Ham, the Astro chimp, and his unexpected visit to The Bahamas.

Photo credit-NASA

With recent SpaceX launches throughout The Bahamas, it’s important to note that our country has always been roped into our northern neighbor’s obsession with space and deep-sea (see AUTEC) exploration.

As early as the late 1950’s Mayaguana was used as a tracking base for the Thor-Able Missile program that tested heat shields and early space photography.

The missile was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida and the data capsule containing the camera was recovered on February 16th 1960 on a beach in Mayaguana. This camera was the first to provide pictures of the Earth's surface from outer space

San Salvador was also used as a long-range navigation station during the early 1950’s to the late 1960’s to monitor missiles fired and to monitor submarine activity.


Below Photo retrieved from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion document.

U.S Naval Facility San Salvador, The Bahamas badge.

The U.S. Navy also operated a Cold War-era base, NAVFAC Eleuthera, near Governor’s Harbour, from 1957 to 1980

According to www.grandbahamamuseum.org

During the Cold War in 1950, the U.S. was granted the right to install tracking stations for guided missiles (and later the Apollo Space missions) in The Bahamas by the British government. The missile-tracking system was designed to advance the Air Force’s understanding and development of push-button warfare.

The “down range” stations began with the Grand Bahama base, built in 1951 on a 3,500-acre site, which provided launch support from 1954 to 1987.

Photo credit- Grand Bahama Museum

On January 31st 1961, NASA would send the first great ape into space in an effort to test whether a living being could survive and function in space.Ham, who was originally called subject 65 underwent intense training for about 2 years before takeoff.

Photo credit-NASA

At 11:54 a.m. the rocket launched into space and what started as a smooth trajectory quickly began to show problems. A faulty valve began to inject too much liquid oxygen into the engine which resulted in excessive thrust that accelerated Ham faster than expected. The mission was planned to reach an altitude of 115 miles and land 290 miles downrange, the space craft actually reached an altitude of 157 miles and landed 422 miles downrange.

Ham’s capsule splashed down into the rough seas far beyond the end of the Atlantic missile range. Shortly after NASA reported that the floating capsule would be rescued within three hours. By 2:52 p.m. The capsule was recovered by a helicopter and quickly transported to the USS Donner at 3:38 p.m.

Photo credit- U.S. Navy

Unsure of what state Ham was in they finally opened the capsule…

Video retrieved from “Ham the first astro chimp” documentary

Ham became the first living being to return from space alive. According to the book “Freedom 7: The Historic Flight of Alan B. Shepard” “Later, with Benson sleeping in an adjoining stateroom, Han spent the night in the commodore's quarters as the ship steamed across a moonlight ocean for Grand Bahama Island”

Photo credit- NASA

For further medical attention Ham was loaded back onto the helicopter and transferred to a forward medical facility on Grand Bahama.

Ham was quickly thrust into the limelight being featured in magazines and newspapers

According to Dorcas Bowler in her article on the Grand Bahama East End Missile Library in 1995 “Father Grant, an Anglican priest from High Rock suggested the vacant telecommunication building on the main highway be used for a library” The vacant telecommunication building on the former missile base was transformed into a library that salutes Ham’s landing near the site

Photo credit- Amanda Beck photography
Ham became the library’s mascot, and the East End Missile Base Library would go on to annually celebrate “Ham day” Bowler states that “The first Ham Day was held at the Freetown Primary School in January 1998. One goal of the Library’s Board of Directors was to preserve the historic significance of the Missile Base and the part The Bahamas (Grand Bahama Island in particular) played in the United States space program. For this reason, the Board chose to select as its annual fund-raising celebration the anniversary of the chimpanzee ham’s flight into space.”

The Bahamas' Connection with The Bermuda Triangle

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The Bermuda Triangle has long intrigued and mystified scientists and enthusiasts with its reputation for mysterious disappearances and supernatural theories. This infamous region, despite its name, encompasses a significant portion of The Bahamas and has been the subject of speculation and controversy for over a century.

Photo credit- Pinterest

Among the areas that have become intertwined in its lore is The Bahamas, particularly the region of Bimini. This area has garnered attention due to its mysterious connections with the Bermuda Triangle and the numerous theories that have emerged from this association.

