left behind so many right-hand drive vehicles and wrong-side-of-the-road drivers, it made sense to continue driving on the wrong side of the road.

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Just enjoy the ride and marvel at the scenery.

photo courtesy Sandyport Resort

Our first three days were spent at Sandyport Beach Resort. If youre looking for a shimmering steel and glass hotel where a bucket of ice costs $5.00 ($6.50 with tip), look elsewhere. Sandyport is about five miles from downtown and an equal distance from the airport. Their rooms are tailored for those of us a little more self-sufficient. Theres a laundry, fully stocked kitchenettes and three or four restaurants within walking distance. Many more if you dont mind a miles walk. And the beach is but a very short walk away. Prior to check-in, Serena brought us to a local market and we grabbed a few necessities and some spectacular fresh grouper steaks for dinner, or breakfast.

Aaahhh, Mr. and Mrs. Malik, welcome to Sandyport.

Vernon Moss welcomed us with a disarming smile and a beefy handshake. The hotels General Manager, he was also our concierge and de facto guide during our stay. Hes a native Bahamian and happy to share the ins, outs and quirks of the Bahamas. Our second day we were scheduled to fly to Andros via a local airline with a 6:45 am departure. He wisely recommended arriving an hour prior to departure. As it was, we departed 25 minutes early. Why? Because all the passengers were there. Thanks, Vernon.

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Check in, had a quick look around, then into shorts and off to the beach.

And its breathtaking. The water is, well, see for yourself. This is about six feet of water beneath our Keens and we could count the scales on the yellowtail Snappers swimming beneath us.

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Two hours into our vacation and this is our first view from the beach. The bartender actually said its a bit hazy today, maybe tomorrow its going to be really beautiful.

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Sandyport is more than a hotel. Theres condos, apartments, shops and businesses and theyre all connected by a small harbor. The view from the balcony is worth the price of admission. From here we saw a multitude of fish, rays, birds, and even sea turtles. We were told a manatee and her calf were in the harbor but we didnt see them.

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After lunch at the Blue Sail, also right on the beach, the staff at Sandyport offered us snorkeling gear and we were off to the water. If youve never snorkeled, the Bahamas are a great place to learn. The water is clean enough that when you gulp down a quart, you wont become ill. Try doing that on an Atlantic beach and you might end up in ICU. And because the water is so shallow, theres very little in the form of waves, so you wont be dodging surf boards. The small rock jetty at Sandyport provided a haven for all manner of sea life including snappers, grunt, angelfish, sea stars, barracudas, porcupine fish...I could keep going. Complimentary snorkel gear, a three minute walk to the beach and after a few minutes in the water, and we were swimming through a massive saltwater aquarium.

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Wed been in the Bahamas less than three hours and we were already on sensory overload. It was time for a drink and we didnt have to go far, The Blue Sail Cafe, owned by Chef Jacques Carlino, a Frenchman with a penchant for turning out amazing pastries, is right there. And with this view, why get into a taxi?

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The lunch menu looked familiar to anyone thats dined at a country club in the states. A variety of sandwiches, burgers, cold salads and macaroni & cheese. Wait a minute...I thought I was in the Caribbean? Where were the mangos, papayas, pineapples, etc?

Sorry, Chef. This is the West Indies, not the Caribbean, and theres very little agriculture so not much locally grown fruits and vegetables. So we settled on the wood fired pizza and to our surprise, it was pretty damn good. And who knew that the local brew, Kalik, would pair so well with sunshine and pizza?

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Soon we were back in the water for another swim because we wanted to earn our massage. We dont do yoga poses or juice cleanses, but were all about a real massage. And Sandyport has a great masseuse and an amazing setting for that massage.

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Eventually we did make it to downtown Nassau for a tour and a visit to the Graycliff Hotel and a cooking class with their chef, Elijah Bowe. Many years ago, Chef Bowe spent time in south Louisiana working for Chef John Folse, so we had plenty to talk about. Like myself, he is a disciple of Chef Paul Prudhomme. Chef Bowe is a natural showman, he engaged with us readily and entertained us with vignettes of his career and life in the Bahamas. He provided a station for each of us to join in on making conch chowder, snapper en papilotte, Caribbean slaw, and macaroni & cheese. The Graycliff is perhaps the most well-known restaurant in the Tropics due to their 200K+ bottle wine list.

