The house is surrounded by one and a half acres of lush tropical garden and overlooks beautiful Spring Bay and the beach, which is at the bottom of the garden. The poolside apartment is spacious, modern and well equipped. It consists of two bedrooms which contain double beds or, if preferred, one double and two singles. A large living/dining area with integral kitchen opens out on to its own veranda. It would be difficult to imagine a more pleasant start to the day than having breakfast on the veranda with the pool alongside reflecting the early morning sunshine. The pool, which is 24'x12', is for the exclusive use of the guests staying in the poolside apartment. The water is rarely below 86F degrees. Beyond the pool, the garden contains many fine examples of tropical flowers and foliage. A path and steps lead down to a palm thatched gazebo with loungers, an ideal place to catch the cool sea breezes in the afternoon. At the pool side patio, you can top up your tan or, in the evening, have a barbecue and look at the stars. The poolside apartment is available for rent from November 1st to April 30th each year. Rental charges for the apartment are US$900 per week. SPRING BAY Tranquil, unspoilt Spring Bay is backed by rolling, volcanic hills. It was once a sugar plantation and the Old Sugar Mill can still be found amongst the swaying palm trees. It is now a working pottery. The road which passes through Spring Estate and links Port Elizabeth with Industry Bay is particularly beautiful with Bougainvillaea, Oleander and Pride of Barbados lining the roadside. INDUSTRY BAY Just beyond Spring is Industry Bay. The walk from one bay to the other is truly remarkable for its rugged beauty. Industry gets its name from the days when sugar was taken there and loaded onto small boats to carry it across the coral reef onto larger, ocean going ships. At Industry there is a picturesque beach bar run by Ricky and Dean where food and drinks may be obtained. It is in this area that fine snorkelling is to be found and Ricky is always happy to act as a guide. GETTING AROUND "Bananas" is just over a mile from Port Elizabeth where its shops, boutiques, restaurants, banks, etc. are located. Hire cars are available from several sources and there is an excellent taxi service. Probably one of the most attractive aspects of Bequia is its people. They are basically very friendly and peaceable. A smile and a wave will invariably be responded to in kind. Theft is rare and violence almost unheard of. If you walk the roads out of town you will come across many locals going about their business. Although they are a very reserved people say hello and you will be rewarded with a beaming smile by way of a response. Mailing address: Derek and Liz Hayes, Spring Estate, Bequia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, West Indies. telephone/fax: (784)457-3432 email: bananasbequia@vincysurf.com last updated Oct 13, 2007 return to Russ' Bequia