Bimini Road 

Bimini Road is a fascinating underwater stone formation located near North Bimini. This formation consists of a series of stones that stretch approximately 1,500 feet in a straight alignment. It is believed that this was part of a road system of the Lost City of Atlantis. Most scientists dismiss Bimini Road as a natural geological formation but Bermuda Triangle conspiracy theorists believe that Bimini is the location of a energy vortex. In John Bell's article “The Bimini Vortex: Snorkeling Adventure at the End of the World” Bell states that in Bimini exists a “mysterious vortex where sometimes electronics fail, compasses spin and dolphins seem extra-friendly.”


The SS Sapona and Flight 19 

The SS Sapona has also been tied into Bermuda Triangle theories. The Sapona has lived many lives from originally being built as a cargo steamer to being sold, stripped of its engine, and then towed to Bimini to be used as a floating warehouse for rum and whisky during Prohibition. In 1926 the Sapona ran aground on a reef in Bimini but that wasn’t the end of her story, during the Second World War the wreckage was used for target practice by the Air Force and Navy. On December 5th, 1945 after a bombing run a squadron of five Avenger bombers including 14 Naval Aviators disappeared after a practice bombing, never to be seen again.13 crew members of the Martin PBM Mariner launched a search for the squadron but they also went missing.

Photo credit Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum

According to the U.S. Naval Institutes, one of the pilots sent a radio message stating “ I don’t know where we are. We must have gotten lost after that last turn.” On the same recording, Lieutenant Taylor can be heard saying, “Both my compasses are out, and I am trying to find Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am over land, but it’s broken. I am sure I'm in the Keys, but I don’t know how far down and I don’t know how to get to Fort Lauderdale.”

It is a bit odd that while flying over what may have likely been Bimini a trained Pilot with the Air Force and Navy, coupled with thousands of hours of flight time under his belt got lost and couldn't find Fort Lauderdale, a place they flew out of many times. 

This leads me to my next point of alleged “time jumping” experiences in The Bahamas.  


“Time Jump” conspiracies

Pilots flying over The Bahamas have recounted experiences during flying that mimic “time jumping” or time traveling.  It has been suggested that there are areas in The Bahamas that are electromagnetic hotspots with portals capable of manipulating time. 

In 1970 Pilot Bruce Gernon flew through the heart of what he believes to be a time tunnel vortex and survived. In the video shared he recreates his flight and recants the story of flying from Andros into Miami. After taking off from Andros, Gernon flew through a “cloud tunnel” with intense lightning. After re-emerging through the tunnel he received a radio from the radar controller stating that he was directly over Miami Beach which meant he traveled 100 miles in 3 minutes. Something his small plane was incapable of. The passenger's watches were also set back 20 minutes once they landed. Gernon believed he saw the fabric of time during his flight over The Bahamas.


Although there are many theories of supernatural causes for these disappearances, Time jumps and paranormal occurrences scientists still believe that geophysical and environmental factors are most likely responsible for what most would deem the impossible. 

Video Credits - History Network’s Ancient Aliens episode “Earth’s Black Holes”

The Elbow Reef lighthouse

The Elbow Reef Lighthouse

The Elbow Reef Lightstation in Hope Town, Abaco is the last manual, kerosene-fueled, intact, and complete light station in the world.

Abaconians were opposed to the lighthouse project in the 1860s, they saw the lighthouse as a threat to their shipwrecking trade. Wreckers went as far as to sink a barge being used to transport the building materials.

Despite originally being against the candy-striped lighthouse the Elbow Reef Lighthouse has become a loved and treasured landmark for the people of Abaco.

Drone work: Deanya Knowles

Photo credit: Fred Albury and the AbacoSun

The Glass Window Bridge

The Glass Window Bridge

-at just 30 feet wide The Glass Window Bridge is dubbed the “narrowest place on earth”

- the bridge got its name because they could see through the natural limestone arch to the Atlantic on the other side.

A painting of The Glass Window Bridge done by Winslow Homer in 1885 captures the natural stone arch that this Eleutheran wonder once possessed

-The Glass Window Bridge is one of the few places you can see the beautiful contrast of the deep blue Atlantic Ocean and the light blue hues of The shallows in The Bahamas

The Nassau Public Library

The Nassau Public Library

1 The Nassau Public Library was originally a jail or a “gaol” The old jail cells now house books, documents, and historical Arawak artifacts.

2 This library is the first building to be constructed in Parliament Square, it was constructed as a jail in 1797 and then repurposed into a library in 1879.

