Rum Therapy, Author at Rum Therapy

June 7, 2015June 6, 2019

Sunday Serenity: Some Sun and Sand on St. Thomas

We spend a relatively small amount of time actually staying on St. Thomas. It always seems to be the gateway to another island getaway, but when we have the chance to explore and enjoy what St. Thomas has to offer, we usually find ourselves here. I’d have to say it’s our favorite place to enjoy some sun and sand in St. Thomas.

It’s a relatively quiet stretch of beautiful sand on the east side of the island. It can get busy on weekends with lots of locals picnicking and enjoying some family time, but if you time it right, you’ll be treated to this…

And this..

.
Do you know which beach we’re talking about? What’s your favorite place for a little sun and sand on St. Thomas?

Read more Sunday Serenity Posts here:
Tropical Tips and More

See if you can find this beach on our St. Thomas Map

To see more island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

June 5, 2015June 6, 2019

Staniel Cay Yacht Club

On Jimmy Buffett’s list of “10 great places for a Waterside Drink”, the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is a great place for just that, and a whole lot more…

The Staniel Cay Yacht Club & Marina (SCYC) is located on a small cay named Staniel Cay in the middle of the chain of stunning islands known as the Exuma Cays in the Bahamas. SCYC offers a full service marina, cottage and suite accommodations, a shop, and a bar/restaurant.

It’s one of the few places to gas up a boat in the area, so there are always boats, large and small, in the marina and boaters in the bar. The SCYC bar sits in the middle of the marina and is a colorful, eclectic, laid-back, nautically themed place to enjoy a few drinks and some laughs with visitors from around the world.

It’s well known by those who navigate the crystal clear Exuma waters, and frequented by a number of celebrities, such as Johnny Depp, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Tyler Perry and David Copperfield who have purchased islands (not just homes – islands in the Exuma Cays!) Jimmy Buffet,we were told, used to fly in on his seaplane.

The walls and ceilings contain a multitude of frayed sailing flags and memorabilia and pictures of the crew from the James Bond movie Thunderball hang close to the bar, as some scenes from the film were shot in the nearby Thunderball Grotto.

Although the entire resort emits a decidedly relaxed vibe, the SCYC bar is the place to be for nightlife on Staniel Cay.

As the evening gets later, the bar fills up and the chatter and laughter gets more and more lively.

From inside the bar, you can glimpse the huge boats harbored in the slips – a great view while savoring a blackened mahi sandwich from the lunch menu.

And there are plenty of drink options available from the local beers to specialty rum drinks, such as this frozen rum punch.

Additional seating is available outside, where you can enjoy the sunshine and crystal blue water.

Or take your drink to a rocking chair on the front porch and enjoy the sights and sounds of the busy marina.

Whatever you do, relax and enjoy every moment. It’s one of those places that you’ll take a mental escape to when life gets hectic back home. As a sign on the bar says,
“What’s your hurry? …you’re here”.

Have you enjoyed a “waterside drink” at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club bar? Tell us about it!

Thank you to the wonderful folks at Embrace Resort who sponsored our stay on Staniel Cay. The Embrace Resort is within walking distance of SCYC and an even shorter golf cart ride!

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

May 31, 2015August 5, 2019

Elbow Reef Lighthouse, Hope Town, Abaco

Standing tall over Hope Town Harbour, the Elbow Reef Lighthouse is an 89 ft tall candy cane colored lighthouse which was not originally welcomed by all…

You see, this Bahamian lighthouse, built in the 1860’s, was originally opposed by Elbow Cay residents as they felt it could put a damper on their shipwreck and salvage business opportunities. Of course, the desire for safe passage for vessels prevailed, and now the only opposition is to any talk of automating the lighthouse operations.

The Elbow Reef Lighthouse is a kerosene burning lighthouse and one of only two remaining beacons preserved from automation. The lighthouse keeper must manually wind up the apparatus every two hours so that the beacon can continue to be seen up to 17 miles away.

Visitors are welcome to visit Elbow Reef Lighthouse and climb the 101 steps to the top.
Admission is free and the lighthouse is open 9-5, 7 days a week.

Those that make it all the way to the top are treated to a beautiful view of Hope Town and the beautiful pastel homes and shops that line the pretty harbour.

Have you climbed the 101 steps to the top of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse? Tell us about it!

Find Elbow Reef Lighthouse on our Bahamas Map

To see more posts on the Bahamas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 28, 2015June 24, 2021

Bushwacker Pudding Shots

You can’t beat the taste of a frosty Bushwacker, especially from the top of Paradise Point in St. Thomas, or on beautiful White Bay, Jost Van Dyke at Ivan’s Stress Free Bar, but this little, easy to make delight sure comes close. They may be small, but they still have a pretty high alcohol content, so enjoy your pudding responsibly!

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Print Recipe

Bushwacker Pudding Shots

Deliciously potent, please enjoy responsibly!

