Small Hope Has Gone SOLAR!

Solar panels for our hot tub

As you may know, Small Hope Bay Lodge has always been firmly committed to our natural environment. For many years we have employed several measures to reduce our environmental impact such as LED bulbs in all of our light fixtures and water saving devices in all our toilets.

Now we have taken it a step further. All the hot water for our entire resort - that means all 21 of our beachfront cabins, as well as our kitchen, lounge, and hot tub - is completely solar heated now.

Layout of our solar design

This is a big step for Small Hope, and Andros Island in general. This island's energy is currently supplied by diesel generators, a very costly and inefficient fuel source. By switching all our water heating to solar, we are taking a huge step forward in reducing our dependency on non-renewable energy sources. 

We are very proud of this. And it's just the beginning. . . .

Solar panels for our cabins and lounge

This process began last summer when we had a team of interns from Duke University down for several weeks to help design and implement a solar hot water heating system for the resort. They definitely got the ball rolling and helped construct the unit we currently are using to heat all the water for our cabins, lounge and kitchen.

We then expanded the project further and, with a little help for some good friends, constructed an additional unit for heating our hot tub.

A big thanks to everyone who helped us achieve this goal!

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More from the Green Team on our Solar Project

My time on Andros have flown by. As I write my last blog entry for Small Hope from the packed Starbucks in Dupont Circle in the heart of Washington, DC it occurred to me that there is no greater juxtaposition to the environment I left behind on Andros. Smart Phones, watches and laptops line every table. Leaving is always bittersweet. Although I am glad to be within walking distance to a hundred restaurants, bars, and stores, I’m already missing the carefree atmosphere.

My last few weeks at Small Hope have been spent overseeing and laying the pipes for the solar hot water system, creating a solar hot water manual and designing a low cost solar hot water system for residential use. The solar hot water manual is meant to document the process that we went through to design and build the system so that other resorts or businesses can follow suit later. The manual includes tediously detailed sourcing information so replacement parts can be easily ordered. The manual also includes detailed schematics, diagrams, and maintenance information.

The rest of the Duke Green team have been busy wrapping up several other projects we have been working on, including an interactive user friendly energy monitoring program that allows users to graphically display information regarding Small Hope’s energy use and cost (total, per capita, etc) and sort according to different factors such as year, season, and end energy use. We also designed a separate solar hot water system for the hot tub. Outside of the project, we have all been proactive with our Andros Bucket List. I finally got to dive Over the Wall at 185 feet, Backside of the Blue Hole, checked out Morgan's Bluff and Mastic Pointe up north, and received my Advanced Diving Certification. 

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Andros Island Is Perfect for a Holiday Season Vacation

The holiday season is enough to wear you out! Hustle and bustle is the order of the day with shopping, social obligations and crowds everywhere; except here on Andros Island in the Bahamas. 

The only hustle and bustle we’ve experienced lately is on the reef as clouds of Creole Wrasse jockey for position with the Blue and Gray Chromis for the best position on the coral heads. And there was some commotion at the Shark Emporium as a dozen or so Caribbean Reef Sharks forgot their manners in the rush to get at the chumsicle on the other day. 

Otherwise, it’s been the usual routine of leisurely diving, lots of hammock time interrupted by the occasional island tour and cocktail hour (and conch fritters) at 6:30 daily. Sorry, but we don’t have any snow. Only lots of sunshine that never requires a shovel! Every day is a holiday on Andros Island at Small Hope Bay Lodge!

So, why not come down to the Bahamas for the holiday season? 

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Green Island Living

Small Hope Bay Lodge does it's best to provide a relaxing and enjoyable haven for vacationers while having as little impact as possible on the surrounding environment. In addition to being eco-friendly at the Lodge, SHBL is active in its support of the Andros National Conservancy And Trust (ANCAT).

As a leader of eco-tourism in the Bahamas, Jeff Birch is called upon every now and again to share his knowledge with others. The International Field Station (FORFAR) research station will bring their classes of college students studying eco-tourism and adventure travel to Small Hope to talk to Mr. Birch and get his views on the world of eco-lodges and nature tourism.

Two such classes visited recently and were given a tour of our property, including stops at our recycling center and nursery. Pin It Now!

Nature Walking Through Andros

Small Hope Bay Lodge is good for more than just great diving, snorkeling and bonefishing. We are surrounded by pristine mangroves, coppice land and Andros pine forests. Other Bahamians call the 2300 square mile island the "Big Yard because of the abundance uninhabited land, which makes nature walking and eco tourism an easy thing to do!

Ian and Ann from Nassau, along with their Canadian friends, Eric and Maureen, came to Small Hope to do some nature tourism exploring of this out island. Ian and Ann had never been to the island, even though we are only 27 miles away from Nassau! They thoroughly enjoyed their explorations, heading north to Red Bays to watch the basket weaving and sponging activities. The four friends took long walk in the mangroves and embarked on the Bush Medicine trail that led to the Rainbow Blue Hole.

All four sat with Divemaster Amanda after lunch and talked about their experiences at Small Hope Bay Lodge.

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Small Hope Bay Lodge Represented at Boston Sea Rovers Show

Exposure is the name of the game and Small Hope Bay Lodge got plenty of it at the Boston Sea Rovers dive show! Our friends in the Boston area worked feverishly, passing out Small Hope Bay Lodge DVDs, promoting Small Hope Bay to show attendees and offering Androsia batik favors.

Our thanks to Fred, Chris, Pat, Peter and everyone else who contributed their time to help out in the booth. See you next year at the Boston Sea Rovers Show!