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Murray Sweeting

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Our class was a three plus hour affair and if youre one for cooking classes and having fun in a professional kitchen, youll certainly enjoy this. After our class it was time for a walk around downtown Nassau.

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That evening, Vernon Moss and his wife took us to the Fish Fry neighborhood for Bahamian cuisine. Finally were going to have something local and authentic. And the menu is closer to a Calabash, NC fish house than what I was expecting. Fried fish, and shrimp, and conch, and wings, and burgers. French fries, slaw, and again macaroni & cheese. Vernon senses my disappointment and explains how everything on the islands, save for the two local beers and rums, must come in on a boat or barge. Theres very little industry in the Bahamas, and thats one of the reasons why the water is so clear. Tourism is the main industry and the Atlantis resort is the second largest employer, second only to the government.

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Alright I understand the limitations of transportation. However, if were going to stuff a barge full of french fries and hot house tomatoes, we could just as easily be sailing in tropical fruit and vegetables. For the life of me I was dumbfounded as to why someone wasnt serving or at least trying to create Bahamian cuisine. Sure we had delicious conch dishes but I couldnt see a distinct cuisine. Macaroni & cheese? Sorry my friends but theres nothing about that dish that can lay any sort of geographical stamp to the Bahamas, or the West Indies. Yet it was everywhere. Yes we had delicious food at the Graycliff and the conch chowder, conch salad, poached snapper en papillote, and guava duff felt very Bahamian/Caribbean but that was it as far as local dishes. Everywhere we went we were greeted with burgers, fries, pizza, etc. The place that several Bahamians recommended to us, Oh Andros, served us a mountain of fries, rice, Cole slaw, and macaroni and cheese with some amazingly fresh grilled snapper. Alright, I understand its tough to grow anything and most of the tourist clientele are Americans but how come some Bahamian chef hasnt stepped up and defined a true Bahamian cuisine?

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So if youre looking for a fine meal in the Bahamas, youll end up at an Italian or French themed restaurant. On one of our evening forays into Nassau, we spent a pastoral hour at the bar at Cafe Matisse. BJ Ramsay, their bartender, has the perfect antidote for a hectic afternoon downtown. Hes the bartender that every fine restaurant should have, a knowledgeable and engaging soul with an appreciation for spirits. After asking me if I prefer Scotch or Bourbon, (Bourbon) he poured me a glass of locally produced, wood-aged Jab sugar cane rum. And damn was it good. Notes of dried fig, fresh apricot, hints of white pepper and vanilla bean, and that sweetness of cane. Ive now got a small bottle in my personal bar.

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When we left Cafe Matisse, it was about 6:00 pm. And downtown Nassau had rolled up the sidewalks. We learned that when the cruise ships are docked, Nassau can be teeming with activity. When the ships whistle blows at 4:00 pm, most of the shops close up, too. So other than dining, theres not much going on by 5:00 pm.

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And heres the reason theres little agriculture on the Bahamas. Unlike the volcanic islands of the Caribbean, the Bahamas are limestone and the topsoil is rather shallow. Theres plenty of elevation on New Providence (the island thats home to Nassau) and in some places, one can walk or drive through small rises of it.

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On our fourth day we headed out to Carriearl Hotel on Great Harbor Cay courtesy Tropic Ocean Airways. When we first thought about a tropical vacation, Carriearl was what we had in mind. A small hotel (four rooms) on a small, quiet island with little distraction save for the water and adult beverages. So when the opportunity to stay at Carriearl came around, we were all in.

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On a trip of many firsts for us, perhaps my favorite was the seaplane flight. Our pilots were professional and courteous and entertained all of my questions on our ride, while Amy and Serena enjoyed the ride from the cheap seats. During our thirty minute ride, the visual majesty of the Bahamas was on full display. Shades of turquoise, sapphire, crystal, and indigo floated across our field of vision. In every direction, stretched out to the horizon, the water shimmered and glistened like a Monet in motion. Soon we were over Great Harbor. We flew parallel to the island, spotted our hosts on the beach, then cut across the island and landed perpendicular to the beach. When we touched, the water dispersed by the floats sparkled like diamonds in the sun.

