More news on the Rock Sound Club.  Looks like renovations are well underway.  There will be 20 rooms for rent.  The first rooms should be available in November.  I'm hoping to have pictures of the progress soon.

Also, I've had a few people ask why I don't have a chat board.  The reason is, between eleu.net and briland.com I feel this arena is well covered and that one more is not really necessary.  If anyone has anything else they would like to see me address on this site, once again, feel free to contact me.

Talked with George Major today to get some new Sip-Sip.  He says things are going well at Papa Georges and taking up quite a bit of his time, so he has not been able to keep up his website.  George says the road is being worked on in Palmetto Point now.  So, the south now has much better driving than it has in the past thanks to Symonettes Enterprises.  

The Homecoming in Tarpum Bay went well.  George was told by one of the organizers that it was the best year they've had so far.  The locals worked really hard getting the Community Center ready for the event.... they still have work to be done but they were able to use the building for the bar.  They will continue working on it for a while - soon they will be ordering a steel roof for it and this is quite expensive.  They have half the money for the roof already donated by one of the homeowners in Winding Bay.  This center will be a big benefit to the community once it is done.  They hope to hold gospel concerts, town meetings, sports events... in this location.   

So often we hear of developments in Eleuthera that start with a big idea and fade away, but Seashells at Cotton Bay is not one of those!  There is all sorts of activity going on at Seashells.  According to George Major, they have been hiring local people for construction and horticulturists and various other positions... this is encouraging for the south.  From their News Release, I got the following information:

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Eleuthera Properties, Ltd, a company chaired by prominent Bahamian businessman, Franklyn R. Wilson CMG, to develop Cotton Bay Villas, an exclusive new resort that will be a member of Starwood’s prestigious Luxury Collection.  Evoking images of a nostalgic and by-gone era, the magnificent 1,500-acre project will be unveiled in two phases with Phase I comprising of two and three bedroom villas, 114 estate lots and a spectacular 26,000 square foot Clubhouse.  The soft opening is scheduled for December 2006 with 25 premier beachfront units and clubhouse with full amenities and services and a private marina.  Completion of the 73 guestroom resort is scheduled for December 2007.  Future phases will include an 18-hole championship golf course, wellness center/spa, additional real estate development and expansion of the marina.  ...

I found this part very interesting and encouraging:

... This spectacular new resort is currently part of the Audubon International Signature program, which acknowledges environmentally-friendly developments. As a member of this program, Cotton Bay Villas will be home to a plant nursery and an on-site horticulturist dedicated to nurturing the property, saving trees and other foliage from cleared land for replanting throughout the development.  Environmental integrity as well as economic viability will ensure that the island’s unique ecological systems and scenic landscapes will be preserved for the enjoyment of residents and visitors...

Artist's rendering of Seashells at Cotton Bay

In other news, it appears Rock Sound Club is being renovated.  This used to be a major resort  near the airport.  Overnight pilots and overseas visitors used to stay there in the early 70s.  It has been neglected and overgrown.  I am going to do more research on this and will have news shortly. 

A summer flu is going around.  Summer vacation is winding down.  Kids have 2-3 weeks before going back to school. 

A little further north, something may be happening at Unicorn Cay on Banks Road.  There has been major clearing going on in this area.  Anyone have any news on this?

And for you who have been following my building progress... I'm hitting myself with a 2 by 4 right now because it's less painful than getting a title to a piece of property in the Bahamas....  It seems my title came back with a type-o so the attorneys sent it back to be corrected... and this will take 6-8 months!!!! Argh!!! I may not be able to get my building permit without my title... so this may set me behind even more!  What takes 6-8 months to do on a title?  Are they just slow or do they need to hire more people?!

I also received my completed plans for my house in Rainbow Bay.  I'm finishing up with the Rainbow Bay Property Owners Association approval process and will apply for my permit thru Governor's Harbour - and then I can start building!  Long slow process - especially when I live in the states and am trying to get this all done from here.... I'm hoping to go to Eleuthera in October to start excavation.  With any luck, there may be an all Bahamian music concert featuring a lot of the top entertainers during October and I can have some fun while I'm there (like I ever don't have fun?).  I'll keep you informed of what I hear about this concert.

This Saturday, at Seagrapes Club in Harbour Island, Elon Moxey will be doing a concert.  The cover is $15.00 and the doors open at 9pm.  This is a nice venue with 2 bars (one upstairs and one downstairs) and a great stage for performing.  Head down north and check it out!

I've talked to a friend out on one of the crawfish boats and he says it's starting off as a good season.  The weather is good and the condos they set at the end of last season are full.  Last year was tough because the summer hurricanes moved all the condos around and they couldn't find them to harvest the crawfish.  Let's keep our fingers crossed that this year is a good one - these guys suffered enough last season.  And, one more thing... I want to thank Jeremy and Anna for the spider crab biters they gave me last time I was on island.  We had them last week and they were fabulous!  Anna - if you read this, email me, I can't get yours to work.