Saturday Sailboat Racing on Governor's Harbour

Governor's Harbor is a settlement that covers the center of Eleuthera.  The area boasts the distinction of  being the first permanent European settlement in the New World as well as exhibiting  the true essence of Eleuthera.  For the most part, the island is quiet and sparsely populated  but Governor's Harbour offers glimpses of candy-colored houses, a legendary Friday night fish fry and Saturday morning sailboat racing.

Preparation for the races start at 10 AM, when children and adults launch and rigg their boats on the beach. The first race sails at 11:00 with a course clearly viewed from the harbour.

I was charmed to see children sailing and swimming on a Saturday morning instead of holed up in front of a computer somewhere. It felt like a peek into another era when nature and simplicity were still revered. By about 2PM, the races were over and the boats dotted the beach like oversized flippers.

Some of the kids scurried across the street to the rose-colored library, where they read and created art projects. Eleuthera is noted for its old school lifestyle and witnessing these leisurely Saturday morning activities made me want to ditch my multi-tasking, contemporary habits and sink into the island's slow-paced warmth.