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We taxied up to the beach, the engine was cut then Kent and Jack tugged the Cessna in backwards while Marty and his son Oliver helped us off. Seriously this may be perhaps the coolest thing Ive done.

From there it was a short walk up the beach to Carriearl.

So how do I accurately describe a visit to Carriearl? Again, if youre looking for Disney-style vacation, then Carriearl is not for you. Great Harbor Cay is sparsely populated, theres not really any night life, no theaters, no museums or attractions to speak of.

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However, if youve fantasized of spending real downtime, with 48 hours or more to do as little as possible and do it on the prettiest, quietest beach in this hemisphere, then Carriearl is waiting for you. Their restaurant is open six days a week and the bar is open seven, of course. Go for a swim, then grab a book off their shelf, a beer or rum at the bar then disappear into the luxury that only solitude can supply.

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While our bedroom had an excellent air-conditioner, we spent a lot of time in their common room, which was anything but. In the morning, Marty would open up the expansive glass doors and the dining room/sitting area became an extension of the beach. Of our three days there, the highs were in the mid 80s with a steady sea breeze.

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Angie & Marty have owned Carriearl for 12 years and only turned it into a hotel in 2012. Built in 1965 by Earl Blackwell, New Yorks Mr. Celebrity and the publisher of the Celebrity Register. Named after his parents, Carrie and Earl, its easily the most memorable hotel weve visited. Since we arrived on a Saturday and we were their guest chefs for the evening, we didnt have much time for lounging. We had a busy night in front of us, two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts had to be prepped. When we agreed to do this, we didnt ask for anything special in the kitchen. Great Harbor is no different than the rest of the Bahamas, plenty of great seafood but very little locally grown anything. So along with chef Edison Lightbourne, we went to work on the nights menu.

Amy Malik

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Chef had some local shrimp, lots of sweet and spicy red peppers, garlic, onions, and romaine lettuce and that became grilled romaine lettuce with pickled shrimp and a spicy rouille. The loaves of whole wheat bread, English peas, lemon, fresh mozzarella, and pea shoots were turned into Welsh Rarebit with an English pea and lemon puree. And my bride turned almonds, eggs, and fresh mint into Almond macaroons with mint buttercream and vanilla ice cream. By 7:00 pm their dining room had filled with that happy sound of satisfied diners. Its a combination of forks on plates, of glasses being hoisted, of bread being buttered and wine being opened and for those of us behind the scenes, we often judge the satisfaction level of our guests just by the tempo of the dining rooms melody.

The next morning one of our guests, Steve Johnson, the local harbormaster, took us (and his friends Jay and Karen Campbell) on a trip across the sea to Hoffmans Cay where we snorkeled through spectacular water and caught enough conch for us to make a heavenly lunch of conch salad. As conch are over fished by commercial operators, Steve was careful to make sure we only used the larger conch, and we only used what we needed.

Jay Campbell

Jay Campbell

Jay Campbell

Jay Campbell

After a long day of boating and fishing and swimming, we were grateful for the comfort of Carriearl, the cold beer and the hospitality of Angie & Marty. Did I mention theyre British? On Sunday evenings, Chef Lightbourne prepares a classic English Sunday dinner of roast beef, Yorkshire pudding (popovers to you and me), and roasted vegetables. Sure it feels out of place, but so what? It was an amazing dinner, expertly prepared and graciously served.

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Remember how I mentioned taking too much underwear? Well on this leg of our Bahamian adventure, we admitted to bringing too much clothing. If youre headed to the Bahamas, its likely you wont need but one pair of dressy clothes. A nice pair of pants and shirt for the gents, a black dress for the ladies. Its warm and a bit humid in the Bahamas so keep it casual, dress loose and light. Shorts, loose clothing, walking shoes and a swimsuit. And a wide brimmed hat, too. The sun is relentless and theres plenty of shallow water and shiny sand for the suns rays to bounce off of, so bring your sunscreen. Keep in mind that snorkeling is a great way to fry ones scalp so lube up that head as well. Our hotels had a solid supply of snorkeling gear and likely the other ones do as well so we didnt bother bringing any, even though friends offered to loan it.

