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Cat Island is a place you go to see the “real” Bahamas and soak in unique island beauty. So the proposal happened in Florida and we are happily married now, but we were still drawn to Cat Island and seeing The Hermitage was stop one. Once we landed at the small Cat Island airport, secured our rental car and checked into our cottage at Fountain Bay Resort, the first thing on our list was to hike up Como Hill and explore The Hermitage. You’ll see a room where he slept, you’ll see a room where he probably ate, and you’ll see a beautiful alter room where he would pray.

Well, that’s what happened to me during our stay at Fountain Bay Resort on Cat Island. During the evening hours, when Ryan was in the shower, washing away the day’s sweat and salt, I’d sit outside with Carlos and we’d battle the mosquitos and no-see-ums together. At times he acted like he wanted to come into our villa, and oh, I soooo wanted to bring him in – to give him a break from the relentless bug bites, to get him out of the heat and give him the comfort of an air conditioned room, but that was a big “ If you ever make it to Cat Island, go down to Fountain Bay Resort and give Carlos a scratch behind the ears for me.

Before I was Castaway Crystal, before I knew RumShopRyan, I had a longing for Cat Island. And boom, just like that, I knew I had to go – simply because of the name. It’s only fitting that I put The Hermitage at the top of the list since this breathtaking structure rests on the highest point of the Bahamas (206ft. above sea level). If you haven’t ventured passed Nassau or Grand Bahama, I highly recommend that you give islands like Cat a visit.

We spent 5 days on Cat Island, exploring beaches, talking to locals and posting up at eclectic beach bars to enjoy a few ice cold Kaliks, all the while taking lots and lots of pictures. We have a lot to tell you about Cat Island, but first we wanted to share with you our experience at where we stayed, Fountain Bay Resort & Marina. Fountain Bay Resort has 5 stand alone cottages that sit on the edge of the beach and entrance of the southern tidal lagoon. Because the resort is small and doesn’t accommodate a lot of guests (part of its charm), it’s best to call ahead or stop in and let the staff at the restaurant know when you’ll be dining with them.