If you were to open your eyes on a tiny desert island, what would be the 3 things you would take with you? I’ll answer you right away, a JetsSki – Diving equipment and a hammock. In this article I will tell you about life in the Berry Islands in the Bahamas, at least our life.
Since I mentioned the dive center in the previous article, I will skip the dive center and working conditions in this article.
The Berry Islands is the general name of a group of islands in the North of the Bahamas, 45km from the capital Nassau and consisting of about 30 islands. The common feature of the islands, which are spread over an area of about 50 square kilometers, is the incredibly beautiful nature, clear waters and underwater life. The biggest island of the Berry Islands, Great Harbour Cay, is a charming little island where about 800 people live. There is a small airport, a few small markets and a few restaurants. During the day, only those who have work wander the streets, and in the evening, the island has a social life where young people gather at certain points and live the same night over and over again like their forefathers and spread out to their homes.
Let’s come to our island!!! When we first arrived on the island, we had an island population of about 50 people. 18-20 of the 50 people are diving instructors, the rest of the friends are technical works, etc. There is a market where only very basic needs are sold, which is opened only for 2 hours during the day, a nurse who comes certain days a week, a few cats, a large amount of chickens and peacocks, plenty of coconuts and beaches surrounding the island…
The day starts very early on the island, and even if you don’t wake up with the first light of the day, the roosters crow until they are sure that all the islanders are awake. My favorite sight is the chickens sleeping on trees or at the top of bushes at night, jumping out of the tree one by one and moving in the same direction. The young ones have it easier because they sleep on the lower branches.
On the way to work, you have to go either through the bushes or on the beach. But both roads bring you to the beach facing the east of the island where the dive center is located. While the coffee machine is grumbling and preparing coffee, we are doing our morning preparations as most dive centers do. Since the divers coming to the island by ship, there are not many people around in the morning. The islanders, who slowly complete their morning work, start to come together for a coffee break before the day starts. Although we have a small population, when we work with instructors from various parts of the world, there is never an end of stories to tell and listen to. Sometimes we are surprised and curious about our cultural similarities or differences, and the subject opens the subject …
If Jose from Portugal joins the conversation while you are having your morning coffee, he will probably complain about the sunglasses he saw in the Amazon and liked so much but couldn’t bring them to the island. Fede from Italy tells me about the girls he met the other day, Juan from Colombia tells me that the reefs look less alive this season, Heejung, my Korean wife, complains that there is no Korean food on the island.
The day starts with the first guests setting foot on the island. Sometimes we are very busy during the day, sometimes we are very calm, depending on our intensity during the day, we do rescue training or first aid practices among ourselves, so we take care to spend the day efficiently.
After the day is over and the diving tanks are loaded into the vehicle to go to the place where they will be filled again, you are alone again on the island. If you want to go to the market, the closest market is Great Harbour Cay!!! The only transportation is by boat or Jetski. Of course, the weather and the tide is very important. If we are in the period when the waters are lowering in the tides that change every 8 hours, our job is difficult. We have to draw a wide arc from the open sea and reach Great Harbour from the back.On the way back we have to be fast because the waters will start to rise and the rising waters can take away the jetskis we parked on the beach. Also, the wave height will increase with the rising waters and the waves will become stronger.
Visits to Great Harbour are usually very enjoyable, a visit to the neighboring island sometimes feels like a trip, and on the way back, if the tide is high enough, we will circumnavigate the island once used by Pablo Escobar to trade in Baby Powder and head back home.
By the way, I mentioned our Amazon orders at the beginning of the article. The only way for the packages to reach us is to ship the packages to the airline company that flies from Miami to Great Harbour, and then go by jetski or boat from the airport to pick up our packages. Although the customs clearance of the packages takes a very short time, customs taxes in the Bahamas are very high.
Especially in the summer months, when the days are long, we have a lot of time to swim, sunbathe or play volleyball after work. Sometimes we can see all the islanders together at unplanned barbecue parties.
Although health services are limited, we are prepared for emergencies. In case of emergency, we can be transported to the mainland by seaplanes, and we also have the opportunity to visit the small health center in Great Harbour.
Air temperatures are 24C in winter and over 30C in summer. Although it is the dry season between November and April, it still receives a lot of rains. It is necessary to be prepared for very sudden rainfall in the summer months. Rainfall in the form of small systems sometimes lasts 15-20 minutes but leaves serious precipitation.
In winter the wind direction turns north and that’s when you have to wear that jacket even if you’re in the Bahamas. August to October is the hurricane period. I’ve experienced two hurricanes and a few strong tropical storms. Preparing for the hurricane and then settling back in is much more tiring than the hurricane itself.
Living on small islands may seem beautiful, but it brings its own difficulties. But if you look at the beautiful side, the friendships established on these islands continue for many years. The experience gained on these islands is very valuable..
