Grand Bahama, Island destination in The Bahamas.
This island runs about 95 miles from one end to the other and sits in the Atlantic north of the rest of the Bahamas. The landmass includes long beaches of white or pale sand, wide stands of pine forest, and shallow coastal waters where seagrass and coral grow.
The island went through a swift change starting in 1955, when an agreement allowed the building of a new city and drew thousands of workers. Until then, only a few hundred people lived on this part of the archipelago, relying mainly on fishing and harvesting pine timber.
The districts of East Grand Bahama, West Grand Bahama, and Freeport maintain local governance through elected chief councilors who manage community affairs and traditions.
An airport on the island sits roughly half an hour by car from the eastern end and connects the area to Florida and other destinations. Visitors find accommodations along the southern shore, while the northern coastline is more exposed and shows rougher conditions.
Below the surface run miles of limestone caves filled with fresh and salt water, home to rare fish and blind shrimp. Researchers use these underground passages to understand how marine and land ecosystems overlap on small islands.
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