We last visited Harbour Island, just off the northeastern tip of 100-mile-long Eleuthera, some 15 years ago. Remembering it as very idyllic and restful, we decided it was worth revisiting this Bahamian Out Island for our mid-winter escape from chilly New England.

We New Englanders might find that the island offers a certain sense of deja vu. Dunmore Town, once the capital of the Bahamas, is built around a tranquil harbor and looks every bit like Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard, with classic colonial cottages and homes sprinkled around the hills and along its narrow streets. This is no accident. Harbour Island was, in fact, settled by New Englanders loyal to the crown who were escaping the colonies around the time of the American Revolution.

July 2010