Course: Drinks

Servings:

Ingredients

1 pckg. Instant Chocolate Pudding
3/4 c. Milk
1/4 c. Coconut Rum
1/4 c. Kahlua
8 oz. Extra Creamy Cool Whip
Canned Whipped Cream
Chocolate Syrup
Nutmeg (A sprinkle of freshly ground nutmeg)

Instructions

Mix pudding and milk in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
Beat in liquor.
Gently fold in Cool Whip.
Spoon into individual shot cups with lids (such as these: Plastic Jello Shot Cups with Lids) and keep in the freezer until ready to use.
Garnish with a squirt of whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg before serving.

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 27, 2015June 6, 2019

Compass Cay, Exuma and its One Full Time Resident

Compass Cay, one of the small cays that make up the extraordinarily beautiful chain of islands called the Exuma Cays, is home to only one full time resident. Well two, if you count the island cat Lilly…

Compass Cay is perhaps best known as the location of friendly swimming sharks, but there are other reasons to spend time on this small and beautiful island with water as clear as a swimming pool – making boats appear to be floating on air, and one of them is to meet and chat with the only full time resident, Tucker Rolle.

During our recent stay at Embrace Resort on Staniel Cay, we had the chance to visit Compass Cay and meet this soft spoken, friendly man who works hard at making sure his guests are having a nice time. And as the word gets out about this magical place, there are certain to be more and more visitors making their way to Compass Cay.

Tucker has been the proprietor of Compass Cay since 1992, but has worked on Compass Cay farming it since he was 13 years old. At that time he lived in a small house on Sister Cay directly across from Compass, and would row over everyday to work on the cay.

Now, the Compass Cay Marina & Resort includes a protected marina with electricity, reverse osmosis water, laundry, shower service and a small store. Tucker say that the marina has accommodated a boat as large as 155 ft in the past, but most boats that dock here are 135 ft or less. Boating guests are told that they need to draw less than 6 ft. to come in at low tide. There is a $10 per person landing fee to come ashore at the marina – which was well worth it in our book. There are also a few homes available to rent on Compass Cay if you’d like to have more time to experience all that this cay has to offer.

In addition to marveling at the nurse sharks interacting with the many people that visit on day excursions, the island has other interests well worth exploring, such as the absolutely stunning Crescent Beach, just a short walk from the marina.

And if you have time, you might want to visit Rachel’s Bubble Bath, a natural lagoon fed by water from the sea breaking over an opening in the surrounding rocks, climb the 92 ft high Compass Peak for a great view of the nearby Exuma Land and Sea Park and visit the 12 other beautiful deserted beaches on the cay.

We also enjoyed checking out the colorful and amusing signs and memorabilia lining some of the trails and pathways through the island.

Before reluctantly leaving, we asked Tucker if there was anything else he would like us to mention in our post about Compass Cay. He said, “We try to keep Compass as natural as possible and do not want to see development on the lovely cay. That’s why we all say take only pictures and only leave footprints. We want to share Compass Cay with our guests and make them feel welcome and at home. Like our sign says, Welcome Home to Compass Cay.”

Have you been to Compass Cay? Tell us about it!

Find Compass Cay Marina and Crescent Beach on our Bahamas Map

You might also enjoy:
The Swimming Pigs of the Exuma Cays
Thunderball Grotto

To see more posts on the Bahamas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 24, 2015May 24, 2015

Sunday Serenity: Beach Meditation

Feeling a bit stressed today? Close your eyes for a minute and imagine this…

Warm sunshine on your skin and the only sound is waves gently lapping the shore. Ahhh…better?

copyright Rum Therapy — Manjack Cay, The Abacos

Perhaps the reason that the ocean helps us to de-stress and unwind is that there are actual health benefits to spending time in and near the ocean. You weren’t just imagining that your last beach vacation made you feel better!

But did you know that you can still harness some of that relaxing energy when you get back from vacation? Just enjoy a little beach meditation. When needed, just take a moment, close your eyes and imagine yourself on a warm, deserted beach. Even the thought of time spent on a sandy beach in the sunshine can bring our heart rate down.

Do you have a favorite beach that you think of when you have a moment of beach meditation? Where?

Find more Sunday Serenity posts here:
Tropical Tips & More

To see more island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 22, 2015August 5, 2019

Coco Beach Bar & Grill, Treasure Cay

Close to the center of Treasure Cay Beach, the gorgeous stretch of sugar soft white sand and turquoise water found on North Abaco Island in the Bahamas, you may spot a colorful, but unassuming little beach bar/restaurant called Coco Beach Bar and Grill.

Coco Beach Bar and Grill is right on beautiful Treasure Cay Beach and in addition to offering some very refreshing Bahamian libations, it also serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The interior is a casual nautical theme with plenty of comfortable seating, and in addition, there are picnic tables on the deck. We opted for deck seating because, well, look at the view…

We ordered a wrap for lunch, which came with a ton of crispy fries, along with a Rum Punch and a Goombay Smash. Not quite the same as the Goombay Smash we had just enjoyed at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar on Green Turtle Cay a few days earlier, but everything tastes delicious after a morning of playing on the beach, doesn’t it?

