Red Bays

In the 1820s a group of Black Seminoles, people of African descent who had lived among the Seminole in Florida, crossed to Andros to escape re-enslavement and settled on the island's western shore at Red Bays. The village stayed isolated for well over a century, connected to the rest of Andros only by boat until a road was cut in the 1960s, and it kept a distinct identity and craft. The basketry is the visible part: coiled work in silver top palm and sisal, made in shapes and stitches that differ from the straw work of the rest of the Bahamas, and sold from the makers' own houses. Sponging and fishing are the other trades.

What's there

• The coiled baskets - a distinct tradition from the rest of Bahamian straw work.
• The makers' houses - baskets sold directly from the workshops.
• The village history - a Black Seminole settlement founded in the 1820s.
• The west coast - mangrove and flats on the island's quiet side.

When to go

December to May is the dry season. Weekdays are when the makers are working. Buying directly from the village supports the craft rather than the resellers who buy in bulk for the Nassau straw market.

Things to know

Red Bays is a small, poor village and visitors should arrive respectfully rather than treating it as an attraction; ask before photographing anyone. The road in is rough. There are no facilities. The basketry tradition is carried by a small and ageing group of makers and is genuinely at risk.

Nearby

Nicholls Town is 45 minutes east; Morgan's Bluff is at the northern tip.

Key facts