Acklins & Crooked Island, Bahamas

Plana Cay, Bahamas
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PlanaLakes2.jpg
Author: Keithpickering


Acklins Island is one of the islands encircling a shallow lagoon called the Bight of Acklins, on the southeastern part of the Bahamas. It covers an area of 120 sq mi. within the vicinity is Crooked Island to the north west, at 76 sq mi. Across the Bight of Acklin to the west is the islet of Long Cay.

Acklins is a long island shaped like a question mark. Its northernmost portion is separated from Crooked Island by Lovely Bay. Towards the central eastern part of Acklins is a crescent-shaped bay called Mason's Bay. Other smaller bays dot the island from north to south including Relief Bay, Abraham's Bay and Reserve Bay. A single main road runs through Acklins, connecting the various settlements and villages.

Until the arrival of Europeans, Acklins was inhabited by the Lucayan tribe of indigenous people. Quite a number of their ancient ruins have been uncovered, including ten at Samana Cay by a team of archaeologists from the National Geographic Society.

The earliest European settlers on Acklins were British Loyalists who left the American mainland following the American Revolutionary War. They set up cotton plantations on Acklins, enploying slaves.

Crooked Island
Slightly smaller than Acklins, Crooked Island has the only town in the group, called Colonel Hill. The first post office in the Bahamas was also built on Crooked Island, at Pitt's Town.

Plana Cay
An islet to the east of Acklins. It is a protected reserve and habitat of the great iguana and the rare hutias, a guinea pig-like rodent.

Long Cay
An islet to the south of Crooked Island and across the Bight of Acklins to the west. This is an atoll island covering 21 sq km (8 sq mi). It was formerly called Fortune Island or Caio Longo in Portuguese and Île de la Fortune in French. The island once harbored a prosperous town, but is today a mere shadow of its former self. The main town, Albert Town, is today almost a ghost town.

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