ABOUT OUR ADVERTISERS
by the Editor
If you call from outside of Abaco you must add 1-242 to the beginning of the telephone numbers.
ABACO AIR
It's hard to think that someone as lovely as Denise Kelly is a businessperson, but that's what she is. Abaco Air has built a reputation over the years for excellence in the air charter business. They provide charter service to all points in The Bahamas and Florida with 6 and 9 seater aircraft available. They have an I A mechanic on staff and Avgas available. Call 367-2266.
ABACO GLASS COMPANY
Have you ever tried to put new screening into your window screens? I bet they turned out as baggy as Aunt Ethel's bloomers and were just as ragged around the edges. Get your screens made or repaired by the professionals at Abaco Glass Company. They sell Yale windows and frame and matt your favourite pictures. As their name suggests, they also cut and install window glass and mirrors. You'll find them next door to Western Auto in Marsh Harbour. Call 367-2442.
ABACO HARDWARE LTD
For all your hardware needs in Marsh Harbour, it's quite simply Abaco Hardware. Manager Robin Albury and his friendly and helpful staff provide top quality merchandise and service at Abaco's lowest prices. Call 367-2170.
ABACO REAL ESTATE
As soon as you walk into the Abaco Real Estate offices in Marsh Harbour you realise this is The Bahamas! No stuffiness, no bull. Just charming efficiency. It's one of those business places you always walk out of feeling better than when you walked in. The Abaco Journal only advertises Abaco Real Estate but they are Insurance Agents, Beeper service providers, plastic sign makers, computerised cloth-print logo makers - you name it. Call 367-2358, especially when you've fallen in love with Abaco and want that really special place to enjoy it from.
ABACO SPACES
If you rent your villa or condominium while you are off the island, you'll need a place to store your personal property in the meantime. Contact Glen Albury at 367-2414.
A & W TRAVEL SERVICE
Where on Earth do you want to go? Wherever it is, the friendly staff of A & W Travel are there to assist you with your travel arrangements. They always get me where I need to be, if not where I want to be. Call 367-2806.
AID
Automotive & Industrial Distributors sounds very formal but when you enter AID you are in the biggest retail store on Abaco - yet the service is efficient and friendly. Arrive early in the morning (they open before I get up) and you'll get coffee and gossip with Frankie Russell and the guys. It'll take you an hour just to walk up and down the aisles, so go straight to the counter for urgent needs automotive, household and gardening. But take time to browse. From paint to pumps, AID is a woman's store as well as a man's.
B & D MARINE LIMITED
B & D Marine is one of the easiest stores to find in all of Abaco. It's right by the only traffic lights in all of the Bahama Out Islands! B & D Marine are distributors for Suzuki outboards, generators and motorcycles. They also carry rods and reels, fishing tackle, filters, pumps, hoses, marine paints, ropes, anchors, diving gear, maintenance products and all manner of marine hardware. Call 367-2622.
BELLEVUE BUSINESS DEPOT
Office supplies and equipment, copying - all at Freeport prices! Kathy O'Kelleher is your user-friendly manager at Bellevue, your Business Depot Store on Abaco. Call 367-3915.
BRIGANTINE BAY VILLAS
You're in Treasure Cay and have beachfront property. People pass by all day long, staring. You're in a villa at Treasure Cay. People pass by all day long, staring. You're in Brigantine Bay, Treasure Cay ...Ah! You're two walking minutes from the beach and there's nobody staring at you. Make your villa exactly what you want it to be. Laid back? They got it. Make your own rules. Canal-side location and tropical vegetation. Cicadas at no extra cost. Lee and Natalie Roach are your hosts but only talk US politics with Lee if you have a few hours to spare and a bottle or two of rum handy. Call 365-8033. (US 770-993-7073).
CIBC BAHAMAS
All your banking needs - including Abaco's only ABM - are satisfied at CIBC Bahamas Marsh Harbour Branch by Manager Derek Benjamin and his friendly staff. Call 367-2166.
COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGNS
"Let me know when my ad with the Abaco Journal is up," said Sidney Albury. "Since I advertised with you I have had plenty of business, especially from Treasure Cay." We felt so good we felt like giving him a couple of months free. But we are, after all, a business so we increased his rates (striking while the iron was hot) and he still didn't complain. We've heard first hand about his excellent and considerate service. That word 'Commercial' shouldn't put you off. He does private homes and has done for over 10 years. If you want sun, go outside. Inside, have controlled luminescence with a wide variety of blinds. Call Sidney at 367-2091.
