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Small Hope Bay FAQ
What kind of diving do you have? All kinds, we have the third largest and one of the most unexplored barrier reefs in the world. We have everything from shallow reefs to vertical walls, blue holes and much more. Never been diving, let us teach you. We have all levels of instruction. Great for new divers, intermediate, and advanced divers. See our DIVING page. Should I bring my own equipment? It is up to you. We include weights, weight belt, and tank in dive price, as well as dive lights on night dives. BCDs, regulators, computers, mask, fins, snorkel, and wetsuits available for rent. My companion doesn't dive--what else is there for her/him to do? Snorkel--on the reef, from shore, with wild dolphin. Relax on the beach. Go fishing. Get a massage. Choose a book from our library and find a hammock. Hot tub. Bike to the Androsia Factory, or to an inland blue hole. Do some birding. Sail, Windsurf, Kayak. Take a nature walk. Join you on the boat (no charge for riders!) Or learn to dive (for free!) What kind of fishing do you have? World class Bonefishing as well as reef and deep sea fishing. See our FISHING page. Do you have bugs? Of course--we are a tropical island. However, since we are located on the windward side of the island with full exposure to the sea breezes, our "bug problem" is minimal. The best defense when the wind dies down is a repellent--anything from Cutter's to Avon Skin-so-Soft works. Or just step inside until the breeze picks up again. For crawly bugs like palmetto bugs, we sprinkle Boric Acid Powder around the inside of the cottages to ward them off. It's effective and non-toxic to humans. How do I get to Andros? It's very easy ... see our HOW TO GET TO ANDROS page. What is the best time of the year to go to Andros (weather)? The northern Bahamas remains quite temperate year-round--most of the days are like perfect spring and summer days. Winter weather sometimes can bring a "blow" from the north--which can make for choppy seas. Daytime temperatures can drop to the low 70s. Summer is the "rainy" season--usually marked by a short afternoon squall somewhere--not necessarily over us! Average summer temperature is 85, with long days and comfortable nights. For calmest waters, April through October is best. For temperature and rainfall information click here: NASSAU WEATHER courtesy of Intellicast.com (Fresh Creek, Andros is 26 nautical miles from Nassau). What about Hurricanes? Hurricane season for the western hemisphere is officially June 1 to December 1. However, statistically for the Bahamas, August, September, and October are the months to watch. Overall, being in the tropical Atlantic where the temperatures are cooler, we tend to fare better than our Caribbean neighbors with regard to hurricanes. Hurricane David hit Andros in 1979. Hurricane Floyd, which caused so much destruction to the Abacos in 1999, skimmed Andros--leaving mostly just a mess. Hurricane Michelle hit Andros in November 2001. How hot does it get in the summer? The northern Bahamas are quite temperate. The hottest we get is maybe 90 F. It feels cooler than that, though, because of the location of Small Hope, right on the beach and the constant trade breezes. Also, you are not surrounded by concrete like you are in the city. All rooms have ceiling and stand up fans and half of our rooms have air conditioning, but you rarely need it. Can we bring our children? Of course. Children are an important part of our lives here--we have a few of our own running about. We have two-bedroom cottages, a Games Room and, more importantly, a safe outdoor environment where they can run, swim, snorkel, play in the tidal pools and fish off the dock. AND we have great rates for kids. Do you have an organized program for children? No--but we have energetic baby-sitters. There is a modest charge for this service. See Rates. Baby-sitting is complimentary for children 2-9 between the hours of 6 PM and 8:45 PM in the evening (there is a nominal fee for children under 2 since they need their own personal sitter), during which time children 9 and under enjoy dinner and after-dinner games in the Games Room. Your preteen children may also eat dinner in the Games Room, it is your choice. This keeps young children away from the bar area and gives adults a chance to enjoy evening adult time. Can my kids dive? Can they go on the boat? Children 10 years old and up are eligible to take our free Discover SCUBA course that will qualify them to dive with us. Junior Certification is available to children ages 10-16 for an extra fee. We recommend that very young divers limit diving depths. For 8-12 year olds, we offer SASY equipment, which offers a surface SCUBA experience to kids. There is no charge for children to accompany their parents on the boat. I have a very young baby--will I be able to get pampers and fresh milk on the island? The stock in local stores is unreliable. It is best if you bring your own supplies. Or if you call us in advance, we will try to have them on the island for you. What kind of electricity do you use? Same as North America -- 110/120 volts. What should I bring on my vacation? Bathing suits, beach cover ups, shorts, cotton slacks, T-shirts, flip-flops. Sweater, sweatshirt, or windbreaker in the winter. If it doesn't fit under your airline