Elbow Cay

The Elbow Reef Lighthouse

The white-red candy striped lighthouse guarding the quiet village of Hope Town, completed in 1864, is said to be one of two world's remaining hand-cranked lighthouses. Every two hours, lighthouse keeper cranks 700 pounds of ballast up to top of the tower. As the weight descends, it spins the 8000 pounds pressurized kerosene lamp at 4 cycles per minute (every 15 seconds), sending beacons to mariners out at the sea in the vicinity up to 17 miles. Long considered a landmark of the Abaco Islands if not entire Bahamas, even featured in the Bahamian $10 bill, the lighthouse continues to serve with help mostly from volunteers. Visitor and residents walking in the village around the harbor cannot miss the bright yellow-orange lights sweeping over their heads at a somewhat leisurely pace.

Visitors can get to the lighthouse (free admission) by taking a boat or a ferry across from any of the three town docks to the Lighthouse Marina. Alternatively, one may go from behind the Harbor Inn and Marina, through a boatyard and access the lighthouse ground from behind. The Elbow Reef Lighthouse, as it is officially called, stands 89 feet, with a tapered cylindrical form, ringed by wide and alternating white and red stripes, giving it its classical look. Its somewhat steep but short 101 steps spiral staircase offers a brisk climb as it winds its way to a metal platform where an oil tub is secured to buoy the kerosene lamp. Against inner walls, windows are open onto the surrounding offering more sweeping views of archipelago: the north and the south end, the harbor, and the seas. Crouched down and step through round glass windowed holes, one finds oneself on a circular metal platform fit atop the tower. A panoramic view of the cay presents itself. On a sunny day, one can discern the sharp contrast between aquamarine of the Sea of Abaco and the darker blue hues of the Atlantic.