Staniel Cay

For other uses, see Staniel Cay (disambiguation).

Staniel Cay

Geography
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates	10°09′N 26°21′W
Archipelago	Exuma
Area	13,880 km2 (5,360 sq mi)
Length	450 km (280 mi)
Width	200 km (120 mi)
Highest elevation	700 m (2300 ft)
Administration
Bahamas
Demographics
Population	118

Staniel Cay is an island located in The Exuma Cays, a district of The Bahamas.

Staniel Cay is located roughly 75 miles south of Nassau and 250 miles of southeast of Florida. The island has a population of less than 118 full-time residents and it is less than 2 square miles in length. Staniel Cay is inhabited by a small Bahamian village which lies on the western shore. The village is composed of residential housing, a church, a post office, a library, three small retail stores and marine supply shops. Staniel Cay is protected by the Bahamas National Trust, the organization in charge of the conservation and preservation of places of historic interest and natural beauty in The Bahamas.

History

Thunderball grotto

Staniel Cay was established in 1783 when the American loyalist settled the entire archipelago of Exuma. The island gained its popularity with the establishment of The Staniel Cay Yacht Club in 1956, founded by Joe Hocher, a truck driver, and his partner. A variety of businesses operate on Staniel Cay to provide accommodation, food and drink as well as organise activities. In 1965, Thunderball Grotto, a limestone cave situated in the west of Staniel cay, was the setting of the James bond film Thunderball. It was from this film the name Thunderball was given to the grotto. The island was also used as a filming location for a scene in the (1983) Bond film Never Say Never Again. Staniel Cay has a small airport called Staniel Cay Airport, which makes the island reachable both by sea and air. The airport closed for seven months in 2015 for runway repairs and reopened to air traffic on 18 November 2015.

Bahamas 271

Language

The official language of Staniel Cay is English, but dialects exist among the different islands and Cays. A blend of African, English and island dialect makes up Bahamian English. The idiom on the island was influenced by the African slaves and other settlers, therefore, a number of words and expressions used on the island have been maintained.

Geography and Climate

Physical geography

Staniel Cay is located near the center of Exuma Cay. The island is located between Pig Beach and Bitter Guana Cay and is one of the larger islands within the Exuma Cays. The island is composed of white sandy beaches, blue water, and a large variety of vegetation. ACoral Reef is one of the natural wonders of the Staniel Cay. The fastest way to reach the Staniel Cay is by plane. It is easily accessible by regularly scheduled flights, charter airplanes and private planes, because of its 3000-foot airstrip. It is also possible to reach the island by boat due to good anchorages for yachts.

Flora and Fauna

Vegetation includes palm trees, bougainvilleas, hibiscus and seagrape. The island hosts a diverse range of red, black and white mangrove. Flora also includes sugar cane and tamarind, which are also typically served as a local dish. Fauna includes the typical Bahaman Pig beach and Anolis lizard. The former is a small colored pig that swims in the sea with local people. . In 1977 small groups of brown anole were transplanted in Staniel Cay, they are small brown and yellow lizards with black markings on their back. These small reptiles are 17-20 cm long and usually live in forests. Insects are their favorite meal. The waters are populated with fish and vegetation of all sizes. These include larger fish such as Sharks, groupers, barracuda, angelfish, and butterfly fish, down to the tiniest marine life, miniature crabs and daredevil shrimp.

Climate

Staniel Cay has a tropical savannah climate. In the summer the average air temperature is approximately 86 degrees (F). In winter the average air temperature is in the mid 70’s. Water temperatures are 70 – 80 degrees all year long. Moreover cloudy days are often warm and the precipitations are concentrated in the warmest months, which are July, August and September..

Economy

A larger part of Staniel Cay’s economic support is provided by the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Initially, Park laws allowed a daily fishery catch quota. In 1986, due to unverifiable pressure on fish, lobster, coral reefs, and other marine life, the Trust declared the entire park a “fishery reserve”. Scientists now promote such areas as one of the best ways to sustain fishery resources. The Bahamas is one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries. Staniel Cays economy is heavily dependent on tourism. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. The park has become an important factor in the economy of the Exuma Cays through tourism, farming, coastal fishing, and public education.

Environmental protection

Sustainable tourism has increased in reputation in recent years, particularly for destinations such as Staniel Cay. The island relies heavily on its natural attributes, making the most of its reputation as an untouched tropical island. The island is home to around 100 people, most of whom rely on the tourism industry to provide for their livelihood. According to the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), 80 per cent of visitors to the Exuma Cays come to experience nature. According to the BNT, 16,665 people visited Thunderball Grotto between November 2012 and April 2013. The area around Staniel Cay is managed and protected by the BNT as it falls within the boundary of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. This park was created in 1958 and stretches 455 sq km in size. The park protects the marine environment and establishes a no-take, marine reserve. In January 2013, the BNT published a report that reviewed current sustainable tourism models which lead to the adoption of the Tourism Optimization Management Model. The model focuses on the interactions tourist have with the environment and how they could be improved. The BNT established a Project Management Group consisting of local stakeholders as well as representatives from the Ministry of Tourism.

Culture

Staniel Cay has a mixture of different cultural traditions rich with customs that remind visitors of the love for festivity and community. Bahamian music, from the Caribbean reggae to the rake ’n’ scrape, and island flavors give visitors a real taste of the history, life, and culture of The Bahamas.

The local citizens are enthusiastic to show off the island. Staniel Cay offers natural conditions for a wide variety of wildlife. Local inhabitants practice the bush medicine using indigenous plants for medicinal purposes that is a tradition that African slaves brought with them when they came to the Islands of The Bahamas. One of the most popular cultural festivals is Junkanoo, when thousands of people in elaborate and colorful costumes dance in the streets to rhythmic Bahamian music.