Seriously though, when youre hanging out at a bar with this view, youre not going to care what youre wearing.

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Carriearl harkens back to a different time. Its an oasis in the middle of the sea; a simple, rustic retreat thats delightfully luxurious and properly British. Even though theres WiFi, we tried to stay off it. Because one can always get on Facebook, but a view like this was only going to be ours for a few days. And in those few days, we swam and danced across the prettiest, most secluded beach weve seen, swam with an amazing collection of fish and sea life including a barracuda, jumped into the deepest blue hole, enjoyed wonderful meals, and made friends for life.

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Enjoy this video I made to showcase our flight and stay at Carriearl.

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The Bahamas, for Two - HuffPost

Related article: Students serve overseas

Contributed photo

Taking part in the Social Circle Serves trip to the Bahamas recently were, from left, assistant principal Craig Hargrove; students Mikey Holmes, Logan Smith, Noah Guerra and Travis Parr; chaperone Kristi Parr; students Chad Helton, Mariah Robinson, Alexis Gaither and Jackson Davis and technology director Todd Hilton. They're standing on the Glass Window Bridge on Eluthera, Bahamas.

Contributed photo

Members of the Social Circle Serves Club work during their trip to the Bahamas.

Contributed photo

Social Circle rising freshmen Jackson Davis, Mariah Robinson, Chad Helton and Noad Guerra, along with Bahamas native Paul Munroe and chaperone Kristi Parr mix concrete for the slab of a home being built during a Social Circle Serves work trip.

Contributed photo

Social Circle City Schools technology director Todd Hilton works with Bahamas residents as they prepare a concrete slab on a home during a Social Circle Serves trip.

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Social Circle Serves works in the Bahamas - Walton Tribune

JUPITER

The day before Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen rode out from the Jupiter Inlet to the Atlantic Ocean in July 2015 for what would be the last time, the boys messaged at least one friend to ask if the friend wanted to come along fishing the following day.

Me and Austin r (siq) crossing to the Bahamas tomorrow come with us, Cohen wrote in an Instagram message to a friend, according to court documents.

Another friend of Austin Stephanos told investigators that same day the 14-year-old boys had been talking about heading out to the Bahamas, but decided it was too rough that day.

The interviews, accounts and messages are part of a December court filing in the civil-court proceeding over Austin Stephanoss recovered cellphone, which was found when the 18-foot boat was recovered near Bermuda nearly eight months after the Tequesta teens disappeared. The documents were intended to compel a judge to let Cohens family have access to any information on Austin Stephanoss cellphone, though Apple was not able to recover anything from the iPhone. The case remains open.

The new details come after recent developments in the case and nearly two years after the pair steered into a storm on the Atlantic. Though the boat and their life vests were eventually found, the boys were never seen again.

On Monday, Cohens family said it was considering a civil lawsuit days after a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigative report was released stating the agency found Stephanoss mother, Carly Black, had been negligent and recommended charges. The State Attorney did not go forward with charges.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report released Thursday said a weather-related incident was to blame in the boys disappearance. Originally it was speculated that something may have happened to the boats engine, but investigators discovered the engine was still working when the boat took on water.

Throughout interviews and documents, Cohens family insists the Stephanos family knew their son was not allowed to go out to the ocean without another adult present. The Stephanos family said he couldnt have tried to go out there because he knew that there had to be two boats or two engines to head out that far.

But the boys actions and their conversations the day before their journey seem to show otherwise.

On July 23, 2015, Stephanos and Cohen were preparing for a trip. Though they wanted to go out to the Bahamas that day, Stephanos told at least one friend, who was later interviewed by investigators, that it was too rough that day, so theyd try the next, according to the document. When he talked about a fishing trip to his grandfather, who gifted him the 1977, single-engine boat, the man asked him how much gas he needed, then left him a $100 bill. Investigators would later find out the pair bought $122 worth of fuel.

