About Andros Island — Blog — International Field Studies, Inc.

Overview of Andros

Andros is the largest island of the Bahama Archipelago, which consists of more than 700 islands. At more than 100 miles long and 40 miles wide, it is the fifth largest island in all of the Caribbean [1]. Andros is composed of three major islands (North Andros, Mangrove Cay, and South Andros), numerous smaller cays and inlets, and is laced with creeks and wetlands with a densely forested inland. Transportation between the north and south islands is not possible by land.

Today, compared with other Bahamian islands, Andros has a much smaller population with fewer than 8,000 people [2]. Most of the settlements on Andros are located on the eastern coast, with more than half the population centralized in 3 main towns: Nicholl’s Town, Andros Town (aka Fresh Creek), and Congo Town. The island's western coast is still largely uninhabited with one key settlement called Red Bays.

The western coast of Andros is home to the 1.5 million acre West Side National Park. This makes up part of the largest protected area in the Bahamas with four other National Parks; the Blue Holes National Park, Crab Replenishment Reserve and North & South Marine Parks all maintained by the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).

History and Culture

Although Andros is less than 200 miles off the coast of Florida, the language and culture are distinctly different from the United States. We share a common language, but Bahamian English carries influence from African and island dialects and is often spoken more quickly than standard American English [3]. Virtually untouched by the tourism industry common to other Bahamian islands, Andros remains a rural area characterized by small tightly-knit communities.

Visitors who embrace the Androsian people and their culture will be richly rewarded and educated by the experience. Andros has a long and varied history that includes Arawak, Lucayan, and Seminole Indians, European colonizers, enslaved people from Africa, pirates, bootleggers, and smugglers. Today Andros is known for its annual festivals and local celebrations, most notably it is home to the weekend long All Andros Crab Fest. This annual festival celebrates the catching, cooking, and eating of land crabs famously found on Andros. Highlights of the festival include releasing of the crabs and traditional Rake n’ Scrape live music. Other celebrated festivals on Andros include Homecomings, Sailing Regattas, and Junkanoo celebrations.

Flora and Fauna

A bahama oriole captured and tagged at forfar field station by the omland lab at UMBC

Andros lends itself well to terrestrial studies since its size correlates with its diversity. Andros is a subtropical island with 10 distinct vegetation zones [12]. Pineland, saltwater marsh, savanna, scrub, freshwater swamp, beach/strand, coastal rock, mangrove, coastal coppice, and interior coppice areas are all accessible for field studies. The mangroves of Andros are currently being restored with efforts from the Bahamas Forestry Unit and BNT. In both wetland and forested areas, over 200 endemic and North American birds have been included in long-term bird counts. You can actually find six of the seven bird species endemic to the Bahamas right here on Andros [4] including the critically endangered Bahama Oriole, which is the focus of current ongoing research projects with University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and BNT.

Uncle charlie’s blue hole on north andros

Reptiles include the endangered Bahamian boa, several different species of Caribbean sea turtles, the endangered Andros rock iguana and a variety of anoles. Along the coast, compare the rocky shores to the white sand beaches and ask to visit some excellent invertebrate tide-pooling areas.

More than 50 species of wild orchids thrive in the subtropical forests and the wetlands of Andros. The orchid genus Epidendrum has nine species endemic to the Bahamas, all of which can be found on Andros [5].

Geologists are attracted to many features in the Bahamas, including the thick limestone foundation of the island, dramatically cut by deep channels. The geology and topography of the island is distinctive. With 178 inland and 50 oceanic blue holes and a network of underwater caves Andros has the highest concentration of blue holes found anywhere in the world [6].

Andros By Sea

When people think of the Bahamas, they visualize white sandy beaches, a balmy breeze, and azure, crystal water. Andros has all of these in abundance, but perhaps the barrier reef is the most stunning feature. The reef is flanked by the The Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO), a U-shaped trench which separates the islands of Andros and New Providence. The TOTO reaches depths of 6,000 ft. and is approximately 20 miles wide by 150 miles long [7].

Just one of several marine habitats, the reef runs the full length of the island. The Andros fringing barrier reef is the third largest fringing reef in the world, second only to Australia and Belize, and is considered by many to be the most diverse and pristine. The reef has both fringing and barrier characteristics and supports a colorful and amazing diversity of life. It offers a tremendous variety of 10 to 25 foot deep gardens abloom with both hard and soft corals, some of which emerge from the seas at low tide. Like many coral reefs, the Andros barrier reef is under threat from global warming, ocean acidification, and overfishing. To help conserve our reef the Perry Institute of Marine Science and Reef Rescue Network have been developing a network of coral propagation sites across Andros.

You don't need to be a SCUBA diver to enjoy the benefits of the ocean. Our snorkeling sites described in the “Sites and Sights” guide offer fantastic views of a great variety of fish, coral, turtles, and other invertebrates guests experience when visiting Forfar Field Station. Exotic reef fish species that make this place home provide a pleasurable kaleidoscope for divers and snorkelers alike. In the waters farther off shore, you will find marlins, tarpons, sailfish, tunas, snappers, jacks, plus other game fish [7]. Occasionally, snorkelers enjoy the rare privilege of spotting wild dolphins or manatees that may join in for a dip off the beach at Forfar.

Economy

Historically the economy on Andros was highly varied including agricultural farming, fishing, sponging, and logging. Today the tourism economy on Andros is centered on sport fishing, birding, SCUBA diving, and handicrafts such as wood carving and basket weaving. Andros is known as the “Bonefishing Capital of the World” due to its vast flats and thriving bonefish population and there are numerous bonefishing lodges on the island. [8]

Agricultural farming on Andros is currently being revolutionized with help from the on-island college Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI). The economy on Andros is also supported by a number of Mennonite missions, a few small resorts, commercial fishing, and the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) - a NATO base run by the US Navy. The largest employers on Andros are the Bahamian government and AUTEC.

The (unofficial) national fabric of the Bahamas is also produced on Andros the Batik fabric known as Androsia is a distinct, bright fabric that is created through a unique process involving hand carved stamps and hot wax. [9]

Climate

The temperature on Andros is pleasant all year long. The single most important climatic agent affecting the Andros weather is the warm trade wind. During the winter months, the Gulf Stream warms the island, in May, southerly trade winds return to gently cool them [10] [11].

Average water temperatures (°F)

Jan 74° Feb 74° Mar 75° Apr 78° May 80° Jun 83° Jul 85° Aug 86° Sep 86° Oct 83° Nov 80° Dec 77°

Gap Year on Andros

Forfar Field Station has expanded our educational programming to allow individuals to visit as part of a Gap Year experience during our Forfar Marine Science Program! This unique opportunity is available to students aged 18-24 interested in spending 6-weeks on Andros to study marine biology. Students earn SCUBA diving, Wilderness First Aid, Sea Kayaking, and Leave No Trace certifications. They will study marine science with the ocean as their classroom, volunteer with local nonprofits, and have the experience of a lifetime as they explore Andros! Enroll today!