28 Feb 2016

The Infamous Nippers on Great Guana Cay

by | posted in: Bahamas, Bahamas 2015-2016, Family and Friends | 5

The weekend brought another chance to get out and about in the Abacos, to wander aimlessly, as Will says on the Cruisers Net. Where to go? Let’s head over to Great Guana Cay. We had stopped there twice (Great Guana Cay and A Visit with Friends from Home) on our last trip, but this time we would be there on a Sunday. Sunday = Nippers Beach Bar & Grill’s infamous Pig Roast. Time to do the tourist thing and check out this famous rowdy Sunday event.

The day was cool as we motored over to Great Guana Cay, but the sun was shining and gave us some warmth. We anchored just north of the inner harbor at Guana. The water was simply beautiful. I say it over and over, but sometimes I just can’t believe it is really this beautiful until I look down again and see right through it. That’s what we like most about getting out and about – the gorgeous clear green-blue water.

The shadow of the dinghy on the bottom. My toes splashing in the cool water.
The shadow of the dinghy on the bottom. My toes splashing in the cool water.
The sun felt warm so I spent time on the transom peeling off the flaking skin from some conch shells. A 20-minute dip int he water also felt good, although the stare was only 72 degrees (was 80 in December) and the air was barely 70.
The sun felt warm so I spent time on the transom peeling off the flaking skin from some conch shells. A 20-minute dip in the water also felt good, although the water was only 72 degrees (was 80 in December) and the air was barely 70.

After a quiet afternoon, Magnolia joined us, arriving from Man O’ War where they had spent the afternoon. We ate dinner onboard Kindred Spirit, enjoying good company once again. By evening the anchorage was no longer so quiet. There were another dozen boats and a pulsating beat coming from the beach bar.

Kindred Spirit at anchor. (Photo credit goes to Anthony on Magnolia)
Kindred Spirit at anchor. (Photo credit goes to Anthony on Magnolia)

A relaxing morning and then it was time to venture in for the Sunday Pig Roast at Nippers.  😉

Dive Guana, home of Troy who frequently gives weather reports for the Cruisers Net in the morning. WE beached the dinghies in front of Grabbers, a beach bar. Who can resist hammocks? Every beach should have one or ten.
Dive Guana, home of Troy, who frequently gives weather reports for the Cruisers Net in the morning. We beached the dinghies in front of Grabbers, a beach bar. Who can resist hammocks? Every beach should have one or ten.

From Grabbers we walked across the island to the ocean side. Sights along the way —

Sights along the way -- No fear of getting lost with a sign for Nippers like this. This tractor was almost camouflaged not eh other side of the path.
No fear of getting lost with a sign for Nippers like this. This tractor was almost camouflaged with stickers and paint on the other side of the path.
Poisonwood Tree has beautiful orange bark on the trunk and limbs and is used for carving and furniture, but the clear sap oozes out an dturns black. Touchign the sap results in a red itching burning blistered rash. Yikes! Stay AWAY from it! The posion wood tree has a good side. Its nectar feeds butterflies.
The Poisonwood Tree has beautiful orange bark on the trunk and limbs and is used for carving and furniture, but the clear sap oozes out and turns black. Touching the sap results in a red itching burning blistered rash. Yikes! Stay AWAY from it! The Poisonwood tree’s good side — its nectar feeds butterflies.

And then, rising ahead of us, was the multi-colored and multi-leveled Nippers complex.

Nippers has pools for cooling off (no need for that on this day) and an outstanding view of the ocean from the upper decks.
Nippers has a pool for cooling off (no need for that on this day) and an outstanding view of the ocean from the upper decks.
Pig Roast Sunday draws a crowd, but it really wasn't too bad.
Pig Roast Sunday draws a crowd, but it really wasn’t too bad. Bottom picture is from Anthony who unknowingly caught us coming down the steps.

About the Pig Roast. There was no whole pig turning and roasting on a spit over a fire. Now that would have been special. Instead the “pig roast” is a buffet of barbecue pork and chicken with traditional Bahamian sides.

Our "Pig Roast " lunch. You get these cute little tokens for the buffet line.
Our “Pig Roast ” lunch – pork, chicken, mac ‘n’ cheese, cornbread (not like any corn bread I know), beans & rice, interesting cole slaw, and some fruit salad, aka fruit cocktail.  You get these little tokens for the buffet line.

“Nipper Juice” is the bar’s specialty tropical drink, a grown-up slushy made of rum, rum, rum, orange juice, pineapple, and grenadine, and is a lot stronger than it tastes. I did the ultimate tourist thing and bought their Tervis tumbler which becomes a reasonable deal when filled with the juice. I’d rather have the tumbler than wear a shirt with “Nippers” written across it.

Drinking our "Nippers Juice"
Drinking our “Nippers Juice”
In spite of the cool weather, people were enjoying the beach, especially these little naked nippers.
In spite of the cool weather, people were enjoying the beach, especially these little naked nippers.

The four of us walked the beach, the true attraction at Nippers; it stretches for a long way, just sand and blue water.

The beautiful blue Atlantic Ocean
The beautiful blue Atlantic Ocean with a blue sky and puffy white clouds. Ahhhhhh….bliss.
On the beach with my sweetheart. (Thank you, Anthony for such a nice picture.)
On the beach with my sweetheart. (Thank you, Anthony for such a nice picture.)
Nothing like a gold and burning orange sunset to end a fine day.
Nothing like a gold and burning orange sunset to end a fine day.

Final thoughts about Nippers? It’s ok. The setting is great but the “Pig Roast” is nothing special. Am I glad we did it? Of course!

5 Responses

  1. Kathleen Rubenstein
    | Reply

    What about those little devils the noseeums. I think they are just in the summer. Never been to Nippers, but cruising north on the sea of Abaco with some Bhamian friends, they stopped at Great Guana for gas, and while they filled up, they sent me to Grabbers with a pitcher to get it filled up with Guana Grabbers–good stuff. Used to have a few acres of oceanfront on Elbow Cay that my mother bought in the 1950’s and gave it to me in the early 80’s after going through 3 lawyers over the years to get the title quieted because of the 3 speeds there: slow, slower, and stop. Had to make numerous trips there to keep the new lawyer working of it; only took me 3 yrs. I’m in the oil business. Had to sell it in ’86 after the price crash. It’s worth 10 times as much now. Boohoohoo.

  2. Jenny Ruth Yasi
    | Reply

    Hi! Looks like fun! We’re getting ready to go cruising and we’ve been wondering about the various mosquito viruses. I saw you were attending the songwriters festival, and it was dark out and it looked like tons of people out there. People aren’t freaking out about mosquito viruses? When we were in PR, lots of people had gotten chikunguyna, we met some who were hospitalized, but in your blog it doesn’t look like such a big deal? Have you posted on that, and whether you’ve been doing special preventative measures or if you had to deal with a virus, or your thoughts on that? Not a problem in the Bahamas? Thanks! I have nerve pain issues so that’s why I am more concerned maybe than some, I am kind of sensitive to stuff like that…

    • watsons
      | Reply

      Never saw any bugs. Took out screen in boat windows to clean and never had a problem. Not even at sunset! Enjoy

    • watsons
      | Reply

      We haven’t experienced any mosquito problems, or even other buggy creatures here in the Bahamas. IF we are walking inland for awhile in areas with trees and bushes, we carry some bug spray but have rarely had to use it.

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