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If you’ve been searching for incomparable Bahamas weddings, look no further than Stella Maris Resort. Here, we’ll work with you to create that special day you have always dreamed of, whether it’s saying your “I do’s” on the sandy beach or celebrating with friends and family in an intimate reception setting. Our complimentary Bahamas wedding planner can help you choose the right setting to create a uniquely memorable Bahamas weddings. Stella Maris Resort offers:

• Customized Bahamas wedding packages
• Complimentary dedicated wedding planner to help ensure your day goes smoothly

At Stella Maris, we go above and beyond to offer our guests all the comforts of home with the added benefit of warm weather, glistening waters and sandy beaches. By combining your family traditions with the traditions of the Bahamas, you can enjoy an entirely new way to celebrate your holidays.

We make it easy for you and your family to spend time scuba diving, or snorkeling during the day and enjoy having a home-cooked holiday meal dinner in the evening. Just some of the things that makes a Christmas special in the Bahamas includes our:

• Weekly Rum Punch parties
• Junkaroo rhythm beats
• Island games
• Live bands
• Dinner buffets

Also, you can enjoy our year-round island delights which include snorkeling, boat excursions, sun bathing, diving, fishing and much more. We are happy to offer your family a new adventure every single day.

Not sure your family can afford a Bahamas Christmas vacation? Check out the available holiday vacation packages and gift certificates our island resort offers. We want your holidays to be stress-free. What better way to eliminate stress than to live the Bahamas lifestyle? Start planning your Bahamas Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s vacation today. Contact us to let us know how we can help you celebrate.

Promotional Offer: Receive a $400 Instant Savings on stays of 6 nights or longer or a $250 Instant Savings on stays of 4 or 5 nights

You must make your reservation by October 24, 2011 Travel Period: December 22, 2011 through and including December 28, 2011 (customer must check out no later than December 29, 2011) to be eligible for this Christmas special offer

Minimum Stay: 4 consecutive nights

Terms & Conditions: The Christmas week special offer must be booked in conjunction with an air-inclusive vacation package, is valid when flying from any city in the USA or Canada, and requires a stay at one of our participating member hotels. The $400 Instant Savings requires a stay of 6 consecutive nights or longer, while the $250 Instant Savings requires a minimum stay of 4 or 5 consecutive nights. Limit one Instant Savings per booked room; up to two rooms allowed per booking. Minimum of double occupancy in the room. Not valid for group bookings.

To take advantage of this special please contact us now.

Offer Details:

• You must make your reservation by September 30, 2011 to travel now through December 23,2011
• Offer valid for a minimum 4-night or longer air/hotel/dive air-inclusive vacation package (double occupancy) from the continental USA and Canada, at a participating member hotel, minimum double occupancy. •Offer valid at participating BOIPB member hotels only.
• Offer valid for one dive credit per person and requires a minimum 2-tank dive purchase per person.
• Both airline tickets must be purchased on same flight/same itinerary and cannot include voluntary stopovers.
• Not combinable with any other air credit promotions.
• Not valid for purchase of First or Business Class tickets.

Contact us soon to take advantage of this special!

A Quiet Peace

I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something about Long Island that is instantly relaxing. I’m standing on my balcony at Stella Maris Resort, noticing how greatly the view varies from what I’ve seen on Nassau and Grand Bahama — no high rises or chain restaurants stand between the glittering Caribbean Sea and me. It’s almost silent here, save for birdsong and the rustle of lizards across dry leaves.

The next morning, we join divemaster Robert Cokley for a day of diving, and again, I feel at peace. We’re not rushed, and instead find time to gawk at what lies beneath the boat. Even the harbors in Long Island are worth noticing, not just for the clear water, but also for the patchwork of undulating Cassiopea jellyfish, a harmless variety that resembles the Queen Anne’s lace flower.

We take our time underwater as well. Cokley takes us first to the MV Comberbach wreck, a 102-foot long British freighter. Right away, we spot a turtle. But as we slowly wind around the structure, our eyes settle on cleaner shrimp, gold spotted moray eels and other finds we would have missed if swimming at any other pace.

As time runs out on the dive clock, we gradually ascend and I realize that I’m grateful that every island moves at a different speed. Rushing around is a must in places like Manhattan, but I believe I’m much better suited to a place like Long Island, where a slow amble is perhaps the best pace to take in all the beauty it offers.

