Hope Town is the main settlement on Elbow Cay. It’s another one of the picturesque villages built around a protected harbor that looks as if it might have been picked up in New England and dropped in the Abacos.  Wyannie Malone, a loyalist who fled South Carolina during the American Revolution, settled in Hope Town in 1785. A museum named after her gives a fascinating picture of this turbulent time in British and American history.

Hope Town is the location of the candy-striped Elbow Reef Lighthouse that has been a landmark in the Abacos for generations. It was built in 1863 and was not universally welcomed by the island’s inhabitants who, up until that time, had eked out a decent living from salvaging ships that were wrecked on the nearby reefs. Elbow Reef is one of only a few lighthouses left in the world that burns pressurized kerosene and therefore requires constant attention from the keeper. It is well worth climbing the one hundred and one steps to the top for the stunning view over the Sea of Abaco.

A Hope Town yacht charter affords the opportunity to explore the eclectic shops and excellent range of restaurants at your leisure.  There are good grocery stores in Hope Town, as well as a pharmacy, bakery, and Hope Town Coffee House. Shops selling locally produced arts, crafts, jewelry and clothing are dotted through the village, which epitomises traditional West Indies charm.