It was, I don't know, maybe 10 years ago now that I first started taking folks out on ecotours of The Bahamas. It fitted in pretty well with the factual science writing I do, which mostly explores how different cultures interact and change with time. And it gave me some real fascinating ideas to work into my fiction books too. Still does with the kind of stuff I get to see and the stories I get to hear!
Showing the island to visitors is something I never get tired of. Even after doing it for so long. The way I see it, the whole ecosystem here at the top of the Caribbean is one big adventure park. Nature's playground, you could say, where you can dive, swim and snorkel through an underwater world of marine creatures - from the weird to the truly wonderful - get up-close to native wildlife and birds, and discover all kinds of rare indigenous plants and such.
We could start right here and you could take a look at a tombstone over on the water cay and get to pondering the little mystery of how it comes to be dated 1772 when historical records date the earliest colonisation of Grand Bahama Island at around 1900. I'd sure welcome your thoughts on that one. You might like to meet up with a big old Rock Iguana that could well be six feet long or spot rare Abaco parrots and tread careful around the nests they build on the ground. And if you want to get involved in one or two of our local customs, you've only got to say the word.
You can see if you can catch yourself a mermaid as she comes up out of one of our famous blueholes. Or you can hop over to Andros and chase through the forest after a legendary half man, half owl 'Chick Charney'. Fact is, with our islands fresh tropical waters, natural environment and rich history, the only way you could have a better time is to be a guide like me. 'Cause then you'd get to play here every day.
Phil Russell, ecotour guide and science writer - Grand Bahama Island
