Andros Island is the largest island of the Bahamian archipelago; its land area is greater than that of all the other Bahamian islands combined. Andros Island’s diverse ecosystems include freshwater and marine blue holes, the coral barrier reef, extensive mangrove flats, tidal creeks, wetlands and extensive pine forests.
Andros is 104 miles long and 45 miles wide. North and Central Andros are separated from South Andros by three tidal creeks – North, Middle and South Bights. The eastern shoreline of Andros is bordered by the Tongue of the Ocean, a 6,000 feet deep abyss that separates Andros from New Providence. A fringing barrier reef runs for more than 120 miles along the Tongue of the Ocean. The western side of the island is surrounded by shallow waters overlying the Great Bahama Bank.
Predominant industries in Andros include sponging, fishing, crabbing, fly fishing, tourism, basket weaving and woodcarving.
Andros contains some of the most intact marine and terrestrial habitats left in the Bahamas. The eastern side of the island is characterized by a well-defined coastal ridge, which reaches over 100 feet and is primarily comprised of dry broadleaf evergreen forest. This ridge provides important feeding, breeding and nesting habitat for both resident and migratory birds. The interior of the island is heavily forested with Caribbean Pine, which eventually gives way to an extensive carbonate mud complex virtually saturated with small islands and estuaries, including tidal creeks and wetlands. The mangrove and seagrass assemblages found throughout the tidal creek systems and nearshore waters support vast amounts of marine life. Many of the fish species are highly migratory and travel from the West side estuaries through the creeks and bights to the Eastern side of the island where they spawn.
Andros Island currently supports a small population of approximately 10,000. The people of Andros remain closely connected to the land and sea, which serves as a basis of the local economy and culture.
North Andros – Home of our Mission
North Andros is comprised of five primary settlements: Nicholl’s Town, Lowe Sound, Conch Sound, Red Bays and Mastic Point, and several developed communities: BARC-south of San Andros Airport, The Hill in Morgan’s Bluff-adjacent to the harbor, and Fire Road-west of Lowe Sound
Each beautiful settlement and community is distinctly identified by their geographic locations and historical influences.