Usually, getting to a destination is the most difficult part of a trip; at The Abaco Club, an international sporting club on Winding Bay in the Bahamas, the hard part is leaving.
“Welcome to Paradise” is how David Southworth, founder and CEO of Southworth Development, greets newcomers here. Even before you reach your residence, via a personal golf cart, you already feel the sense of being in paradise building.
The setting is relaxed with low slung buildings and iconic Bahamian architecture surrounded by lush vegetation. In the background, turquoise waters sparkle and flashes of rose red can be spied as Bahamian parrots streak through the trees.
No matter your vision of paradise — golf, tennis, boating, cave diving and snorkeling excursions or just relaxing on two miles of pristine beach — this club has it all. The golf course, consistently rated No. 1 in the Bahamas, is a true Scottish-style links course set hard by the sea with classic links features including pot bunkers and sloping greens. Pros such as PGA champion Darren Clarke often use the extensive practice facility to perfect their short game.
The club setting, which restricts the number of visits from non-members, adds to the overall laid-back ambiance. Real estate offerings include cottages, estate homes and cabanas. Two new condo buildings are planned. Also, in the works is a second members’ clubhouse and dedicated boat slips at Little Harbour.
Divers worldwide come to Abaco to explore the blue holes and potentially the most extensive island underground cave system in the world.
Our visit to the island included a winding trip through a pine forest with the Friends of the Environment to visit Dean’s Blue Hole, the second deepest in the world. Another day, we explored the cays and harbors around the Sea of Abaco, where we swam with turtles and met the swimming pigs of No Name Cay.
Along the Winding Bay beach, the club’s waterfront director has a range of water toys including kayaks, paddleboards and snorkels at the ready, and special events are planned every day.
Whether in the open air at Flippers Beach Bar or taking in the panoramic views from the relaxed elegance of the Cliff House, dining often turns into a convivial experience. It’s no surprise that Flippers’ signature drink is the Island Smile. Fish tacos at Flippers and fresh lobster at the Cliff House are favorites.
The last night of our visit was ribs night, one of the special events at Flippers, with live Shake ‘n Scrape music and a surprise visit from the island’s Junkanoo troupe.
Regretfully, we had to leave the next morning, but we carried with us the last exuberant notes of that night. — Camilla McLaughlin
Photos courtesy of The Abacos Club; Left bottom photo courtesy of Home ©Aaron Usher III
Dreams of a tropical sanctuary are realized in the home featured on our cover — a beachfront estate at The Abaco Club, a 500-acre private enclave in the Bahamas.
By Camilla McLaughlin
For more information, visit TheAbacoClub.com
Surrounded by more than one-and-a-half acres of palm trees, gardens and tropical foliage, the property is an oasis of privacy, but still a short walk or golf cart ride to everything The Abaco Club offers.
The architecture, a superbly articulated blend of transitional and contemporary styles with a Bahamian flavor, is uniquely suited to the setting. A stately entry with double mahogany doors and a coral stone staircase sets the stage; inside, a spacious vaulted great room transitions to a large dining space and a beautifully outfitted kitchen. The overall feeling invites relaxation, while a sense of understated elegance elevates the experience throughout the home.
Dynamic views of the turquoise waters of Winding Bay and miles of pristine white sandy beach form a backdrop in every room. Disappearing glass walls extend the living to a lanai and covered deck with outdoor dining organized around a spectacular pool. In the master suite, double French doors open to a very private outdoor shower surrounded by mahogany and coral stone walls. The ground level is devoted to ways to play with pool tables, a media room, guest suites and a workout room.
Few, if any, properties in the Bahamas match this singular combination of architecture, privacy, indulgent features and exquisite finishes paired with the services and amenities of an international sporting club.
“The Abaco Club is a desitnation where you can come and do nothing, or you can fill your day with biking, scuba diving, fishing and golf on what is considered the best course in the Bahamas,” shares Kristi Hull, director of sales for The Abaco Club, who is listing the home for $8.750 million. Best of all, limited access and an intimate club setting ensures that whenever you visit you feel like you are coming home.