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Welcome to Half Moon Cay
Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (also known as Little San Salvador Island) is one of the islands that make up the archipelago of the Bahamas. It is located roughly between Eleuthera and Cat Island. It is a private island, owned wholly by Holland America Line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & PLC.
It is usually a one-day stop (port of call) on most Holland America Caribbean cruises, and requires a tender ride from the ship to land. Holland America purchased the island in 1997, and has developed only 45 acres (180,000 m2) of the 2,400-acre (9.7 km2) island, with the goal of maintaining as much habitat as possible for wildlife.
The island is also a significant nesting area for waterfowl. Activities include swimming, sunning, 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 also volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes and shuffleboard, a fitness trail with exercise stations, horseback riding on the shore, and nature trails for hiking.
There are 700 islands of Bahamas sprinkled over 100,000 square miles of ocean starting just 50 miles off the coast of Florida. The archipelago is an ecological oasis featuring 2,000 breathtaking islands and cays and boasts the clearest water on the planet with a visibility of over 200 feet. You can see your toes as easily as you can the worldÕs third largest barrier reef.
It is a former British colony, independent since 1973, and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The language is English with a mixture of African influence and island dialect. The Bahamians are a friendly people who love to celebrate every day. In the Bahamas, the coldest winters reach a comfortable 70 degrees fahrenheit.
The Bahamas population is over 300,000. It is famous for spectacular diving and snorkeling, Sir Sidney Poitier and James Bond films. You can see a List of Films Shot in the Bahamas.
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