Perry, meanwhile, asked another friend if he wanted to join over Instagram, saying they wouldnt check in, referring to skipping customs to get to the Bahamas. A map given to investigators by one of the boys friends detailed a path the teens might have tried to take that day.

That night, Perry asked his stepfather, Nicholas Korniloff, if he could use his GPS on the boat because Stephanos was looking to buy one. Though Korniloff protested at first, saying there wasnt a mount for it in the boat, he eventually said they could have it.

Its not going to work. But if (you) need to satisfy your curiosity, go ahead, Korniloff remembered telling him, according to the report.

The following day, July 24, after the boys stopped by the home of Stephanos grandmother to pick up supplies, filled up with gas and headed out of the inlet into a brewing storm, Stephanos shared a photo on Snapchat: three fishing roads stick out the back of a boat with the words Peace Out Jup written across it.

Another friend of the teens told investigators that when someone said, Peace out Jup, it usually meant they were headed to the Bahamas.

Staff researcher Melanie Mena contributed to this story.

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Missing Florida teens: Messages, maps point to trip to Bahamas - Palm Beach Post

Chanel Iman and her boyfriend, New York Giants football player Sterling Shepard, escaped from their busy city lives for a weekend away at the One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas . Beach bummingBahamas, Chanel Iman captioned one cute snapshot on her Instagram, the image showing the model getting a piggyback ride from Shepard. The photogenic pair enjoyed a dinner at Dune by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, dined on the beach, and relaxed in the spa.

Chanel Iman and her athletic beau aren't the first high-profile pair to make an appearance at the Nassau resort. Jay Z and Beyonc are rumored to love the place, Angela Bassett and Kerry Washington are fans, and the property, where all rooms include private butler service, was even featured in Casino Royale. Each accommodation, whether it be a beachfront room or suite or an expansive villa residence, comes with a walk-in steam shower and a bath big enough for two.

Nickolas Sargent

Nickolas Sargent

Nickolas Sargent

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Chanel Iman Enjoyed a Romantic Weekend Away at This Stunning Bahamas Resort - Architectural Digest

A sun worshipper in Granary Square, central London, on Sunday. Photograph: Amer Ghazzal/Barcroft Images

Temperatures in some parts of the UK exceeded those in Los Angeles and the Bahamas on Monday as the hottest day of the year so far gripped the country.

Temperatures rose to a sweltering 32.4C in parts of greater London in the afternoon, just above the 32.1C highs of the weekend. Most of England and Wales was affected by the hot weather, which was made particularly sweaty by the absence of a breeze, though the north of England and Scotland saw cooler, cloudier conditions.

Emma Sharples, a spokeswoman at the Met Office, said: Heatwave is a funny term we dont really have a definition of it in the UK but none of us can deny it has been a prolonged period of hot weather, and night-time temperatures have been quite unusually high, which can also be the cause of potential health problems, as well as a lot of restless nights.

Public Health England has issued an amber heat alert until Wednesday, one tier below level four, which marks a national emergency.

The warm, dry weather contrasts with the heavy rain that dominated the final weeks of June last year, causing treacherously muddy conditions at the Glastonbury festival, where the highest temperature recorded for the month was just 28C. The forecast for Glastonbury this year looks considerably dryer, but still variable, with the Met Office advising people to bring both suncream and wellies.

The hottest day of the year could also still be to come, with predictions that the south of England could have temperatures of 34C on Wednesday and Thursday.

Traditionally, youd expect to get these sorts of temperatures much later on in the summer, in late July and August, but were seeing high temperatures already, said Sharples. And weve already had a fine spell of weather in May.

The unusually warm weather is due to an air mass coming from the tropical parts of the Atlantic, around the Azores islands, while at the same time the very hot conditions across France and Spain last week are being pushed northwards.

As the wind changes direction on Wednesday, there will be no respite from the heat. Sharples warned people to expect a few more sweaty, sleepless nights until Friday, with temperatures remaining high even after the sun has set. Night-time temperatures on Sunday and Monday hovered at around 24C.