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No Guest Leaves Empty Handed from Their Andros Island Bahamas Vacation

We don't get it. It defies all logic, but some people actually leave Small Hope Bay Lodge at the end of their vacation! We are always sad to part of our family go, but we're heartened that with a return rate of over 70%, chances are, we'll all meet again at Small Hope Bay Lodge. Many of our guests are even annual visitors, coming back to the tropical warmth of the Bahamas again and again.

Since we want to send each family member off with more than just memories of warm breezes and cool, clear tropical seas, we recognize at least one of their many achievements during their stay on Andros Island with a Certificate of Achievement. While Certificates of Achievement in Diving, Snorkeling and Bonefishing are common enough, recently guests have been recognized for their prowess in parenting, grand parenting, hammocking, beachcombing, crabbing, hot tubbing and just plain "chillin'." While many of these activities may not seem notable to the uninitiated, our guests know that at Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island, Chillin' Down and Coolin' Out is an art form and a way of life!

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Small Hope Bay Lodge Made The Islands Magazine "Blue List"

We made the list!

Each year Islands Magazine issues their Blue List of Top 100 Leaders in Responsible Tourism. This award is a prestigious affirmation of Dick Birch's original vision of an authentic Bahamian experience with minimal impact on the land.

You can read more about the award, published in the December 2007 issue of Travel Magazine, at http://www.islands.com/islandsmagazine.jsp?id=200708. Of course, you could also stop by the lodge and read our copy while you sip a cool drink in one of our hammocks. Pin It Now!

"Back In The Day With Dick"

This week, Small Hope Bay Lodge is hosting some of our very special long time friends. Anyone with an interest in the development of modern scuba should be in the house this week to sit in on the discussions between Fred Calhoun and Dr Don Butterfield (though they maintain their subjects are classified and copyrighted!). It is easy to imagine the two of them in days gone by sitting at the outside bar with Dick Birch holding court on all things scuba late into the Bahamian evening. In the days even before standardized training for recreation scuba divers, these were some of the men who molded the sport as we know it now.

Also visiting us this week was Dean Skag, a friend for more than 20 years, still going strong at 90 years of age!

Not only is Dick's guiding vision still with us at Small Hope Bay Lodge, but the spirit of the man himself lives on through his family and friends. Pin It Now!

A Day At The Ol' Swimmin' Blue Hole At Small Hope Bay, Andros Island, Bahamas

Well, the weather is fine, the sun is warm and you're in need of a good cooling off. At Small Hope Bay Lodge you could just step out of your cabin and walk onto the beach. Or...how about an old fashion trip to the "ol' swimming hole?" On Andros Island, we head out to Captain Bill's Blue Hole, smack dab in the middle of the Central Andros National Forest. Taking full advantage of the new cabana and boardwalk and dappled shade of the big Andros Pine Trees, we plunge into the pleasantly warm, fresh water of the blue hole.

Ahh, yes...the ol' swimmin' hole!
































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Rest, Relax, Rediscover...and RECYCLE at Small Hope Bay Lodge

The signature line of Small Hope Bay Lodge is “Rest, Relax and Rediscover.” Maybe we should add an additional “R” for “Recycle,” since recycling many products has become a small industry here at Small Hope Bay!

The Small Hope Bay Lodge recycling program has its genesis in Dick Birch’s original philosophy of operating the resort with minimum ecological impact.

Systematic recycling of steel and aluminum cans and beer bottles only became possible several years ago when Commonweath Bottling began a beer bottle return program. Recent metal recycling programs such as “Cans for Kids” and Caribbean Recycling finally made it possible
to recycle beverage and food cans rather than dumping them in a landfill. With those programs in place, Small Hope Bay Lodge was able to develop a system of daily waste management geared toward recycling and reuse rather than dumping. Creating drinking glasses from wine bottles was a local brainstorm, since there are no local programs to recycle bottles other than Kalik beer bottles.

Maintaining a recycling program is a labor-intensive process and required staff members to form new habits when dealing with refuse. Just ask Maintenance Manager Terrence and Assistant Resort Manager Renauldo! The kitchen and bar staff, for example, now separate refuse into appropriate bins instead of just throwing everything into a common garbage can, as was done previously. Gardeners must regularly tend to the various compost bins to ensure a suitable soil product. Other recycling chores include segregating, preparing and transporting bottles, aluminum cans and steel cans for shipment to the recycling plants in Nassau.

Want a drink from the bar? That green cocktail glass was fashioned from a wine bottle that has been cut and re-shaped and for re-use. Imagine that: helping the environment with a cocktail glass!

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What We Did Today at Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros Island, Bahamas

Here's just a few of the things we did today at Small Hope Bay Lodge.

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Andros Island Is Perfect for a Holiday Season Vacation

The holiday season is enough to wear you out! Hustle and bustle is the order of the day with shopping, social obligations and crowds everywhere; except here on Andros Island in the Bahamas. The only hustle and bustle we’ve experienced lately is on the reef as the clouds of Creole Wrasse jockey for position with the Blue and Gray Chromis for the best position on the coral heads. And there was some commotion at the Shark Emporium as a dozen or so Caribbean Reef Sharks forgot their manners in the rush to get at the chumsicle on Saturday. Otherwise, it’s been the usual routine of leisurely diving, lots of hammock time interrupted by the occasional eco-tour and cocktail hour at 6:30 daily. Sorry, but we don’t have any snow. Only lots of sunshine that never requires a shovel!

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Small Hope Gets a Little Greener

Our Nursery is up and running. We just received a delivery of Boston and Kimberly Queen Ferns, as well as some Bleeding Heart's and Jasmine plants. Franko, our new gardener, is doing a great job maintaining the grounds around Small Hope Bay. Just have a look for yourself in the picture above; we have decorated the patios of the cabins with some of the Kimberly Queen ferns.

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