Once you have finished your meal, you can rent a chair and/or palapa from Coco and spend the rest of the afternoon lazing away on one of the prettiest beaches we’ve seen.

From there, the bar is just steps away, so you can make sure you stay hydrated, or in our case “rum”drated.

Have you been to Coco Beach Bar & Grill? Tell us about it!

Find Coco Beach Bar & Grill on our Bahamas Map

You may also be interested in:

Treasure Cay Beach, Abaco

To see more posts on the Bahamas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 21, 2015June 6, 2019

Treasure Cay Beach, Abaco

Frequently listed as one of the top 10 beautiful beaches in the world, Treasure Cay easily places in our top beach list as well. After looking at the following pictures, I think you’ll see why.

The gated community of Treasure Cay is actually not a “cay” at all. It is a long peninsula connected to the Abaco mainland making the area easily accesible by car or boat. Besides many amenities such as restaurants, shops, a golf course and marina, the area is flanked by a spectacular 3 1/2 mile white sand beach.

Treasure Cay as seen from above

We rented a car and made the 30 minute drive to Treasure Cay while staying in Marsh Harbour. We loved the beach so much that we ended up driving to Treasure Cay again several days later to experience more of this beautiful beach.

Our first glimpse of Treasure Cay.

From a long sandbar on the east side of the beach at low tide,

To a brightly colored pier on the west end of the beach,

The entire expanse is a feast for the eyes.

The colors change depending on the day and even the time of day, but one thing is for sure.

Treasure Cay Beach is a treasure worth finding.

Have you been to Treasure Cay? Tell us about it!

Find Treasure Cay on our Bahamas Map

You may also be interested in:

Coco Beach Bar & Grill, Treasure Cay

To see more posts on the Bahamas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

May 18, 2015June 6, 2019

Thunderball Grotto, Exuma Cays

Just off the coast of Staniel Cay in the beautiful Exuma Cays, lies an underwater cavern paradise called Thunderball Grotto. It acquired its name because it was one of the filming sites for the 1965 James Bond movie “Thunderball”. Thunderball Grotto has since been used in the filming of several other movies such as Never Say Never Again, Splash and Into the Blue.

By boat, Thunderball Grotto is just a couple of minutes from Staniel Cay and we were so excited to get to explore it during our recent stay at Embrace Resort. The island itself is composed of sharp rocks and a few shrubs – not giving away a clue as to the wonderland underneath.

A faded sign on the island indicates the location of the grotto and says
“Welcome to Thunderbird Grotto – No Fishing – Take Only Photos”

During low tide, snorkeler’s can enter the cave through a small opening on the west side of the small island.

Our guide pointed us in the direction of the opening and encouraged us to swim right in.

Not quite sure just what we would be swimming into and hoping that it would be more spacious than the original opening, we ducked down and made our way in.

Sure enough, just a few feet in, it began to open up.

Once inside, we began to get a glimpse of the cavern. The colors of the water and the walls were absolutely amazing and it was soooo much lighter inside than we imagined.

Underwater, rays of sunshine highlighted the beautiful coral.

And sergeant majors were abundant.

But we thought the most amazing feature of Thunderbird Grotto was the grotto’s size and colors once inside. The openings in the ceiling let generous amounts of light in and apparently the adventurous sometimes jump into the cavern through these holes. Yikes.

The current eventually brought us to the other end of the grotto,

Where we swam out through a much larger opening to our waiting boat.

Have you been to Thunderball Grotto? Tell us about it!

Find Thunderball Grotto on our Bahamas Map

You might also be interested in the following posts from this area:

The Swimming Pigs of the Exuma Cays

Swimming With Sharks on Compass Cay

To see more posts on the Bahamas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

May 14, 2015June 24, 2021

Tropical Island Iced Tea

Don’t let the pink color fool you. The Tropical Island Iced Tea is a variation of the Long Island Iced Tea and can pack the same punch. Don’t let the pink color fool you. The Tropical Island Iced Tea is a variation of the Long Island Iced Tea and can pack the same punch. Refreshing and not overly sweet, this could become a summer favorite! We found the original recipe on SippitySup.com, but changed it up a bit and added the whole can of Kern’s Guava Nectar to make a slightly less potent and more refreshing drink. Delicious! Bring on summer!

Tropical Island Iced Tea
(makes two)

1 oz spiced rum (we used Cockspur Spiced Rum)
1 oz vodka
1 oz tequila
1 oz gin
1 oz cointreau
11.5 oz guava nectar (we used Kern’s Guava Nectar)
1 oz fresh lime juice
2 oz club soda
lime wedges for garnish

Pour all ingredients into two tall ice-filled glasses. Gently stir. Garnish with fresh lime wedges.

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