San Salvador is an island of Bahamas.
 | ||
| San Salvador | ||
| Country | Bahamas | |
|---|---|---|
| The search for a province ends with the state | ||
| Residents | 970 (2000) | |
other value for residents on Wikidata: 930   | ||
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
| ||
background
The island is 19 km long, 8 km wide, 175 km² in size and mostly flat. As the top of a mountain, it rises around 4,000 m from the sea floor. The east coast is rugged, with individual hills up to 50 meters high. Cockburn Town and United Estates are the two main places. Queen's Highway, the island's main road, is paved along its entire length, so you can drive around the island in 90 minutes, cyclists need four to five hours. A third of the island is occupied by an inland lake and many smaller neighboring lakes, they are also called the island of lakes. Three quarters of the coastline is the beach.
The pre-Columbian natives, Lucayan Indians, named the island Guanahani. On October 12, 1492, Columbus went ashore here on his first voyage. Spaniards were only on the island for a short time. It became a pirate base in the 17th century. The pirate captain John Watling set up his quarters here around 1680, which is why the island was called Watling's Island until 1926. At the end of the 18th century, American loyalists also came to this island and planted cotton plantations, some of which still exist today. Sandy Point Estate and Farquharson's Plantation.
The main town Cockburn Town owes its name Sir Frances Cockburn, Governor of the Bahamas from 1837 to 1844. Sir Harry Oakes, who lived in Nassau, built a hotel around 1930 that was closed again after a few years. During World War II, the USA rented the facilities as a submarine base. After the war teachers were trained there, and today it is Club Med. Cockburn Town has a police station, a post office and a public telephone. The place consists of two parallel main streets, First Avenue and Second Avenue, which are connected by five narrow cross streets.
Between 1951 and 1960, the United States built military facilities. The "Center of the Finger Lake Bahamian Field Station“As a submarine reconnaissance station. The US Pan American missile base and airport were built on Bonefish Bay. A coast guard station was built on the northeast corner of the island. After these facilities became obsolete and the military personnel withdrew, the leased area was returned to the national state. Various American universities have set up a biological research institute on the grounds at Grahams Harbor, which also deals with the prehistoric past of the island.
As financial compensation for the withdrawal of the military, the "Columbus Landing Company", based in Florida, built 12 residential complexes, 20 villas, a golf course and the associated roads in the southern part of the island. Americans, Canadians and also Europeans bought the parceled land. After the company left, however, there was no infrastructure; the facilities are now decaying and the golf course is growing over again.
getting there
By plane
- San Salvador Airport, IATA Code - ZSA, 8,000 x 150 feet (2,640 x 50 m) runway, Tel. 331-2131, customs and passport clearance.
By boat
- The Mailboat Lady Francis sails from Nassau via Rum Cay, Exuma Cays, Barraterre, Staniel Cay, Farmer's Cay and Highbourne Cay to Cockburn Town, the journey time is up to 12 hours, the fare for a single journey is 40 US $. Departure from Nassau on Tuesday at 1pm, return from Cockburn Town to Nassau on Saturday at 9am.
mobility
Rental car
- C&E Rent A Car, Sugar Loft. Tel.: 331-2350.
- Granville Walker's Car Rental, Long Bay. Tel.: 331-2368.
- Riding Rock Inn, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2631.
Gas stations
- Capitol Petroleum, Cockburn Town.
taxi
- Orien Taxi Service, Long Bay. Tel.: 331-2638.
- Livingston Williams Taxi, Long Bay. Tel.: 331-2025.
Tourist Attractions
- Dixon Hill lighthouse. Erected 1855-1856 by Imperial Lighthouse Service, renovated in 1930, 50 m high. 80 steps lead to the upper platform, from which one can overlook the whole island. Every 25 seconds there are two lightning bolts that are visible 35 km away.
Fernandez Bay
- Guanahani Landfall Park, Columbus landing site with a simple stone cross erected in December 1956.