seat, you probably don't need it. We have a small boutique that carries toiletries, logo items, and some island style clothes, and the Androsia Batik Factory is just a bike ride away. You should bring shampoo as we carry it in our boutique, but do not currently put it in the guest rooms. All rooms have beach towels, but you should bring your own blow dryers. Can I drink the tap water? Absolutely. Andros is in the fresh water business--we have tons of it and we ship our water to Nassau and the Abacos. Small Hope Bay Lodge has also put in a reverse osmosis system so that the drinking water at the bar tap and in your room dispenser is as good or better than any bottled water. Is there any night life? If you mean nightclubs and casinos, no. But you CAN walk the beach at night, see great star shows, and skinny dip in the hot tub... Sometimes we have a slide show on reef ecology or dive videos. Sometimes we party hearty. On weekends, there are a few local "discos" in town. I'm single. Will I have a good time? Small Hope is a great place for singles because of the camaraderie that develops among the guests and staff. It's easy to make friends and easy to find space for yourself. Furthermore, we offer single travelers the option of sharing one of our two-bedroom cottages with another single traveler (you get private bedroom, share the bath)--thereby eliminating that nasty single surcharge. What kind of food do you serve? Breakfast is full American-style breakfast (eggs, bacon, hot cakes, fruit, etc.) or a Bahamian breakfast of chicken souse, boiled fish, steamed tuna, or corned beaf plus continental fare. Lunch consists of a hot dish (curried chicken, smuthered grouper, meatloaf...) plus full salads, sandwich bar, and dessert bar. Dinner features salad bar, dessert bar, plus choice of meat (steak, cornish hen, chicken, pork chops, lamb, etc.) or fish entree (grouper, snapper, etc.), or a bit of both, served with fresh Island vegetables and a side dish. Continental Breakfast is buffet and hot dishes are made to order and served from the kitchen. Lunch is a buffet. Dinner is generally a buffet, but if we are eating inside we generally serve from the kitchen once a week (usually on Steak and Lobster night). We also have Bahamian night once a week and barbeque at least once a week. Desserts are taken very seriously and as you know, there are no calories while you are on vacation ;-). I'm a vegetarian--will that be a problem? If you eat fish and/or eggs, none whatsoever. If you are vegan, then you will enjoy our salad bar and our fresh cooked vegetables and rice. You are invited to consult with our staff to help us meet your requirements. It is helpful if you tell us in advance of any special dietary requirements. Is there any place I can rent my own boat? At this time there are no private boat rentals on Andros--but a captained boat can be chartered. Are there any rental cars on the island? Yes--a few. Usually they are privately owned cars that someone is willing to rent for the day. Average rate is about $80 a day. More dependable transportation might be had by hiring a taxi to tour you around. Average touring rate is $30 an hour. Is there anything else to see on the island? Andros is very undeveloped, which means there are acres and acres of bush, undeveloped pine forests, and big distances between villages. If you want to see more of the island there are several ways to do it: By car: From Fresh Creek, the most interesting tour would be to head north up to Nicholstown, passing farms, blue holes, and Andros Pine forests along the way. Allow a minimum of 3 hours--4 if you go over to the west side and Red Bays. By bike: Ride into Fresh Creek and through the village streets to get an idea of local "town" life, or bike to the Androsia Batik Factory and Lighhouse Club Marina. Weekends are more lively... By foot: Take one of our Nature Walks into the bush. By boat: Take our "Safari on Fresh Creek" excursion up Fresh Creek to get a glimpse of the majesty of our inland waterways and perhaps snorkel with some dolphin! Is there anything to buy on the island? The Androsia Factory is just three miles away. Androsia is the batik island clothing and fabric. You can explore the factory and watch them make the batik fabric, and shop at the outlet store for some great deals. Androsia is located in Fresh Creek and has been in business since 1973. Andros is also known for its straw baskets and wood carvings from Red Bays. Local craftsman come to Small Hope weekly to sell their wares. Who owns the Bahamas? The Bahamian people. We are an independent country, and have been since 1973. We are part of the British Commonwealth (like Canada and Australia) and have a democratically elected Prime Minister and Parliament. What kind of money do you use in the Bahamas? We use Bahamian dollars, which are on par with the US dollar and used inter-changeably. If you have US dollars, there is no need to change money. Credit cards are accepted at Small Hope Bay Lodge and Androsia--but many small shops and restaurants are not equipped to handle them. What is the water temperature? Do I need a wetsuit? Between fall and spring, a wetsuit is recommended. Click here for a chart that will give you a general idea of the water temperatures and what weight wetsuit you might need. |
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