There will be some thunderstorms across the north on Wednesday and a few showers, though they will get no further south than the Midlands.

The temperatures look set to drop by next weekend, however, as the cool air comes down from Scotland over Manchester and the north of England on Thursday, and over the London and the south-east by Friday.

While the prolonged heatwave will give a welcome boost to sales of sunscreen, ice cream and fans, it also comes with a health risk for the ill, vulnerable and elderly. The 10-day heatwave in 2003 resulted in about 2,000 heat-related deaths, and 680 people died during the long spell of hot weather in 2006.

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Heatwave temperatures in UK higher than Los Angeles and Bahamas - The Guardian

June 19, 2017 15:20 ET | Source: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism

photo-release

NASSAU, Bahamas, June 19, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Bahamas was presented the 2016 Caribbean Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Award for Outstanding Country Promotion, the first award of its kind for the region. The Sapphire Pegasus Award is a symbol of gratitude for the superb performance in an industry segment where mediocrity is unacceptable.

The award was introduced to the region during the Caribbean Aviation Meetup in St. Maarten, June 13-15. Based on expert advice and the long record of outstanding performance, we decided that The Bahamas should be awarded for the excellent promotion of the Caribbean over a longer period of time in the business aviation industry, said Antonia Lukacinova, founder of the Sapphire Pegasus Awards.

It is not just about the presence and presentations at international conferences and exhibitions, but also about the available online information and hardcopy documentation. The explanations are so well done and comprehensive that they hardly leave an opening for questions. We believe that this needs to find international recognition and honoring.

Director General in The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, Joy Jibrilu, was presented with the award on Tuesday, June 13 during the Caribbean Aviation Meetup in St. Maarten. She also delivered the keynote address at the aviation conference.

I am excited and thrilled by the announcement that The Bahamas has won the award for our outstanding promotion in business aviation. We at The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation work tirelessly to create new strategic partners in key markets across the world to increase airlift and new routes to the country. That is our goal. We also go above and beyond to promote our destination and position ourselves as the best in the region. As a team, we have accomplished many mammoth tasks and this award is vindication of that hard work. Thank you, Mrs. Jibrilu said.

The Sapphire Pegasus Awards are a unique series of international business aviation awards and are given for the outstanding performance by companies or individuals in the business aviation sector. The finalists are nominated by companies and individuals in the business aviation sector.

The Sapphire Pegasus Awards started out by recognizing the outstanding performance of companies, teams and business individuals from the EMEA region and Russia. This is the first year that four awards are being given out for excellence in the Caribbean.

About The Bahamas

The Islands Of The Bahamas have a place in the sun for everyone. Each island has its own personality and attractions for a variety of vacation styles with some of the worlds best golfing, scuba diving, fishing, sailing, boating, as well as, shopping and dining. The destination offers an easily accessible tropical getaway and provides convenience for travelers with preclearance through U.S. customs and immigration, and the Bahamian dollar is on par with the U.S. dollar. Do everything or do nothing, just remember Its Better in The Bahamas. For travel packages, activities and accommodations information, call 1-800-Bahamas or visit http://www.Bahamas.com. Look for The Bahamas on the web on Facebook Twitter and YouTube

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Bahamas wins new business aviation award - GlobeNewswire (press release)

On May 15, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that the next U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas will be a rich, ultraconservative real estate developer and hotel owner who became a media figure in his sixties, has fathered a large family, and opposes same-sex marriage as an affront to traditional marriage but divorced his wife to marry a much younger woman from the former Soviet blocjust like Donald Trump. This Trump doppelganger is Doug Manchester, who contributed early and heavily to Trumps presidential campaign and is being rewarded with the Bahamas nomination. Manchester already has a home in the Lyford Cay gated community on Bahamas New Providence Island.

Manchester, who insists on being called Papa Doug, backed Trump early, donating $50,000 to the Make America Great Again PAC in 2015. Both he and his second wife, Geniya Derzhavina Manchester, gave $454,800 to pro-Trump PACs. Manchester also helped organize several fundraisers, was a Trump delegate to the Republican convention, and donated $1 million to Trumps inauguration.