- Columbus Monument, erected in 1892 by the "Chicago Herald" on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the discovery.
- Olympic Flame Monument, erected on the occasion of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.
museum
- New World Museum, North Victoria Hill. Tel.: 331-2126. The Columbus expert Ruth Wolpers has been showing pictures and excavation objects that she has painted herself since 1958.Price: Admission: US $ 1.
National parks
- High Cay Land & Sea Park, breeding ground for sea birds. An endangered species of iguana lizards can be found on Low Cay Island.
- Hinchinbrook Rocks, chalk cliffs, water depth up to 36 meters, then a steep drop into a 2,300 meter deep trench.
- The islands of Goat Cay and Little Island or Little San Salvador have been declared bird sanctuaries.
Plantations
- There were several cotton and citrus plantations on the southeast coast. Today you can only find remains of ruins there.
- The Farquharson Estate was founded around 1820 by the Justice of the Peace Charles Farquharson.
- Watling's Castle, ruins of the 18th century Sandy Point Estate cotton plantation. Legend has it that the property was founded by pirate captain John Watling, but in fact it was the loyalist Cade Matthews. This plantation was cultivated until 1925.
activities
fishing
- Iceland Venture Fishing Charter, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2306.
Marina
- Riding Rock Marina. Tel.: 331-2631. 8 berths, showers, ice, electricity, fuel and water.
horse riding
- New Columbus Horse-Riding Ranch, Sugar Loaf. Tel.: 357-9527. Open: Open: 7:00 a.m. - sunset every day.
Diving
Diving areas
- The wreck of the "Frascaté", an 80 m long freighter, sunk in 1902, is about 1½ km from Riding Rock Point.
- The wreck of the "Columbia" can be found on the Barrier Reef.
- Green Cay, coral reef, three to four meters deep.
- Barrier Reef, about 1 km from the shore, 8 to 10 meters deep.
- Hinchinbrook Rocks, chalk cliffs, water depth up to 36 meters, then a steep drop to 2,300 meters! deep trench. The rocks were named after the ship of the same name that ran aground there in 1913.
- La Crevasse reef, crevices, canyons, corals and lots of fish, including sharks.
- French Bay, coral reef rich in fish.
- Double Caves, two caves in 18 m water depth.
- Doolittles Reef, steep drop from 10 to 30 m, there you can find black coral.
shop
- Laramore's of the Bahamas. Tel.: 331-2282. Housewares.
- Kay's convenience store, Sugar Loaf. General goods.
- James & Son's hardware, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2188.
- Simply Bahamian, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2976.
kitchen
- Harlem Square Club, Harlem Square, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2777.
- Juice Sports Bar, Cockburn Town.
- Peaches takeaway, Cockburn Town.
- Seafront restaurant, Riding Rock Inn. Caribbean.Open: Open: daily 7.30 a.m. - 8.30 p.m.
- Southside Restaurant & Bar, Fortune Hill.
- Three Ships Restaurant & Bar, First Avenue, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2787, Fax: 331-2003. Fish restaurant.
accommodation
- Riding Rock Inn Resort, Carter's Enterprises, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2631, Fax: 331-2020. 36 rooms and 6 villas. Restaurant, bar, fresh water pool, car, moped and bicycle rental, boat charter, photo shop, t-shirt shop, tennis court, marina, beach, sailing, diving school.Price: Prices all year round: SGL / DR 114-141 $.
health
doctors
- San Salvador Clinic, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2105. Open: Office hours: Mon - Thu 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Fri 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Doctor's Residence, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2033.
Pharmacies
- B&M Drugs, North Victoria Hill. Tel.: 331-2217.
- J's discount drugs, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2750.
Practical advice
Banks
police
administration
- Immigration authority, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2100.
- administration, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2202.
miscellaneous
- Post office, Cockburn Town. Tel.: 331-2232.
