Ragged Island

Duncan Town was built on salt. Its ponds, laid out in the 19th century, supplied salt to Cuba and Haiti, and the channel into the harbour was cut for the trade. When the salt industry declined, fishing took its place: the Jumentos banks are productive lobster and conch grounds, and the island's boats still work them. The settlement has a church, a school, a clinic, a couple of small shops and an airstrip.

Hurricane Irma passed directly over Ragged Island in September 2017 with catastrophic winds, destroying most buildings and forcing the evacuation of residents to Nassau. The government declared the island uninhabitable for a period; residents returned and rebuilding has been slow but steady, with plans to make it a model for renewable energy. Visitors should expect basic conditions and check current services before travelling.

The Jumentos Cays north of the island are uninhabited, with beaches, flats and anchorages that draw sailors seeking the emptiest water in the country. Flamingo Cay and Raccoon Cay are among the stops on the chain. There are no resorts here; the few visitors arrive by boat or by the mailboat from Nassau and stay in a guesthouse or on their own vessel. The water around the island is shallow and clear, and the beaches on the ocean side are long and entirely empty.