Religion

Further information: Religion in the Bahamas

There is no common religion in Staniel Cay. About 32% of the population of the Bahamas are Christian and Baptist. 20% belong to Anglican group and about 24% are Protestants, such as the Methodists (6%), the Church of God (6%), Seventh-Day Adventists, and members of the Salvation Army. Roman Catholics constitute 19% of the population. There are also groups of Jews, Baha'is, Muslims, Hindus, and Rastafarians and a strong Greek Orthodox community. Such traditional practices as Voodoo or Obeah are still practised in some areas.

Activities

Staniel Cay has a variety of activities and events for tourists and residents to participate in on the island. These include beach activities, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking, and waterboarding. Guided tours are available, and activities include swimming with pigs.

Snorkeling

Marine life can be explored by participating in a variety of snorkeling activities. There are miles of coral reefs around the Outer Islands of The Bahamas. The waters surrounding the islands are clear and shallow, making snorkeling easy for first-timers but still offering a variety of places for more experienced divers. Grottos can be found around the island, including Thunderball grotto which is a natural limestone cavern which can be entered underwater or at low tide. Light streams through a vaulted ceiling and a variety of sea-life swims below including the purple parrot fish. The island is surrounded by shallow reefs within a few feet of the surface. Farther out from the islands, the waters are cluttered with thousands of shallow water sites, coral heads, and reefs. Bahamas snorkeling is one of the most popular activities when visiting the islands because, unlike diving, where you need special gear and training, snorkeling can be done by anyone swimming experience. Snorkeling activities are offered by most resorts, lodges, and hotels, entailing daily Bahamas snorkeling trips. Alternatively, one can refer to local snorkeling guides or choose to take an independent snorkeling adventure.

Scuba Diving

Staniel Cay and the surrounding islands within Exuma contain a wide range of scuba diving attractions, such as steep reefwalls, historic ship wrecks, coral reefs, and a diverse range of marine animals. Because of the clarity within the water, Staniel Cay and the surrounding islands offer good conditions for underwater photography and video. “Scuba Diving Top 100: Best Diving in the Caribbean & Atlantic” rated Bahamian Scuba Diving as the number one “best advanced diving locations of the world”. Furthermore the Exuma Islands were ranked third for the “Best Underwater Photography”. Professional diving operations such as “Staniel Cay Divers Ltd” offer personalized dive trips in the waters of the Exuma Cays using a 38-foot custom dive boat. PADI professionals offer a variety of dive courses, ranging from the most basic beginner lessons to more advanced specialty courses. All training takes place in warm, clear water, and is sanctioned by top certifying agencies.

Sea Kayaking

Another popular activity on the Staniel Cay is kayaking. Due to the perfect weather conditions the possibility to reserve a kayak and discover the Exuma Cays by water is offered to the tourist any time of the year.

Attractions

Sand Beaches

There are thousands of miles of white-sand beaches stretching along the Exuma cays. The shallow waters provide a pristine settings for a selection of activities available throughout the islands. These beaches have translucent emerald-green water and an abundance of marine life. Bungalows and villas are tucked into the tropical landscape featuring branded 4-star boutique hotels. This embodies the idea of seclusion, where even the largest resorts have fewer than 200 rooms.

Swimming with pigs

File:Swimming pigs.jpg

Swimming pigs

File:Swimming Pigs in Staniel Cay.jpg

Swimming Pigs in Staniel Cay

Staniel Cay is located in close proximity with another Exuma island called Pig Beach, officially known as Big Major Cay, which is an uninhibited island populated by swimming feral pigs. With a total of 365 islands, located south of Nassau and only 40 minutes from Florida, on the island of Big Mayor Cay, these pigs are found in abundance. Today, Exuma’s Swimming Pigs draw thousands of tourists each year.

The swimming pigs are surrounded by a variety of local legends. Rumors suggests that the pigs were brought to the island by sailors who planned to eat them upon their return. The pigs were said to have subsisted on food waste abandoned by passing ships. According to locals, the truth behind the swimming pigs’ story can be traced back to the early 1990s. The pigs were said to have been raised on nearby islands until the locals decided move the animals. The pigs were relocated to the uninhabited island, Big Major Cay, where the pigs were left to roam free. As time progressed, the population of the pigs gradually began to multiply. Periodically, inhabitants of the nearby islands would head over to the island, pick the fattest pig, and sell the meat to locals. As word began to spread of the island, tourism came with abundance. And with tourism, came nourishment for these animals.

The islands growing reputation inspired the award-winning short film When Pigs Swim, the first film dedicated to discovering the origin of The Swimming Pigs. Directed by Charlie Smith, the documentary appeared in five international film festivals.

Events

Every year, the 31 December, The Staniel Cay Yatch Club organizes the Staniel Cay New Year's Day Regatta. This event attracts visiting yachtsmen cruising The Exuma Cays to test the speed of their craft in a competition against traditional Bahamian sloops. In August, the Annual Staniel Cay Bonefish Tournament occours, another important event which attracts foreigners and brings home the locals.

Notes

http://www.scubadiving.com/photos/25-best-destinations-sharks-and-adventure

http://www.bahamas.com/node/52466#zoom=14&lat=24.83457&lon=-76.33404&layers=T0B00

http://www.myoutislands.com/bahamas-diving/overview

See Also

• List of islands of the Bahamas
• Staniel Cay Airport

External Links

• Airport information for MYES at AirNav