Castwell and Ladyfisher have already written
about the recent “Fish-In” at Emerald Palms.
These few words are from someone who had been
to Emerald Palms four years ago and returned
as part of the FAOL “Bone-Fish-In.”
You can see that Emerald
Palms is now one of the many sponsors of FAOL.
In an effort to kick-off their reopening my wife
and I decided to take advantage of the introductory
offer extended to FAOL participants. In part, we were
curious to see what changes had taken place since our
last visit.
First, let me tell you about our visit four years ago.
Three Montana couples headed to Emerald Palms after
hearing about the beautiful facility from a mutual
fishing friend. It was a place where our wives could
relax while we, the husbands, went in search of the
area Bonefish. Emerald Palms was indeed a beautiful
facility. The oceanfront presented some three miles
of isolated beach that our wives scoured for shells,
coral and other interesting finds. The room furnishings
would have suggested that the rates should be higher
than what we were paying.
Four years ago, the facility was owned and operated
by the Bahamian government. That’s where my further
descriptions lean toward the negative side. While
brochures and websites depicted sailing surfboards,
elegant beach and pool furniture, tennis courts; we
found all in disrepair and unusable. The dining room
was unable to provide less than half the items on their
menu. While I do not consider myself a coffee guzzler,
I really missed a morning cup of coffee because they
had none to brew.
The people in charge of the lodge and dining room would
submit a list of needed items to the Bureaucrats at
headquarters in Nassau. They in turn would make a
final decision of what supplies actually reached
Emerald Palms. The end result was that unhappy guests
chose not to return. My friends and I were among those
unhappy. Yet, in spite of the poor experience, our
wives continued to rank Emerald Palms as a place to
which they would like to return.
As Ladyfisher and Castwell explained, a private concern
purchased Emerald Palms from the Bahamian Government.
They have been pouring money and energy into making
it a true showplace. The area that once included the
tennis courts (that hosted nothing more that a flock
of the local buzzards) now has cottages that were
designed in the mode of early plantation architecture.
The furnishings and décor are very tasteful and elegant.
Landscaping is designed to complement the buildings
and surroundings. Not only is the outdoor furniture
in good repair, the outdoor freshwater swimming pool
has been remodeled and a relaxing Jacuzzi has been added.
When we checked in, the manager and staff greeted us
with cool “Bahama Mamas” (a local adult beverage) as
soon as we entered the main building. From then on,
the service and attention left nothing to be desired.
As I said earlier, we enjoyed special rates. Since
this is more than a simple fishing camp, my guess is
that once up and running, rates might scare some folks
off. On the other hand, if you want to treat your
non-fishing wife to outstanding service and comfort,
the new Emerald Palms must rank high on the list of
potential places on Andros.
While I have always considered North Andros to yield
bigger Bonefish, the Byte just five or ten minutes
north of Emerald Palms on South Andros has matched
any of the bruisers I have landed further north. Your
fishing gear should center around an 8-weight rod and
9 feet long. That will handle most Bonefish and also
give you the needed muscle when the wind gets a little
tough. Size 4 standard Bonefish patterns work best.
When tides are high, it’s also best to include some
weighted flies. Otherwise, regular beadchain eyes are
good enough, especially in skinny water. My friends
and I have found tan to be a good basic color. However,
have a few flashy varieties to help stimulate some of
the lazier Bonefish.
So, after four years, our recent return visit to the
“New” Emerald Palms of South Andros was indeed a more
pleasant experience. Again, the so-called private
sector proves that it can out perform anything
government run.
We do plan on returning. ~ Uncle Don
Originally published c. 2002 on Fly Anglers Online by Uncle Don.