Just two weeks after Trumps inauguration, Manchester gushed that for the first time, a true capitalist is in the White House, an incredibly smart man with a big heart and an amazing family.

Born June 3, 1942, in Los Angeles, California, Douglas Frederick Manchester grew up in Coronado, California; Pueblo, Colorado; and San Diegos Pacific Beach neighborhood, where his father managed an apartment building. He graduated La Jolla High School in 1961, and earned a B.S. in Business at San Diego State University in 1965, where he worked as an insurance salesman. Also in 1965, Manchester married his girlfriend, Betsy Eldredge, with whom he eventually had five children.

After college, Manchester went into real estate, founding the Manchester Financial Group in 1970. Over the years, Manchesters company built a number of big buildings in San Diego, including First National Bank Center, the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina, the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel San Diego, and the Fairmont Grand Del Mar luxury resort. Manchester also founded two banks, the La Jolla Bank and Trust Company and La Jolla Pacific Savings Bank.

But in 2008, life started getting difficult for Manchester. He donated more than $125,000 to California Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage, claiming that his Catholic faithleads me to believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. His activism for Prop 8, which passed in 2008, but later was ruled unconstitutional, led gay rights groups to boycott Manchesters hotels. Manchester eventually apologized, offering $125,000 in cash and hotel credit to same-sex rights groups, saying hes against gay marriage, not gays and lesbians.

In a stroke of irony, in October 2008just a month before the Prop 8 voteManchester left his wife of 43 years, who filed for divorce in June 2009. After several years of hardball litigationBetsy alleged that Papa Doug drained their joint bank accounts and opened her mailtheir divorce was finalized November 7, 2013. Just six weeks after the demise of his traditional marriage, on December 21, 2013, Doug Manchester, age 71, married Geniya Derzhavina, a 38-year-old Siberian.

Also in 2013, Manchester got himself and his business into hot water when San Diego Mayor Bob Filnera Democrat whose election Manchester had opposedtold a large audience that Manchester had asked him, through an aide, to to intervene and stop the code enforcement actions the City had taken because of several longstanding violations at Manchesters Grand Del Mar resort. Eventually, according to Dorian Hargrove of the San Diego Reader, Manchester had to sign a settlement, agreeing to not only mitigate impacts to natural habitat and stop using the [non-permitted facilities] but to also fork over $87,000 in fines and $250,000 for ongoing maintenance.

At the same time, Manchesters attempt to build a conservative media empire in San Diego took offand crashed. Manchester bought The San Diego Union-Tribune in 2011 for $110 million, acquiring his only daily competitor, the North County Times, for $12 million in 2012 as well as eight local weeklies in 2013.

From the outset, Manchester openly used the newspaper to promote conservative politics and construction projects that were in his financial interest. By 2012, New York Times writer David Carr opined that Manchester was using the paper as a brochure for his special interests, and criticized his ownership as a situation where moneyed interests buy papers and use them to prosecute a political and commercial agenda.

In 2015, after several years of falling circulation, Manchester sold The San Diego Union-Tribune to the Tribune Publishing Company, which owns The Los Angeles Times, for $85 milliona loss of at least $30 million. Around the same time, deprived of his bully pulpit, Manchester began his political dalliance with Donald Trump, leading ultimately to his ambassadorial nomination.

Manchester has been a major philanthropist in San Diego. He has made large donations to many local institutions, including San Diego State University, the University of San Diego, and the San Diego Symphony. He is a former trustee of the University of San Diego and of Wake Forest University, and has served on the board of trustees of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute.

Doug Manchester has played himself in three TV movies. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors declared May 31, 2012 (his 70th birthday) to be Papa Doug Manchester Day.

