Great Stirrup Cay is a small island that is part of the Berry Islands

Berry Islands

The Berry Islands are a chain of islands and a district of the Bahamas, covering about thirty square miles of the north western part of the Out Islands...

 in the Bahamas. Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is a company operating cruise ships, headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. It began operations in 1966 under the name Norwegian Caribbean Line. The company is best known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which means that there are no set times or...

 purchased the island from Belcher Oil Company in 1977 and developed it into a private island for their cruise ship passengers.

The northern part of the island has a sandy beach surrounded by rocks with snorkeling areas. The southern part features a helicopter airfield (with a sign reading "Great Stirrup Cay International Airport"), a large area without vegetation, and numerous concrete blocks. These are all remnants of a previous U.S. military installation and satellite tracking station. The island's lighthouse was originally constructed in 1863 by the Imperial Lighthouse Service

Imperial Lighthouse Service

The Imperial Lighthouse Service was the official General Lighthouse Authority for the British Empire. This was with the exception of England, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, which were under the authority of Trinity House...

.

Great Stirrup Cay is adjacent to Little Stirrup Cay, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's private island

History

Great Stirrup Cay, along with the rest of the Bahamas, was formed by tectonic and glacial shifting. The exposed rock that you now see was once living coral under the water. Close inspection may reveal fossilized shells. This rock is very porous, and explains the lack of rivers and lakes on the islands. This makes water very precious. Great Stirrup, however, has a few small areas with standing brackish water. This water may have led early visitors to attempt settlement here. The first known settlers to the Bahamas were the Lucayan Indians, relatives of the Arawaks who populated the Caribbean around 600 A.D. The Lucayans had a peaceful existence, farming as best they could with the little topsoil that the island provided. Look around the island for sinkholes in the rock, about 3 to 5 feet deep and across. These were filled with soil and fertilizer and used to grow crops, a technique known as pot hole or banana hole farming.

In 1492 the Spanish arrived. "Bahama" is a derivative of the Spanish phrase "baja mar", which translates to low or shallow sea; or the word "baja mar",which translates low tide. The water seen to the south and west of the island from the backside averages less than 6 feet deep. During extreme tidal swings (during full and new moons) the backside will be dry for about 30 miles to the South. These "banks" are common throughout the Bahamas, and while they provide a great habitat for the conch (an edible snail), they wreak havoc with maritime navigation. The early Spanish explorers found this out the hard way, and as a result, the waters around Great Stirrup are strewn with literally hundreds of shipwrecks. The anchor one sees in the snorkeling area was recovered from one of these wrecks.

After the Spanish came the British, around 1600, and then the pirates. It is almost a certainty that the well protected cove at Great Stirrup was used as a safe anchorage for pirate vessels plying the waters in search of Spanish gold ships returning from South America. Great Stirrup remained a pirate hideout while the British settled in Nassau and the larger islands until 1815, when slavery arrived. This time marks the first documented settlers of Great Stirrup, and many of the structures from this settlement still stand today. The white house at the top of the hill served as a customs house for westbound slave trade and later, as a primitive plantation house. Stone walls built by resident slaves to contain animals and to mark sugar cane boundaries are still standing in the overgrown jungle. The history is not clear, but most assume that this is when Great Stirrup was named, after the proprietor of this plantation. Charts of this era show simply "Stirrup's Cay".

"Stirrup's Cay" remained active during the American civil war, as the Confederates wished to continue to export cotton to Europe. The island was used as a landfall for provisioning while Federal warships patrolled the area to thwart their efforts. Coral encrusted cannon balls have been found in the waters surrounding the island, evidence of the resulting battles.

After the abolishment of slavery, the British began to slowly withdraw from the out island colonies, and the plantation at Great Stirrup was abandoned. Over the next one hundred years, the island served as home for a wide variety of would be Robinson Crusoe's. The majestic coconut palms that sway in the breeze around the picnic area are there thanks to one of these rogue settlers. Although abundant in the area now, coconut palms were not native to the Bahamas. The imported coconuts were planted there in an attempt to manufacture palm oil and soap.

