Crooked Island: Bahamas' Straight and Narrow

Undisturbed by modern technology, Crooked Island emotes an aura of timelessness and serenity. This unspoiled island is a point of interest for fishermen, boaters cruising the southem Bahamas, and enthusiastic divers who enjoy venturing into unexplored territory — the 33 miles of barrier reef off the Crooked Island District makes for unbelievable underwater exploration.

Crooked Island, approximately 200 miles southeast of Nassau, is one of three major islands called The Crooked Island District. At the Southeast tip of Crooked Island, a ferry transports visitors across to the exotic Acklins Island — also part of The District — where gentle hills, as well as the colorful scattering of the purple, green, and blue houses, make Acklins Islands a very unique site within The Islands of the Bahamas.

According to Bahamian historians, when Columbus was sailing down the Crooked Island Passage, the sweet aroma of native herbs and flowers drifted out to his ship and delighted his senses. Soon after, The Crooked Island District developed the nickname the "fragrant islands." However, it was not until the end of the 18th century that the first-known settlers, British Loyalists, actually stepped foot on Crooked Island. These Loyalists established almost 50 cotton plantations but by 1820 the plantations were ruined when the crops were destroyed by blight and poor soil conditions. Those remaining were able to survive by adapting to fishing and small-scale farming. In addition, since the middle of the 18th century, Crooked Islanders have been stripping the Croton Cascarilla shrub and shipping the Cascarilla bark to Italy to be used as flavoring for the famous Campari liquor.

Some interesting structures, old plantation houses and the like, still remain on Crooked Island. The ruins, preserved by the Bahamas National Trust, overlook Crooked Island Passage which separates Crooked Island from Long Cay, the third island in the Acklins-Crooked Island chain. Another interesting spot to explore is Crooked Island Caves. These are dark passageways which widen into gaping chambers and embrace speckles of sunlight that poke through holes from above.

Built in the north, the glistening Bird Rock Lighthouse on Crooked Island is a popular nesting spot for ospreys and acts as a guard to the Crooked Island Passage, one of the most important sea passages for ships which follows the southerly route to the Panama Canal. The Castle Island Lighthouse is located on the southem tip of Acklins.

For more information on Crooked Island and The Out Islands of the Bahamas, contact the Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board at (800) 688-4752.

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