Fishing at Halcyon Bay
The walk to the back pumphouse
Bugs and Snakes
There are 2 main problems on Eleuthera. These are no worse at Calypso than at any other beachfront property (the pond behind the houses is surprisingly not a source of bugs, because it has lots of little fish and birds, and can dry up at the end of the dry season).
1. Sandflies (also called "no-see-ums"). These are tiny bloodsucking flying insects that are attracted by human carbon dioxide. They are found in all less developed parts of the caribbean. They cannot fly when there is a breeze (i.e. most of the time), but in still conditions they will inevitably bite. Some people, especially new-comers and first-time visitors, can develop an itchy rash, especially on the lower leg, and especially if they scratch. Avoid falling asleep outside in a hammock in windless conditions! Be aware that the tiny insects buzzing around your ankles might be sandflies - some people just let them bite and then get an itchy rash. On a windless evening we strongly recommend that you close all windows, especially your first few nights, because sandflies can get through the screens. If you want to leave a window open on a windless night, we suggest that you arrange a fan to blow air out one open window, and leave a window open on the other side of the house (preferably the side with the most breeze). This will draw CO2-free air in one window, and expel CO2-rich air out the other, at a speed which sandflies cannot deal with. If possible open the upper window pane not the lower.
2. Mosquitoes. These are only prevalent in the weeks following heavy rain. In the dry season (jan-may) you may not encounter one at all. 10 days after very heavy rain they can be very bad. All the windows are screened at Calypso.
Bugspray such as "Off" works well against both sandflies and mosquitoes. However, we find that we rarely need any during the dry season.
3. Other insects. The only really unpleasant insect on the island is the centipede. However, if you do not rummage in wet debris you are very unlikely to see one. There are some tiny scorpions (which tend to hide in cracks), but their bite is apparently no worse than a bee. There are also wasps, which can inflict an unpleasant sting, which can swell and become itchy. Please be careful if you sit outside that there are no wasp nests nearby. In the houses you may occasionally see a spider or a "palmetto bug" (which is a type of cockroach). Both are harmless. Please be aware that these come from outside, and do not reflect insanitary conditions.
4. Snakes. None of the snakes on the island are poisonous.
pink shutters on SeaStar
pink shutters on MorningStar