River Monsters and Small Hope Fans, get ready!!!!!!!

Small Hope Bay Lodge will be on River Monsters on Thursday, May 5th. Make sure to watch as they search for what may or may not be lurking beneath the water of Andros Island.

It was a great time working with those guys -  a lot of fun and adventure. So make sure to check out the show. It's on Animal Planet for our US viewers and Discovery Channel for our UK viewers.

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Davis Creek Kayak Tour . . .

Davis Creek is a great spot for paddling around in a kayak or paddleboard. We will sometimes even offer a guided kayak tour, but our guests usually just pick a kayak and take the adventure on their own.




The creek is a great nursery for small fish, sharks, and rays. And on the way out of the mouth has got some excellent snorkeling. Just pull the kayak up on the beach and snorkel till your heart's content!

It's a great activity for any day of the week and great for all ages!

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Love is in the air . . . Or the Water!

On one of our recent dives, our guests and staff happened upon two mating loggerheads. Birds do it , bees do it. Even Loggerhead turtles do it. Let's do it. Let's fall in love . . . .

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Working with the Community, and Teaching Kids to Dive!!!!

Small Hope has a long and proud history of working to help the lives and livelihoods of the Andros people. Starting way back when Dick Birch started the resort in 1960 and continuing to this day.

So when the local law enforcement came to Jeff Birch and asked if Small Hope would help in teaching a group of local kids to scuba dive, he said YES! This group of kids got to learn how to fish last year and this year it's swimming, snorkeling, and diving!

The group contains 21 kids, ages 15-18. The goal is to get all of the as PADI certified Open Water divers. Jeff feels this is an important task so that the kids will start to understand the delicate ecosystem they live in, as well as gain a true appreciation and value for this beautiful island they call home.

The group started off very auspiciously! On the first day they got in the water a group of dolphins came by the dock to see what was happening! They are learning the water skills now, as well as watching our slide shows about the reef and aquatic life of Andros.

We wish them all luck and look forward to watching them progress in to great scuba divers!

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Our Beautiful, Bright Cabins, and Custom Androsia decor!

Small Hope was opened in 1960, and we have been going strong for over 55 years now! Our cabins were built one at a time by Dick Birch and his family. They started with Cabin 1, and when they finished the construction of each the family would live in each cabin as they progressed. They are constructed from Andros pine and coral rock. Each one is a little different from the rest too!



But they all have some things in common: They all have tile floors, ceiling fans, A/C, a comfortable living space, a reading chair, a safe, and two outside chairs for watching the beautiful scenery. They also all have comfy beds with Androsia runners and Androsia wall hangings.

Androsia was started in 1973 and has been in the Birch family from the beginning. They make beautiful hand-made Batik fabrics. And they bring beautiful bright colors to all our beachfront cabins!

 


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Get to Know the Staff: Meet Alvin!!!

Introducing . . . 

the incredible Alvin!!!

Alvin is one of the amazing "behind the scenes" members of staff. He is incredibly hard-working and dedicated. He is also a wonderfully versatile staff member. He does it all! He works in the kitchen, in maintenance, on the grounds and nursery. He has even been known to lend a hand on a dive or fishing trip.


Alvin has many awesome traits. He is pound-for-pound the strongest person on the island! I have seen him pick up an entire picnic table as if it weighed 5 lbs! He is also famous (or notorious) for his wicked dance skills. At our annual staff party, Alvin is the first out there shakin' it!!!!

He is great to have as a co-worker. Staff and guests alike appreciate all he does for them!

Fun Facts about Alvin:

# of Years at Small Hope: 10

# of Kids: 5

Favorite Thing to do Outside of Work: Work is his favorite thing to do. And with 5 kids, it's work, work, work - here or at home!

Best Part about Working at Small Hope: The variety. Each day is something new.

Favorite Food: Junk food (Bad Alvin!)

Favorite Superhero: Jeff. "He has done so much for me and my family. And I have learned so much here."

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Private Pilots, Sun n' Fun Fly-In, and Small Hope Bay Lodge

For decades Small Hope has been a superb resort for private pilots! In fact, the Small Hope founder, Dick Birch, was a pilot. And his son, Jeff, now the owner/manager, is also a pilot. We have an international airport just minutes away from us, making getting to and from the resort a piece of cake!

We also offer a Private Pilot package, perfect for those flying to the Bahamas for a weekend (or more), or doing some island hopping.

We have regular specials just for private pilots too! We have an Island Hopping special, and a $300 Fee Credit, both of which make the incentives to fly down to Small Hope too good to pass up!!!

And beginning the evening of Wednesday, May 6th, 2016, Jeff Birch will be representing Small Hope, Andros Island, and the Islands of the Bahamas at the annual Sun n' Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida.

Stop by and say hi if you are in the area. See what specials we are offering for the show! Or just fly down to Andros and come visit us at Small Hope.

Once you get here we have diving, snorkeling, fishing, nature tours, or just relaxing on our gorgeous beach! There is something for everyone!!!!!

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Dolphins!!!!!

You can't help but smile we you spot dolphins. We see them often (though not as often as we'd like) around the bay, as well as to and from our dive and snorkel sites. Check out a great video of one of these spottings!

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