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An Island Guide
Island Tales, Tid-Bits, Truths and Untruths!
by L. Anthony Leicester
Sandra Riley
Chris McLaughlin
Paperback ISBN #978-1-878853-86-8Pages: 116
This complete, sometimes whimsical, always informative guidebook and handbook to the island of San Salvador is an invaluable aid to any visitor to the home of the Lucayans and site of Columbus' first landing in the New World. San Salvador, an Island Guide, takes readers through 500 years of history and guides them through a complete tour of high points, historical sites, dive locations, marinas and settlements. Written by three leading authorites on San Salvador -- and on the Bahamas in general -- this fine book is a delight and a treasure for anyone interested in the area.
Tony Leicester, a certified scuba diver, came to San Salvador in 1972. He served as manager of the Riding Rock Inn until 1976. Then, in Florida, as a technical editor, he wrote articles for boating magazines and an autobiography, Flights into the Night. Born and educated in England, he was a Royal Air Force pilot in WW II and with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1948 to 1968. He lives in Lauderhill, Florida
Sandra Riley came to San Salvador in 1973 as an historical researcher for Columbus Landings Company. That was the beginning of her continuous relationship with the island. Her research on the American loyalists resulted in a documented history of the Bahamas, Homeward Bound. She wrote two novels and a drama on the pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. A novel, play and a film evolved from study of the Taino-Lucayan people. She lives in Miami, Florida.
Chris McLaughlin got into scuba diving as a career after leaving high school. As a scuba instructor, he moved to San Salvador island in 1974. That is where he met Tony Leicester. Chris has lived on the island for a total of 13 years and was a pioneer in exploring the underwater reefs and walls along the coast. Underwater and on-land photography are among his other talents. Most of the images in this book were taken by Chris. He lives in Naples, Florida.
Order San Salvador, An Island Guide directly from the publisher at http://yachtsmansguide.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=125&osCsid=224c9aedf0acf591157ec2b8cc6041f9, or from your local bookstore.
Read an Excerpt of San Salvador, An Island Guide Below
PART 2
Heading east along the road at the north end of the island, Graham's Harbour becomes visible on the left when the road runs alongside of the beach.
During his two-day stay on the island, Columbus visited this harbour. He was impressed by the large body of water and wrote in his journal that it was, "large enough to hold all the ships of Christendom." He also made an observation that the point of the land could be separated from the mainland and then easily defended. Nature, over the years, did what Columbus suggested.
Wind and erosion have divided Cut Rock Cay from North Point. Twice a day the tide races through the narrow opening.
It's highly unlikely that either Columbus, or his men, swam in Graham's Harbour, but for the diver today it's an interesting place with small, isolated, colourful reefs that reach up from the sandy bottom. Most of the reefs have many small fish swimming in and out of holes in the coral.
In 1916-18, Sir Harry Oakes bought a building overlooking Graham's Harbour owned by the Catholic mission. In the late 1930's his Columbus Hotel was the first attempt to accommodate tourists on this island. In WW II (1939-45) the Royal Air Force used it as a radio station. Unfortunately, it was burned down accidentally by men from the U.S. Navy base in 1950.
The Port Kembla and Zeilean Wrecks
On the reef at the west side of Graham's Harbour, north of Green Cay, the Port Kembla, 11,000 tons, built in Scotland in 1920, while en route to New Zealand with general cargo, ran aground and sank in 1925.
Attempts were made to lighten her by removing her cargo, but a storm drove the tugs away and she slid even further onto the reef. The following year, a hurricane broke her in two and scattered her cargo.
The Port Kembla is a difficult and dangerous wreck to dive on. Part of her boiler breaks the surface at low tide, but she lies on the edge of the reef between the shallow water of Graham's Harbour and the deep water at the drop off. When the tide changes, a strong current rips across the wreck. Since she lies unprotected from the Atlantic swells, this current has an added dangerous surge. With care, and at the right time, a safe dive can be made on this wreck, but ideal conditions must be selected. When there is little or no ground swell and the dive made at the slack of high tide, a single tank dive can then be made before the strong current sweeps water back to the ocean from the harbour.
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