Tarpum Bay
Island Castles and Festivals
| The Township | Junkanoo | Good Eats | Getting There | Island Page |
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The Township
The Tarpum Bay township is a quaint reminder of how life really is on these islands. Fisherman come in with their catch every day around 3:00 pm and you can often buy directly off the boat if you meet them. In the middle of town, you can get directions to anywhere on the island, and ther are great shops, a few restaurants and guest houses, and colorful churches and homes that dot this tiny urban landscape.
Many of the buildings, however, still bear the reminder that Hurricanes Andrew and Floyd tore through this island in the 1990's, as did the 2004 hurricanes, Frances and Jeanne, and minor brushes with a few 2005 hurricanes.
THE CASTLE McMILLAN, near the center of town, evokes images of another era . . . Well, sort of. You see this big odd-looking concrete building was home to one of the great island eccentrics and "leading artist of the Bahamas." Lord McMillan Huge was born in Great Britain but early on made Eleuthera his home. This living quarters and gallery itself became a work of art as he worked diligently for years to create a liveable masterpiece. Strange objects, exotic twists and turns, and esoteric symbols were everywhere - made from tin cans, plywood, rocks, concrete, or a mixture of salvaged materials.
Lord Huge even proclaimed himself "Artist Extraordinaire" and hung a brass plaque saying so at the castle entrance. Visitors to this unique spot could always count on leaving with a trinket, a painting, or some kind of personal castle story to tell. Unfortunately, the artist's legacy ended when his son Byron chose to close down the castle after his death in 2003 and remove all the artwork. The castle still stands, however, and its still worth your time to take a drive-by to pay homage to this Bahamian original.
The TARPUM BAY SIGN sits near the beach as the road turns sharply left when going towards Rock Sound. It's a well-made and hand-painted directional pointing both north and south to all the island townships. At the bottom is an advertisement for a Tarpum Bay website that is not in service at this writing (December 05).
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Junkanoo
JUNKANOO FESTIVAL. Beginning in the early hours of December 26th and again in the early hours of New Years Day (unless either falls on a Sunday) comes the signature parade and party on the island. While Nassau is the premier site for this celebration, many townships, including Freeport, Harbour Island, and even Tarpum Bay have their own version of this "mini-Junkanoo" or "rush-out" festival with varying degrees of pageantry and splendor. CLICK on the pictures to enlarge...
The Bahamas Handbook describes this festival as "one of the few examples of uniquely Bahamian culture. The stunning crepe-paper and cardboard costumes of Caribbean Crayola colours are worked on most of the year . . . teamed with hypnotic music and uninhibited dancing, Junkanoo is a never-to-be-forgotten festival of fun and frivolity. No one knows for certain where it came from or how its name came to be. Some credit it to John Canoe, a legendary West African chieftan. Others say it comes from the French phrase gens inconnus, unknown, or masked, people."
Good Eats
ONE of the biggest surprises in this small township was the food. The ROYAL CASTLE RESTAURANT is a hidden treasure in these parts. Although you can easily miss this blue-and-white concrete bungalo on the side of the road, make sure to look for it on the right (when heading to Rock Sound), halfway between the ocean strand and Tarpum Bay shopping Center. Sheila McCartney and her son Matthew are the proprietors here and serve up a mean mess o' conch, fries, vegies and salad! They also have nighclub facilities for parties and weddings, and are some of the friendliest folks on the island.
CLICK on the pictures to enlarge...
How to Get There
A 45-minute drive south of Governors Harbour along Queen's Highway will get you there. Tarpum Bay is also about 10 minutes north of Rock Sound.
Going south towards Rock Sound, there are two left turns: the first onto the Ocean Strand, and the next one at the multi-directional sign that takes you via narrow road through the main body of the township.
CLICK on the pictures to enlarge...
