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Surrey tour of Nassau
WHAT-TO-DO - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - JULY 2005
Surrey tour of Nassau
"Hoofing it" through history
Exploring downtown Nassau is a whole lot easier if someone (or something) else is doing all the walking.
Consider taking a tour in a surrey pulled by a horse wearing a jaunty straw hat. While the horse does the walking, the knowledgeable and personable driver provides a historical account of the sights along the way.
Horse-drawn surreys have been a part of downtown Nassau and a favourite activity of tourists for more than 50 years. The novel feel of being transported to another era in an old-fashioned carriage never loses its appeal, and learning about Nassau's history at the same time makes it that much more interesting.
All in a day's work
As the sun begins to rise on a fresh new Bahamian morning, surrey drivers are already preparing for the day's work.
Surrey operator Maurice Symonette explains that the fleet consists of 21 horse-drawn surreys, each privately owned. The horses are kept in stables on East Street, in an area known locally as Over-the-Hill.
"The horses are driven to Woodes Rogers Walk each morning," says Symonette. "It is not very far for them to come."
Symonette says surrey rides may begin as early as 7:30 or 8am, depending on when the cruise ships arrive in port. A steady stream of cruise ship and other visitors keep the horses and drivers busy for the remainder of the day, except during the afternoon rest period.
A look at Nassau's past
The tour begins where the horses and carriages are lined up amid the hustle and bustle of newly arrived cruise ship passengers, hair-braiders and taxi drivers at Prince George Wharf. A covered area shields the horses from the sun as they wait their turn for the next passengers.
A flick of the reins and the tour begins along Woodes Rogers Walk, a stretch along Nassau Harbour. The knowledgeable driver explains that this thoroughfare is named after Woodes Rogers, the first Royal Governor of The Bahamas.
The next spot on the tour is Rawson Square, a favourite place for shutterbugs to capture the images of the pink buildings of Parliament and the Senate flanking a statue of Queen Victoria. Across Bay Street sits the bust of Sir Milo Butler, the first Bahamas-born Governor General.
With the clip-clop of the horse's hooves the surrey continues onto Bay Street, Nassau's main shopping thoroughfare, past smart jewellery, leather, souvenir and clothing stores.
As the shops of Bay Street dwindle, the surrey turns onto Victoria Avenue then onto Dowdeswell Street, where passengers can catch a glimpse of one of downtown Nassau's residential areas, dotted with old homes and trees. From here it's on to Shirley Street and the halfway mark of the tour.
The driver points out the historical and interesting buildings along Shirley Street: the home of former infamous bootlegger Tom Collins, the office of the British High Commissioner, the octagonal Nassau Public Library - which was once the Nassau jail - and the Supreme Court.
Frederick Street is next, lined with small yet charming cafes and the classical architecture of Trinity Methodist Church. From here, it's back to Woodes Rogers Walk and the end of the journey through Nassau's past.
Cared-for horses
Horses and drivers take a break during the hottest part of the day, from 1 to 3pm in summer and 1 to 2pm in winter, so that horses can rest their legs and drivers can rest their vocal chords. Symonette explains that while the break is necessary for horses to rest and feed, water is supplied to them throughout the day to keep them well hydrated against the heat of Nassau's streets.
While 5pm in downtown Nassau means rush-hour traffic, Symonette says this doesn't pose a problem to the horses. He explains that the horses, reared in Pennsylvania, are already experienced navigators.
"When we get the horses, they're already trained to handle traffic," he says. "They just need to get used to driving on the left, which they pick up very quickly."
Horses and surreys are maintained and inspected on the first Thursday of every month, says Symonette. Inspections are carried out by the Road Traffic Department, the Bahamas Humane Society and the Ministry of Tourism.
Important attraction
Lloyd 'Tony' Sturrup, operator of Nassau's surrey tours since 1963, feels that the appeal of surrey rides is due to the uniqueness of the attraction for visitors.
"It's something different and not what many tourists have at home," he says. "Plus it's relaxing and slow. (Tourists) can take the time to see things along the route and it's very informative."
Sturrup's family has been in the surrey business since his father began giving tours in the early 1950s.
Surreys are considered an important part of the tourism product in Nassau. Clementine Butler, a representative of the Ministry of Tourism, explains that an initiative to improve tourist attractions in downtown Nassau, includes the refurbishment of surreys.
"We're encouraging owners to invest in new surreys," she says, adding that two new surreys and four new horses are expected to be added to the fleet in the near future.
"The surrey tour will always be a tourist attraction in Nassau," she notes. "It's important to keep it up."
Surrey tours are available every day. Cost for a tour is $20 for up to two adult passengers and $10 for children.
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