Brooke Morton

Now it’s your turn and the timing is great to take advantage of our 5 or 7 night Sun & Sea Inclusive Package. And Stella Maris Resort Club offers diving for nearly every experience level. Visit us to learn to dive, experience the Bahamas first Shark Reef, and much more. Make your reservation today!

Based on 30 years of research and interviews this book describes 70 plants, which are used by Bahamians to treat different health problems. Without prejudice this book gives structured information about different names, botany, habitat, preparation and uses of these plants as well as about possible side effects or toxicity. Besides that some history about The Bahamas, a short description of Bahamian vegetation, a list of toxic plants and some pests. A detailed glossary and indication list make it a nice reference for herbalists, (ethno-)botanists, students and interested families. The bibliography helps to find interesting books and links for further research. With this book the author hopes to help save valuable knowledge about medicinal plants, named “Bush Medicine” by the Bahamians. It has shown to be helpful since many genera¬tions and fortunately the Bahamians are already getting more aware of this field, starting to preserve and cultivate more plants for a better protection and use.

Product Details:

• Paperback: 232 pages; 150 colored photos with a few black and white drawings
• Publisher: CreateSpace (June 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• Size: 8 x 10 in (20.32 x 25.4 cm)
• ISBN-10: 1456503146 • ISBN-13: 978-1456503147
• Link with more information and a download as sample: http://www.bush-medicine.com
• by Dr. Renate Willmanowicz

Carolyn’s Favourite has been added to the accommodations available at Stella Maris Resort. If you prefer the attention and amenities of our hotel system, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath may be reserved with full hotel services. Or if you are looking for a week or longer residence on Long Island select Carolyn’s Fafourits as a vacation rental and enjoy Long Island living at your own pace.

Columbus, the next visitor to Long Island shores, describes so vividly in his log book Long Island’s Columbus Harbour and the “River” that Long Island is most assuresly the third landing of his first voyage, October 16th, 1792.

In the 18th Centrry the Adderly’s came to Long Island. Here they established one of the largest and longest lived of The Bahamas cotton plantations. It was the southern islands; Cat, Exuma and Long Island that became known as The Cotton Islands, producing the bulk of Bahamian cotton. When cotton began to fail, the crop changed to sisal and then briefly to pineapple and finally cattle. Economic ruin (or a lovers’ quarrel?) at the beginning of this last century is cited as the catalyst for the Adderly suicide. At the end of his dock, Adderly cut his throat and local legend says the bloody stain can still sometimes be seen at a low tide in the waters below what was once the dock. The ruins of the Plantation are still explored today, pieces of the main house, slave quarters still stand.

Long Island has known its share of shipwrecks, pirates and privateers, too. Many wrecks old and new are now making homes for fish. Two bronze cannon were found on a wreck off Clarencetown. Local lore tells of an American boat tha for months harvested sheep dung from a Long Island cave until boat and crew mysteriously disappeared one day leaving only scattered tols and the imprints of heavy boxes in the soil. The house just behind the current Stella Maris Clubhouse sits on a site once claimed as headquarters by Col. Belfast, a renegade military man from Ireland, who in the 19th Centure used false light setting to lure boats in to be wrecked and consequently ‘salvaged’ for profit.

Long Islanders, through time have proven to be adaptable,successfully applying themselves to the opportunity at hand. Today’s industrys include farming and fishing, and a bit of tourism.

Nothing much seems to have changed at the dive centre. Robbie still fills standard 80 cu.ft (around 11.33 litres) aluminium A-clamp tanks with air and they’ve still got the uniquely self-designed dive vessel that looks a bit like a small car ferry, complete with aft access ramp. While I was there we utilised smaller, faster sports-fishing-type boats that are now almost standard equipment among Bahamas-run dive centres.

We appreciated the speed by which these boats can travel because, although the sea around Long Island looks temptingly tourquoise and luminous, it’s because the Bahamian sun reflects off the sandy seabed back up through the shallow water. Deliciously seductive it may look but the downside is that you need to travel away from the little Stella Maris Marina to get to anywhere deep enough to dive.

So what were we diving on? Low lying coral reefs that by and large seems very healthy with profusions of soft and hard corals and plenty of Caribbean specias of fish in water that was virtually clear as the gin and tonic that awaited me on my return. The area is by no means under pressure from divers. If we saw another dive boat it was worthy of comment.”

JB

Rick and Pia

Caribbean Sky Tours