Our last full day finds us anchored by Acklins Island. Like its neighbor Crooked Island, Acklins is not a tourist island; rather, it is sparsely populated and offers tranquility and some ruins. Once National Geographic Sea Lion found an anchorage, we began preparation to take guests ashore. Members of the community of Salina Point Settlement greeted us on the beach! We gathered for a series of presentations and speeches from local community members. Anita Collie Verdecia, a local ethnobotanist and herbalist, was our main host. Anita spoke at length about the bush and all the medicines obtained from many plants in this tropical part of the world. We also heard from Mrs. Patricia Hanna Cleare on the slave trade and slave plantations on Acklins Island. After the presentations, our hosts arranged a fabulous Bahamian lunch ashore for guests and crew!
After lunch, we headed back to National Geographic Sea Lion to digest and relax for a bit before heading back to the beach for our last snorkel opportunity. The bay of Salinas Point has a protected, crescent-shaped, half-moon beach–an ideal setting for beach walks, relaxation, and snorkeling. It really has it all in one stop! During our snorkel, we spotted multiple southern stingrays, an ocean triggerfish, and even a great barracuda! It was another wonderful day spent exploring the water of the Bahamas. I can’t think of a better way to put a cap on our exploration of the Out Islands of the Bahamas.
