Long Island, Bahamas

Long Island was the third Island to be discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. In his diary Columbus is said to have described Long Island as the most beautiful island he had ever seen. A monument to Christopher Columbus is erected on top of the white bluffs of the north end of the Island. Long Island is 80 miles long and is no more than four miles at its widest point -- it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the Bahamas. Long Island's population is a little over 3,000. It provides excellent sites for diving and snorkeling.

The island is divided by the Tropic of Cancer and bordered by two different coasts, one with rocky cliffs and caves that dip suddenly into the sea and the other with broad beaches. Sloping hills characterize the northeast, while low hillsides make up the south end of the island. This range of physical appearance is why Long Island is considered by many to be one of the more picturesque islands in the Bahamas.

History of Long Island

Archaeological evidence shows that the Lucayan Taino settled on Long Island. First called 'Yuma,' by the primative who stayed there, Long Island was rechristened 'Fernandina' by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Loyalist families from America, settled on Long Island, setting up cotton plantations and raising cattle and sheep. By the time of the abolition of slavery in 1834, most of them had collapsed and been abandoned, leaving the ruins visited by tourists and historians of today. Today it is the leading stock-rearing island in The Bahamas.