Harbour Island Landmarks and Attractions
Harbour Island is rich with historical landmarks and natural attractions.
Famous Pink Sands Beach is located on the Atlantic Ocean side of Harbour Island. As for the beautiful pink hue, that comes from a simple single-celled animal called a foraminifera or foram for short. There are some 4,000 species of forams, and a few grow bright red shells. Pick up a handful of sand on most Out Island beaches and chances are you’ll be able to find something that looks like the smallest strawberry ever grown: that’s a red foram. Beaches that are fortunate enough to have a large population of these growing offshore, and just the right currents, will wind up with bits of red shell mixed in with its white sand. Put enough red into the white and voila, you get pink. Horseback riding on Pink Sands Beach is a popular activity for honeymooners.
For a little bit of history, visit Loyalist Cottage, a wonderful example of loyalist architecture, Commissioner’s Residence built in 1913, St. John’s Anglican Church built in 1768, as well as the Chapel Street cemetery containing ancient graves.
A hidden overgrown 17th century battery built by the English to defend the island can be found at the southern end of Bay Street. Cannons, called Roundheads, can still be seen at this site.
If you’re interested in mysteries, you should visit the Lone Tree. Some say it was once an almond tree, while others say it’s a species of pine. Regardless, everyone seems to agree that it arrived in Harbour Island after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. How it arrived is up for debate though. Some say it slid down a nearby hill while others say it was blown over from a nearby Island. Curiously enough, the tree arrived upright and during high tides, it even moves around a bit.
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