camping northern california With more than 25 inhabited islands and thousands of smaller rocks and cays, there is plenty of oppo

With more than 25 inhabited islands and thousands of smaller rocks and cays, there is plenty of opportunity to explore different habitats and spot some rare birds. The three endemic species are the Bahama woodstar hummingbird, the Bahama swallow

IN THIS CHAPTER Geography 3 History 9 Getting There 12 Before You Go 16 The People 17 Eating & Drinking 18 Accommodation 20 Restaurant/Hotel Prices 22 Practical Information 23 How to Use This Book 30 Tourist camping northern california Information 31 Because the islands are no more than the exposed top portions of the Great Bahama Bank, an extension of the North American continental shelf, there are only three deep-water channels suitable for the passage of large vessels. Of the 700 islands and 2,000 islets, called cays (keys), making up the archipelago, only about 30 are inhabited. Some are little more than boulders that appear and disappear with the rise and fall of the ocean. Some are long and thin and stretch for many miles. Still others are home to thousands of busy people. The vast majority of the islands, however, are deserted, with pristine beaches and tropical forests that are untouched by humans.