-Matt Bewig

To Learn More:

Doug Manchester to be Bahama Papa for U.S.? (by Don Bauder, San Diego Reader)

Who Runs San Diego? Douglas Manchester and U-T San Diego (by Eva Posner, San Diego Free Press)

The Fall of The San Diego Union-Tribune: How A Major GOP Donor Turned A Respected Paper Into A Corporate Shill (by Joe Strupp, Media Matters)

See more here:

Ambassador of the US to the Bahamas: Who is Doug Manchester? - AllGov

Posted on 19 June 2017. by Jones Bahamas

The Clifton Review

The Clifton Review is a bi-weekly column that examines the question of the Clifton project along with the evolution of the war between two billionaires, the links to unsavory characters, the use of the courts for personal agendas, the involvement of a political party, and the attacks on the Government of The Bahamas.

We covered the start of this war with articles describing the battle over easement rights, the mysterious burning of a home, the blocks to rebuilding, and countless questionable court filings. This series of articles asks the needed questions and presents the arguments in full.

By P.J. Malone

Apparently, in a presentation to Waterkeeper Alliance, Save The Bays Director and attorney Fred Smith expressed that Save The Bays members are constantly denigrated, as was reported in a Tribune article.

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas does not have a history of denigrating organizations. As a country, we have always welcomed and allowed free speech and a difference of opinion, especially on governance.

However, never in our history have we come across an organization whose activities are so hypocritical, persecutory, and subversive; it is these types of activities and some of its members and associates behavior that have certainly resulted in its denigration.

For fear of being seen as denigrating Save The Bays, lets simply list the facts to explain this point fully:

Hypocritical

A Witch-Hunt

Subversive

Who does that? Only individuals with no sense of allegiance to The Bahamas can speak so disparagingly with no ounce of compunction or sense of duty to protect their countrys good name.

In essence, Save The Bays has spent a lot of time being devious, underhanded, deceitful, dishonest, and downright subversiveto subvert or overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system, especially a legally constituted government or a set of beliefs.

Maybe its not the entire organization or all of its members. But if you let yourself be represented by an individual who engages in these activities, you have to accept that it will define all of you.

View post:

Is It Not A Fact? - The Bahama Journal

PHOTO: Dive boats docked at Club Med Columbus Isle, Bahamas. (photo by Eric Bowman)

Were halfway through 2017 and if The Bahamas havent been calling your name, they ought to be now.

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism details the various activities for people of all ages to enjoy life in the Caribbean.

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For starters, the perfectly clear blue water will take your breath away. Sit and relax at any beach in the Bahamas and you know your stress will melt away.

After all, you are in paradise!

If you love sensational food, youll want to check out Santanas Grill Pit in Williams Town, Exuma. Located on the beach, youll have a stunning view while you feast on authentic island food.

And speaking of Exuma, you have to make the trek out to go swim with the pigs. These pigs basically have their own island, and they gladly welcome humans here to feed them. Just be smart and feed them good stuff, no junk and no alcohol, please!

READ MORE Go Under the Sea for a Sensational Exploration in The Bahamas

If alcohol is your thing, youll love visiting Sip Sip in Harbour Island. And per the Bahamas blogger, Town and Country Magazine has described Harbour Island as the Nantucket of The Bahamas.

If youre a nature lover, head to Freeport, Grand Bahama to be mesmerized by The Garden of the Groves. The Bahamas isnt just the beach, so come explore the beautiful nature they help preserve here.

For those travelers who love history, check out the underwater plane wreck at Rokers Point Settlement in Exuma, as well as the pirate steps at Clifton Heritage Park in Nassau.

Other great historic spots can be found in Bimini, where travelers can see the Dolphin House and take a dip in the Healing Hole.

For more information on Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, check out their blog here.

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Art is a veteran travel writer.

Read the original post:

There's Something for Everyone in The Bahamas - TravelPulse (blog)

Charlotte Observer

'Massive miracle': Charlotte-area woman recounts vicious shark attack Charlotte Observer The 32-year-old Concord woman's defiance came two weeks ago during a life-threatening battle with a shark off the coast of the Bahamas. Johnson would eventually lose much of her right arm, but she had surgery at Carolinas Medical Center last Friday ... and more »

Read the original:

'Massive miracle': Charlotte-area woman recounts vicious shark attack - Charlotte Observer