Tribute to Abaco

[Abacointerlude]

I wrote a little tribute to Abaco on another forum. Please don't miss the comments on page 2 as I continue the story after a few comments from other posters.

I wish to thank some of the posters on this board as I used a few of their photos from Hole In The Wall.

Here it is: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=35487

A few disclaimers: I am not sure whether Abaco is really 300 miles long. I casually took that figure from my father. Wouldn't mind having that confirmed.

Secondly, I doubt that the pic of the old school in ruins was really the old school. But it is accurate in that all the former houses and the school (which was similar to the regular Snake Cay houses) are in similar ruins. All you see is a slab and a bunch of rubbish. I can confirm that the site of the old school was likely farther down the road. I just never took a pic of it, but it would look like the rubble I show on the pic.

Everything else in the photo-essay should be accurate. Bear in mind that my story was targetted towards readers who know nothing about Abaco. It wasn't directed to "old hands" like yourselves, so forgive the didactic tone.

[momshell]

Love the photos and story. Different than the usual ones we see of Abaco.

[SusieAndAl]

Very interesting perspective and thanks for posting this.

A few points:

1) Abaco is 107 miles long.

2) Fascinating to hear this take about the sugar operations. One of our best friends went to work there as a laborer and his story about the real reason for the closing is quite different. PM us if you want more details as this forum is not the appropriate venue for such a discussion.

Cheers -- SusieAndAl

[BahamaAngie]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[ModeratorXXX]

The length of Abaco varies, depending on what is measured. Are you driving the mainland from Crown Haven to Sandy Point, or sailing from Walker's to Hole-in-the-Wall? The length is debatable.

[Abacointerlude]

Very interesting perspective and thanks for posting this.

A few points:

1) Abaco is 107 miles long.

2) Fascinating to hear this take about the sugar operations. One of our best friends went to work there as a laborer and his story about the real reason for the closing is quite different. PM us if you want more details as this forum is not the appropriate venue for such a discussion.

Cheers -- SusieAndAlI'm correcting this pronto. I thought 300 miles seemed ridiculous.

Thanks!

[Abacointerlude]

Very interesting perspective and thanks for posting this.

2) Fascinating to hear this take about the sugar operations. One of our best friends went to work there as a laborer and his story about the real reason for the closing is quite different. PM us if you want more details as this forum is not the appropriate venue for such a discussion.

Cheers -- SusieAndAlI haven't heard from Susie and Al yet, so this may have nothing to do with their comment, but I must say that I heard several rumours which are clearly false in my opinion.

1. I don't believe the story of Columbians dumping machinery into the sea as they bought the parts as a front for a drug operation. (This rumour was mentioned in my article)
--The Columbian company which bought the machinery was a reputable company.

2. One local told me that the US government had made arrangements to store Agent Orange in those Molasses vats on Snake Cay, and that there was a smell from the place.
--This one is too stupid to answer. Sorry if I offend anyone by phrasing it this way.

3. A persistent local rumour has it that the Bahamian government chased O-I out by demanding a stake in the project or by raising taxes and such.
--Retired O-I personnel (including my father) say this is pure bunk. It was a financial decision. They were losing money and after the Andros logging venture was done in 1974, there was certainly no reason to stick around. Remember, the operation was shut down before the Bahamas became independent. I just attribute it to American corporate excess and frivolity, which was more common in the 60s and 70s. Really: no room for conspiracy theories here. Let's put to rest this persistent rumour.

Further discussion would be welcomed via pm as we need to avoid discussing politics. I just wanted to debunk some myths.

[Abacointerlude]

The length of Abaco varies, depending on what is measured. Are you driving the mainland from Crown Haven to Sandy Point, or sailing from Walker's to Hole-in-the-Wall? The length is debatable.I'd like the approx distance from Walker's to Hole in the Wall.

[Iridium]

Absolutely first rate!
Just finished your tour thru memory lane to the present and it was facinating!Thanks for the time and effort to clue us in on the changes in another land.
Yes it is sad how things deteriorate over time, and that "you can never go back"
If there is any more to the story, by all means... continue!

[Iridium]

By the way, what did your Dad say about the present condition of the dock?
Did he marvel at the colossal waste of manpower/capital?
I hope he is well. Sounds like he's had an interesting life...

[Abacointerlude]

By the way, what did your Dad say about the present condition of the dock?
Did he marvel at the colossal waste of manpower/capital?
I hope he is well. Sounds like he's had an interesting life...He felt the most pain over the old O-I plant site. The office building used to be called the "Butler Building" after the company which made pre-fabricated structures. It was a great shock to see what was left of what was once a state-of-the-art factory. He took great pains to mothball the machinery when O-I pulled out and it looks like no one shared his concern for it afterwards. Leaving those cane cars out there to rot was pretty stupid. They costed some $.