3 It is the largest and oldest library in The Bahamas

4 The library has a unique octagon shape, which makes it the only octagonal historic building in The Bahamas.

Family Island Adventures Long Island

I’m so excited to announce that Family Island Adventures Long Island is now available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMDNPDVX?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860&fbclid=PAAaZ1icAex7UT2-ByxYcnOuSoyP4yAiwtro5YQwLrdtu7BTj6Mh_slIYrrTE_aem_AfRyg6W1jc87VMsosIEuZF7qLKNobRWPgNS92il_D8Sc2hDKwB6bgLpfc7NJEFluOdQ and at Another man’s treasure in the airport industrial park in Nassau.

You can also reach out to me by sending a message through the website to make an order. I’m so excited to embark on this journey of creating a Bahamian children’s book series focusing on our beautiful Family Islands!

The execution of Richard Woods

On April 10th, 1993 as the community of Harbour Island enjoyed their Easter weekend a loud crash and scream was heard on Dunmore Street. These were the horrific sounds of 51 year old Richard Woods hitting 32 year old Pauline Johnson his lover who was also his niece with his truck.

Pauline was walking with a male friend which may have fueled the jealousy, unfortunately, she would succumb to her injuries 5 days later, she was survived by her husband and 3 children. As a result, Richard Woods was sentenced to death in January 1995.

Richard Woods’ day of execution would be shared with Trevor Fisher who was also convicted of murder. October 16th, 1998 proved that most Bahamians and international human rights organizations feel very differently regarding executions.

As the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights petitioned to save their lives, Bahamians turned the executions into an event. Food vendors set up shop amongst the crowd, students stopped by on their way to school and the crowd cheered as death notices were hung on the prison gates.

The last execution in The Bahamas would be on January 6th,2000, to read more on that check out my previous Halloween story about John Higgs

https://www.everythingbahamian.com/blog-1/5krje67nbnwsm30qdim4b03kmyuown

The Road to Independence, A Story through Pictures

 My theme this year to celebrate 50 years of independence is “The Road to Independence, A Story through Pictures.” I’ll be sharing photos of significant events that brought The Bahamas to July 10th, 1973

Several events have to occur for a country to become independent. One of the first orders of business would be to draft a constitution. In December of 1972, The Constitutional Conference on Bahamian Independence was held at Marlborough House in London, England.

The objective of the trip was to debate and finalize the proposed constitution and address questions relevant to statehood and citizenship

The Hon. Lynden O. Pindling is shown in the centre signing the Report on the final day of the Constitutional Conference. Looking on are the Hon. Arthur D Hanna, Paul L. Adderley, the Hon. Carlton E. Francis, Inspector Minus, the Hon. A. Loftus Roker, and Mr. George A. Smith.

Sir Milo Butler is shown in the second photo with Sir Clement Maynard

Becoming an independent nation allows a country to create national symbols that align with the vision and celebrates the beauty of a country. On December 7th, 1971, Queen Elizabeth II wrote a warrant for a new Coat Of Arms for The Bahamas. The warrant goes into great detail about the design of The Coat of Arms.

The motto “Forward, Upward, Onward” featured on the crest was made by 2 11-year-olds Vivian Moultrie and Melvern Bowe

There was a national competition to produce the motto for the coat of arms, and the competition was won by two 11-year-old schoolchildren – Vivian F. Moultrie of Inagua Public School and Melvern B. Bowe of the Government High School in Nassau. Bahamian artist Hervis Bain prepared the preliminary design of the coat of arms.

Sir Clement Maynard the then minister of Tourism at the opening of The Botanical Gardens in July 1973.

The days leading up to July 10th, 1973 included several ceremonies and social events which the founding fathers, Prince Charles, and other Bahamian delegates attended. One of the first events was a regatta that Honourable George Smith, Arthur Hanna, and Sir Lynden Pindling attended.

The Bahamas becoming independent brought Bahamians from all walks of life together at the very first military Tattoo and cultural display on Clifford Park. Sir Sidney Poitier attended the event and can be seen here greeting Sir Lynden Pindling and Dame Marguerite Pindling

Typically when a former British colony becomes independent a member of the royal family attends the events leading up to Independence Day. The then-prince, now King Charles arrived in Nassau to a crowd of spectators.

One of the most anticipated and highlighted moments in the celebrations leading up to independence is the independence ball. Pictured below are Dame Marguerite Pindling, King Charles, and a young Glenys Hanna Martin dancing in the back at the first ball in 1973

Views from the audience enjoying a police force performance at the very first Tattoo on July 9th, 1973.

On July 10th, 1973 excitement filled the air as a new nation was born. The Bahamian flag was raised and the Union Jack came down at Clifford Park for the very last time. Happy 50th independence to The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.