DISTINCTIVE CLARK CASUAL FURNITURE
When you have built your perfect island home you'll want to furnish it with casual tastefulness. Distinctive Clark's rattan furniture is quality crafted in the USA and its lightness and airy openness makes it perfect for our tropical conditions. It comes to you with over 20 hand finishes and a choice of 85 fabrics. Also available are sofa sleepers, entertainment centres, settees, sectionals, love seats, lounge chairs, dining chairs, bar stools, recliners, bedroom groupings and extension leaf, flip flop and drop leaf tables. In Treasure Cay call Bill Hertz at 365-8061. In Hope Town call Amy Key at 366-0063.
G & M VARIETY STORE
Mike and Gloria Mikula are your host and hostess at G & M Variety Store, located in the Long Building in central Treasure Cay. They are open for your convenience from 7 am to 10 pm every day and carry a wide range of goods including soft drinks, water, dairy products, breadbasket items, drug items, toiletries and tobacco products. You can also pick up your copy of the latest Abaco Journal.
GARDENER'S EDEN
Owned by Mandy and Leslie Pinder, Gardener's Eden in Marsh Harbour carries a range of potted flowers and greenery but specialises in flower arrangements and gift bouquets, which include free local delivery. Call 367-2260.
GETAFIX AUTO
We all know that the car you drive on Abaco is nothing like the one you have at home. This one is old, is deserted for months in the year and works more on cusses and prayers than maintenance. When the Old Girl does need a tweak or two - or the Kiss of Life - check out 'G' at Getafix Auto. Mr Gregory Deal (if you have to be formal - I've never seen him that way) has been your Editor's choice of mechanic for years. His wife, Mary, is so English she puts Margaret Rutherford to shame. But don't upset her - she makes up the bills! G has all the contacts to keep your Old Girl supplied in parts and the expertise to keep her purring. Mention the Abaco Journal and G will happily add 10% to your bill! He'll still be cheaper than anyone else around. Call 367-3166.
GREAT ABACO SHIPPING
Great Abaco Shipping provides service from the Port of Miami every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Full loads and LCL shipments. For bookings and general information in the US call (305) 863-4411 or Fax (305) 863-4788. On Abaco call Mike Malone at 367-2721 or Fax 367-2774.
GREEN TURTLE CLUB & MARINA
Green Turtle Club & Marina is remote, romantic and memorable... an ambience of seclusion, crystal clear waters, unspoiled white sandy beaches, perfect year-round weather... cordial Bahamian lifestyle...(guests) keep coming back time and time again - these are just a few comments from major magazine articles. You want class with an easy-going atmosphere? Green Turtle Club & Marina. Call 365-4271.
GREEN TURTLE FERRY
You don't have to call Green Turtle Ferry for regular service between Treasure Cay Airport Dock and Green Turtle Cay at 10.30 am, 1.30 pm and 3 pm. But you do have to call them for special charter rates. Call Mon-Wed 365-4128, Thurs-Sat 365-4166, Sundays 365-4151. Don't ask us why - This is The Bahamas!
HARBOUR VIEW GROCERY
Suzanne Bethel may be one of the most fortunate women in the world. She has retired from teaching after a distinguished career (in a place where teachers are appreciated) and now assists her husband, Willard, in a variety of business ventures. She has two children she is justly proud of and has been elected the Local Government Representative for Hope Town. The really good fortune comes in when we tell you she has lived her life in Hope Town. It's hard to think of anywhere better. Suzanne gets 50 copies of the Abaco Journal every month for Harbour View Grocery but never sends any old copies back. "When people come after being away for a while they pick up several back copies at a time," she told us. Harbour View grocery is our only advertiser at the moment on Elbow Cay. Hope Town people say that when you catch a fish dolphin you play it near the boat and keep the rest of the school around so others in the boat can keep fishing and catching. I guess that's what we're doing. There is a phone number but heavens, this is Hope Town. Walk there!
