Little San Salvador Island
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Bf-map_with_Half_Moon_Cay.png/300px-Bf-map_with_Half_Moon_Cay.png)
Little San Salvador Island, also known as Half Moon Cay (/ˈkiː/), is one of about 700 islands that make up the archipelago of The Bahamas. It is located roughly halfway between Eleuthera and Cat Island, administratively in the Cat Island District.[1] It is a private island, owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, which uses it as a port of call for the cruise ships it operates in the region. Prior to being owned by Carnival, Little San Salvador was the private island of Norwegian Cruise Line.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Carnival_Triumph_Half_Moon_Cay.jpg/150px-Carnival_Triumph_Half_Moon_Cay.jpg)
Little San Salvador Island is located about 100 miles (160 kilometres) southeast of Nassau. Holland America Line purchased the island in December 1996 for a price of US$6 million. It has since developed 50 acres (200,000 m2) of the 2,400-acre (9.7 km2) island, with the stated goal of maintaining as much habitat as possible for wildlife. The island is also a significant nesting area for waterfowl. The island does not have deep water docking, requiring the use of tenders for cruise ship passengers to disembark and embark.[2]
Activities offered on the island include swimming, sunbathing, scuba diving, jet-skiing, cycling, and snorkeling. Deep-sea fishing, parasailing, glass-bottom boat rides, and nature walks also are available. A variety of water toys are available for rent, including Hobie catamarans, Sunfish sailboats, windsurfing sailboards, and kayaks. There are volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes, shuffleboard, a fitness trail with exercise stations, horseback riding, and nature trails for hiking.
Etymology[edit]
The indigenous Lucayan people called the island Guateo, meaning "distant land".[3]
References[edit]
- ^ "GeoNames.org". www.geonames.org. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "Cruise to Half Moon Cay | Bahamas Vacations | Carnival".
- ^ Ahrens, Wolfgang P. (2015). "Naming the Bahamas Islands: History and Folk Etymology". Onomastica Canadiana. 94 (2): 101. ISSN 2816-7015.
External links[edit]
24°34′26″N 75°57′07″W / 24.574°N 75.952°W