Lighthouse Point is an absolutely beautiful beach on Eleuthera in the Bahamas. It's a public beach that I had the privilege of visiting twice. However, it won't be around much longer...
Eleuthera is known as the island of pink sand, and Lighthouse Point is a hidden gem of the island. The untouched, pink powdery sand is famous in the Bahamas as one of the most magnificent beaches the islands have to offer. It even has access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Exuma Sound (Carribean Sea).
However, this untouched land won't stay this way for long. Disney has bought the land as a Cruise destination. The locals of Eleuthera are upset about this development, as this beach was open to anyone before and would no longer be open to the public. If I could have your attention for a short time, I would like to go over what Disney buying the beach means for the future of Lighthouse Point.
According to touringplans.com, Disney plans to celebrate the culture of the Bahamas and the natural environment, while adding their own personal touch. What does this mean?
The designer behind this project is Joe Rohde, who is known for being a nature lover as well as being dedicated to incorporating culture. He's claimed to have done large amounts of research for including visiting many cultural sights.
However, looking at the plans, it's questionable how environmentally friendly this site will be. There is yet to be an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan, which will be approved by the Government of the Bahamas. The plans appear to show major construction throughout the beach and in the forest around it. However, Disney only claims to be developing 20% of the land, with unused land being donated back to the Bahamian Government. Looking at these details, the environmental impact from construction is still up for debate.
There is still one negative impact that appears to be the unavoidable. Massive tourism can cause upset in the environment through massive exposure to the wildlife. In addition to the normal challenges development brings, there are coral reefs that are susceptible to damage from sunscreen and is sensitive to the current climate challenges already.
Finally, cruises are terrible for the marine environment and emit a large amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere already. However, that's not the focus right now. I just feel it's worth spreading awareness about these environmental issues.
That's all I have to say!
x Emma
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