Known as the location Christopher Columbus made landfall in The Bahamas during his exploratory journeys to the New World in 1492. Columbus’ records indicate that the native Arawak Indians inhabiting the island at the time called it Guanahani. He also recorded: “The beauty of these islands surpasses that of any other and as much as the day surpasses the night in splendour.”
About 1,000 people reside on San Salvador Island and its principal community Cockburn Town, pronounced Ko-burn. Its landmass measures 63 sq miles.
An interesting tidbit is San Salvador is known to have an exposed peak of a submerged mountain measuring depth of 15,000 feet to the ocean floor.
The island has rolling hills, treacherous reefs and shoals, yet breathtakingly beautiful beaches and salt water lagoons. It also has numerous dive sites. Snorkelers enjoy observing and swimming with hundreds of fish species among the many shallow water reefs.
A point of interest, located on the north end of the island is the Gerace Research Center which attracts over a thousand students and researchers every year. The Center is used as a base of operations from which to study tropical marine geology, biology, and archaeology.