We Found Our Paradise

by Steve R. Smirnoff
(Anchorage, AK, USA)

Tranquility Bay

Millie had come to Eleuthera from Miami on her days off, flying in on Pan American. Her descriptions of the island were brushed aside as idle imagination. No such places existed in real life...

In the fall of 1981, the company that I was working for, RCA Alascom was preparing to launch its first telecommunications satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

As the Senior Public Affairs representative it fell upon me to be placed in charge of the public relations activities and celebrations, associated with this historic launch which would bring live television to even the most remote parts of Alaska.

With the launch behind us and with a few days left before returning to Alaska, my wife Cindy and I decided to take a side trip to Eleuthera.

As with so many visitors to the island, we planned and dreamed about building a tropical hide-a-way overlooking the tranquil sea. Alas, that was not to be and perhaps fortunately so.

On our last day on the island before returning home from one of our many visits here, we were driven to the airport in Governor’s Harbour and arrived several hours early. Not wishing to leave us sit in the hot, primitive terminal (1981), our driver suggested a short tour of the general area with which we were not too familiar.

Our driver asked if we had ever heard of Tranquility Bay Club. We had not and said so. Two miles south of the airport he turned into a driveway and drove down an overgrown trail into the middle of a jungle.

What came next was a wonderful surprise and a revelation of what the future would bring.

What a view! A million dollar panorama of the azure waters of the sea dotted with two nearby cays (small isles) and a splendid beach.

Since the two homes still had sound walls and foundations both were totally rebuilt by Giant Carey, a Tarpum Bay builder. Tranquility Bay which is for sale now was back, sharing its beauty and solitude with us, as well as the many guests from around the world.

It has been 13 years now (2007) since we moved into our Eleuthera homes and every extended visit brings new adventures and challenges.

The greatest gift we have received in our 30 some years of coming to the island is the friendship of our many Eleuthera friends.

With the passing of years we have experienced hurricanes, leaking cisterns, power outages, empty propane tanks, draughts, torrential rains, cancelled flights, poison wood and slow mail service. But the friendships have become stronger with new friends being added every year.

On Eleuthera we are all equal. No matter wealth or lack of it, no matter how high or low a position we hold in our mainland careers, no matter what our respective family backgrounds may be. On Eleuthera none of this matters. And that is what makes this island so very special!