Welcome to the Abaco Sun!

This blog began in 2013 as Little House by the Ferry. Its original purpose was to track our progress as my husband Tom and I restored my ancestral home on Green Turtle Cay in Abaco, Bahamas.

Over the years, we’ve written about all sorts of things, but for the most part, our focus remained Green Turtle Cay.

And then. On September 1, 2019, Hurricane Dorian – the most powerful hurricane ever to make landfall in the Bahamas – took direct aim at the northern Bahamas, devastating many Abaco communities and essentially wiping out the region’s business hub, Marsh Harbour.

As a 9^th generation Bahamian with deep Abaco roots, it was heart-wrenching, not knowing at first whether our family and friends survived, and later, realizing the monumental task so many would face in rebuilding their lives, livelihoods and communities. We wanted to help, but how?  

And then someone on Facebook shared a post by Mrs. Louise (Lovely) Reckley. In essence, her message was this: “Everyone has a part to play in the rebuilding of Abaco. Find your place and get to work. No matter how big or small, we need all hands on deck.”

Find our place. I’ve been a writer for more than 30 years. And Tom has been a journalist for close to five decades. That is definitely our place.

So, we got to work. We expanded the scope of this blog to encompass all of Abaco. And we’ve renamed and rebranded it, because its focus is no longer our little house by the ferry.

The Abaco Sun is about you — Abaconians, Abaco lovers or first-time or future visitors — and ensuring you have the accurate and timely information you need.

Want to know how you can help Abaco recover? What businesses and services are currently available? Which airlines are currently flying into Abaco? Current Covid-19 procedures for entering the Bahamas? Ferry schedules? It’s all here.

Of course, you’ll still find stories and information about Abaco’s history and culture, as well as the occasional update about our little house by the ferry.

Why the name Abaco Sun?  Well, we wanted something uplifting. Something that spoke to the resilience of Abaconians – who, as reliably as the sun, rise to meet whatever challenges they’re dealt. You might say the name just dawned on us.

If you’re new to Abaco or the Abaco Sun, here are some links to get you started:

• Abaco 101 – A Visitor’s Guide to (Post-Dorian) Abaco

• A Brief History of Abaco

• How You Can Help Abaconians Affected by Hurricane Dorian – More than a year after Hurricane Dorian, thousands Abaconians are still living in leaking homes, many without electricity or even running water. Here’s how and where you can donate or volunteer.

• What’s Open in Abaco – A list of businesses, organized by community, that have re-opened (or launched) post-Dorian. Don’t see your Abaco business listed? Drop me a note and let’s get you on the list.

• About the Abaco Sun – A bit of info about this blog, Tom and me.

• Little House by the Ferry – The story of our little cottage, Fish Hooks. Here, you’ll find blog posts and videos documenting our restoration journey to date. Dorian definitely set us back, but we’re as committed to the project as ever.

Tom and I have always seen this blog as a virtual front porch – somewhere to greet old friends, make new friends, and swap Abaco stories and experiences. We hope you’ll drop by and visit often, and that you find the Abaco Sun helpful as you find your own place in Abaco’s next chapter.

If you’ve ever got questions, story suggestions, news or photos to share, we hope you’ll get in touch.