HOME GARDENING IN THE BAHAMAS
Growing herbs and vegetables in The Bahamas is easy and rewarding but there are quite a few things you need to know to take full advantage of our long growing season. Home Gardening in The Bahamas was written on Abaco by Gardener Jack, Gardening Correspondent for the country's leading newspaper, The Tribune of Nassau. This 36 page booklet tells you all you need to know. Second Edition available by post for $6 from Jack Hardy, PO Box AB-20107, Marsh Harbour, Abaco.
J S JOHNSON & COMPANY LTD
For all your insurance needs in The Bahamas, come to Manager Gentry Morris in the Dove Plaza Building, Marsh Harbour. J S Johnson & Company are the leaders in Bahamian insurance and have been in business since 1919. Call 367-2688.
LAYSUE BOAT RENTALS
(See Rich's Rentals) Look up DICHOTOMY in the dictionary and you'll see what I'm up against. The Abaco Journal has two boat rental services in the same area and we cannot judge between them. If we could, we'd only carry one. We've never had a word of complaint about either. LaySue has a fleet of Sea Cats, twin engined catamarans that give unbelievable smooth riding. There's a VHF system on board so that if you encounter any problems you only have to call back and get help. Don't be fooled by Timothy Higgs acting normal and humble. I've beaten International Masters at chess yet after 6 months learning, Timothy beat me. Don't let that scare you. The name LaySue is a combination of the names of the two owning brothers' wives. That should tell you something. Call 367-4414.
MARCO
The name Marco derives from the names of two Bethel brothers, Marcus and Colin. Between them they have established the largest air conditioning, refrigeration and electrical contracting company on Abaco. They also carry fans and lots of home and kitchen appliances in their Marsh Harbour showroom. Call 367-3186.
NEW PLYMOUTH HARDWARE
All your hardware needs satisfied in downtown New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay. It's the home of all those hard to find products. Freight and barge service too! Call 365-4305.
PINE WOODS NURSERY
What do you want from a plant nursery? Well, Randy and Emily Key's Pine Woods has it. Situated close to Marsh Harbour Airport, Pine Woods may very well be the best nursery in all of The Bahamas. Just take a look at their landscaping as you enter their spacious environs. Visit their fish pool. Play with their macaw, but don't play with their Siamese cat, Blue Eyes. It bites the happiness out of me every time I try to tickle its belly. He's usually on the counter, or wherever he wants to be. Pine Woods had a canvas garden swing set for sale but the cat took up squatting rights on it. Tamer are the fish, cockatiels, hamsters, love birds, finches, budgies and other critters looking for a loving home. Want to make your property prettier? Look no further - Pine Woods has it all. Including vegetable seedlings, herbs and seeds of all kinds. And several aisles of fertilizers and pest control products. And if there's something you need that they don't have on hand (a minor miracle in itself) they'll get it for you in short order. Call 367-2674.
RADIO ABACO
When you reach Abaco, tune in to FM 93.5 right away! You'll soon become familiar with the rhythms of the island as Radio Abaco presents Bahamian music, oldies & goodies, old time gospel and - at 7 am and 6 pm - the breaking news of the day. Your host Silbert Mills will make you feel at home away from home. Check out the hard copy Abaco Journal for a full schedule of transmissions.
RELIABLE CAR RENTALS
Marsh Harbour's taxi drivers are notorious for wanting to choose your rental company for you. Be firm and insist on Reliable Car Rentals, located near Abaco Towns. 4 door mid-size American vehicles with A/C $70 per day, $375 per week. 4 door 7 seater American station wagons with A/C $80 per day, $425 per week. Call 367-3015.
RICH'S RENTALS
Abaco is one of the greatest boat cruising areas in the world. Hey, put every factor into the equation and it has to be the very best. So you want a boat to enjoy Abaco at its best. Problem here. We have two boat rental advertisers in Marsh Harbour. The Abaco Journal cannot tell you which is best because one (this one) is owned by the immensely popular Member of Parliament Robert Sweeting (who is like no other politician you've ever met - he's honest and almost shy) and the other (LaySue) is owned by a couple of my ex-students at school. Excellent ex-students. (They were also excellent while they were students, in case you are reading too much into this.) So whom do you choose? I get seasick looking over the harbour, so don't ask me. Both provide first class service. Available are 19', 21' and 26' Paramounts at daily, 3-day and weekly rental rates. Scuba gear, bait and tackle also available. For Rich's Rentals call 367-2742.