The most well known of these settlers during this period was Captain Bertram, a captain in the British navy. Captain Bertram loved the island, and resided there until his death. At his request, he was buried on the island, and his grave rests just in front of the flagpole near the main beach. The cove area directly in front of the grave is charted as Bertram's Cove, and the small island forming the cove is called Susan's Rock, presumably named after his daughter.
Great Stirrup is the northern most island in a chain of islands known as the Berry Islands, and is situated in an area along the Northwest Providence Channel. As sailing vessels gave way to steamships, shipping traffic increased through this channel. As a result, in 1863, the Imperial Lighthouse Service erected the lighthouse on Great Stirrup Cay. This construction was brought with much protest as the locals considered the salvaging of shipwrecks to be part of the national commerce. The lighthouse site was manned for many years, but it is now timed and solar powered, making it self-sufficient. The structure stands nearly 80 feet, and its light is visible for over 20 miles.

World War Two brought the next major activity the island. The United States, in an effort to protect its eastern shores, came to the Bahamas and Great Stirrup with a wide array of observational and defensive equipment. Among these were submersible cables, that were run along the ocean floor to listen for enemy submarines. Two "cable houses" still stand on the southeastern shore of the island, also overgrown by jungle. Cable Beach, a popular area in Nassau, is named for this.

The United States Air Force later constructed a satellite tracking station, which is on the path enroute to the lighthouse. This facility was later leased to Motorola, and other private sector companies. New technology has made the station obsolete, and it was closed in 1991. An independent salvage company bid the property, and removed anything of any value from the site. Thus it now lies in its current state of disrepair. The 240 foot tracking tower was blown, and its twisted remains lies at the top of the hill. Also in this area you will find the Great Stirrup Cay International Airport: a helipad used now only for medical evacuations.

Belcher Oil Company of Miami staked claim to the north section of the island for many years. Their interests there included real estate speculation, oil exploration, and a possible site for a corporate retreat. In 1977, Norwegian Caribbean Lines (as Norwegian Cruise Line was called back then) acquired this section from Belcher Oil and began improvements towards the out island experience. The missing roof was put on the house and powerful generators put into service. The first NCL passengers to call at Great Stirrup were taken ashore in lifeboats.

In 1988-89, NCL continued improvements on the island with the construction of four new buildings: the main bar and deck, a bar and water sports hut on the west beach, another bar at the main beach, and the Dive In Center. Additions were added to the house, and a seawall was built to reduce beach erosion. Improvements were made at the Straw Market as well. Locals from the neighboring island of Great Harbor commute over every ship day to sell T-shirts and local crafts. Passengers are now brought ashore with the tender,Bahama Rama Mama,a converted LT-1 landing craft, Coast Guard certified for 300 passengers. Continued improvements are planned, but great care is being taken to not over-develop the island and misplace the magical spirit of this beautiful place.

Flora and fauna

The most obvious tree around is the coconut palm, which produces a cloudy milk and a delicious sweet meat used in many island recipes. The coconuts at Great Stirrup are removed from the trees to prevent injury. The coconuts will naturally fall from the tree when ripe or during strong breezes. The metal bands that you see around the trees are to prevent animals from climbing the trees and damaging them. Another fruit bearing tree is the Sea Grape

Sea grape

The name sea grape or seagrape can refer to the tunicates, as well as several different groups of plants:* Coccoloba uvifera, a flowering plant native to North, East, and West America* Seaweeds in the genus Caulerpa, especially:...

. This hearty broad-leafed tree will bear edible grapes every October. One tree to stay away from is simply called Poisonwood. The resin on the bark of this tree is toxic to humans and will leave blisters on the skin if touched. There are no Poisonwood trees in the general passenger area or on the marked paths. They occur only in the thick jungle, so it is advised to stay on the paths.

Wildlife

Some of the creatures that you may encounter during your visit include several different varieties of lizard and land crab. These animals are shy and non-aggressive. Typically you will hear them running away into the brush before you see them. Tracks of both can easily be seen in the sand on the paths. You may catch a glimpse of an iguana basking in the sun or on patrol for sea gull eggs. Their presence can be startling due to their size (up to 3 feet) and prehistoric appearance.
Birds of many species fill the airways above. Gulls, frigates, and sanderlings are the most prevalent. On occasion, you may see a Great Snowy Egret cruising overhead or, more typically, slowly stepping about on the ground looking for lizards. During certain times of the year, the Arctic Tern will stop over during their migration from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back. Pink Flamingo has been spotted here, probably visiting from their sanctuary on nearby Inagua Island. Pelicans have been spotted as well.

But perhaps the most beautiful sites that nature has to offer at Great Stirrup are not in the air or on the land but under the sea. Hundreds of species of brilliant fish and coral thrive within just a few feet of shore in crystal clear water at 80°F.

Great Stirrup Cay is a protected marine life sanctuary, and removal of anything from the water is strictly prohibited.