Rum Cay Bahamas

Rum Cay is a small, low populated island located 185 miles southeast of Nassau and 20 miles southwest of San Salvador. It was previously called as Mamana by the Lucayan IndiansThe area contains 30sq. miles in size, 5 miles wide and 9.5 miles long. Mainly it is flat except few hills which are about 130 feet in height. Cristopher Columbus named it Santa Maria de la Concepcion during his second stop. The modern name, Rum Cay is in a memory of a wreck destroyed of a cargo that was carrying rum on it.
Like other islands, Rum Cay too has a series of booms and busts. Native Indians used to write in caves. There writings can be found in shape of engravings. Various artifacts are also found from the fertile soil which belongs to Arawak period.
In 19th century prosperity came to Rum Cay. Population enhanced to a number of 5000 and people found new employments like shipping salt. Salt, pineapple and sisal are the important industries here. Rum cay industries are mainly affecting by the competition and natural disaster like hurricane. The hurricane of 1926 ruined all Rum Cay and today tourism is the main source of employment here.
Britain’s first propeller warship driven here, it contained 101 gun-man of war. The ship was built in 1855 in Devon and drowned here in 30 feet deep water, the ship served in Crimean war. The ship is now the property of Bahamas government, none of its contents can be removed, they call it “Underwater Museum of the Bahamas”. If you are an adventurer of water world then you can find anchor chains, shaft and hawser of the ship in 30 feet deep water of Bahamas.