ROBERTS MARINE
Roberts Marine is situated on Black Sound, Green Turtle Cay. They are Johnson dealers and can satisfy your every need with boat storage; servicing of outboard, inboard and diesel engines; marine and general hardware supplies; boat sales and rentals. Call or Fax 365-4249.
SHELL
Your outboat engines deserve the very best. Insist on Nautilus Premium Outboard Oil while cruising the Abacos. You can be sure of Shell.
THE OUTBOARD SHOP
It happens. You're cruising the Abacos, visiting our quaint settlements, skinny-dipping on our deserted beaches, settling back at night with a dripping rum punch in your hand as a fingernail moon climbs the sky and fish break the water nearby when someone with a weary right arm tells you: "The motor won't start." Time for the Evinrude and Johnson experts, The Outboard Shop, to quickly get you mobile again. Factory trained mechanics and a full stock of parts will soon get you on your way. Dry boat storage is also available. Call 367-2703.
THE SHOE PLACE
It's the place Abaco people buy their shoes. OK, if you're on vacation here you came in shoes and probably won't need to buy any. We know that. But if you do break a heel or suddenly need something a little bit more formal than you originally figured, The Shoe Place is solely (ha! ha!) shoes. Melinda and her staff will have what you want - at the right price. Call 367-2424.
TREASURE CAY DENTAL CLINIC
I'm like you. I feel like every time you have to go to a dentist the government should not only provide free service but pay you. Ah well, Utopia. In the real world we get toothache or need away-from-our-regular-dentist attention. I can't softsoap you - dentists aren't fun. But when you need one in Treasure Cay, you're lucky. You've got Treasure Cay Dental Clinic's Howard R Spencer DMD. Call 365-88625.
TREASURE CAY MINI MART
Let's be honest - you are going to be appalled at the prices. Now consider the facts: there is no income tax in The Bahamas. Most of our revenue comes from imported materials. When you buy at Mini Mart in Treasure Cay (which is owned by the same company as Golden Harvest, Abaco Market, Abaco Wholesale and Solomon Bros Ltd, MH) you are paying the government a lot in taxes and duties before the company can make its payroll. Many basic food items are controlled by Government and tend to run at about 150% of US prices. In general you can expect to pay about 200% of US prices - more on some items. But don't think you will become rich by competing with and undercutting the local stores. Several companies have tried it: they are all bankrupt now. High food prices are a fact of life in The Bahamas. Watch the locals shop - they don't even bother to look at the prices. Only tourists complain. The natives are under a permanent anaesthetic. You'll still find serendipitous bargains, however - even by US standards. Keep shopping, but shop wisely.
TREASURE KEYS
You have found your paradise in Treasure Cay or nearby. You can only stay in paradise for a certain length of time. There's a real world out there for those of you who aren't Bahamian. So who looks after your house while you're away? And your car? And your runabout? And your golf cart? Rest easy. That name Treasure Keys may be a play on words but gets the message over very well. Hank and Andrea Albury, Joy Chaplin and Mike Robus will take care of your property while you are away better than you will while you are here. Guaranteed. Call 365-8472.
TRINITY CUSTOMS BROKERAGE
When you import into Marsh Harbour you need a customs broker who will treat your concerns as his own. Bradley Reckley was a customs officer for 16 years so he knows the ropes. He now offers personal service at reasonable rates. Contact him at 367-4297.
TWIN AIR
How do you get to Abaco? The Abaco Journal gets here first class with Twin Air out of Fort Lauderdale. Twin Air delivers the Abaco Journal to the island every month and has done, without fail, for many years. Reliable scheduled air service for both passengers and freight. Call from the US: 954-359-8266.
UNITED ABACO SHIPPING
Stuff from the States? The most impressive deliverer of them all, the Duke of Topsail, is at your service. The Duke is big enough to handle all your import needs and travels between West Palm Beach, Nassau and Marsh Harbour every week. It takes 20' and 40' containers and has a 40,000 lb refrigerated and frozen capacity. It leaves West Palm Beach on Wednesdays, arriving Nassau Thursday and Marsh Harbour Friday. It sails on Sundays for Nassau and Florida. Call 367-2091 (US 561-844-5387).
WM HERTZ LTD
Bill Hertz is your real estate contact at Treasure Cay. He handles sales and rentals of villas, condos, apartments, homes, investment acreage, hotel sites and beach front lots. Call or Fax 365-8061.