BREAKOUT
DRAG RACING EVENT
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
National Parks Day
Celebrate nature, culture, and community this National Parks Day with Bahamas National Trust at the beautiful Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve!
Join us Saturday April 18th from 8:00AM –3:00PM for a day filled with fun for the whole family: art, music, birding, bush tea, kids activities, and more.
FREE ENTRY
National Parks Day Schedule:
Yoga - 10:00am
Kids Corner - 10:00am to 2:30pm
Kirtland Warbler Science Fair - 11:00am to 12:30pm
Guided Nature Walks - 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Bush Tea Station: 11:00am (while Supplies Last)
Don’t miss this chance to connect with the natural beauty of The Bahamas!
Join us Saturday April 18th from 8:00AM –3:00PM for a day filled with fun for the whole family: art, music, birding, bush tea, kids activities, and more.
FREE ENTRY
National Parks Day Schedule:
Yoga - 10:00am
Kids Corner - 10:00am to 2:30pm
Kirtland Warbler Science Fair - 11:00am to 12:30pm
Guided Nature Walks - 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Bush Tea Station: 11:00am (while Supplies Last)
Don’t miss this chance to connect with the natural beauty of The Bahamas!
#BNT #NationalParksDay
I Won the Lotto but Now I'm Broke
"The Winner Loser" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
I Won the Lotto but Now I'm Broke
The Golden Ticket
The ticket sat upon the dash, a slip of yellow hue,
I didn’t think the numbers picked would actually come through.
But then the draw began at ten, the spheres began to roll,
And every digit matched my own, ignite my very soul!
I screamed so loud the neighbors knocked, I danced upon the floor,
A hundred million dollars—maybe even a little more.
I quit my job with zero grace, I tossed the boss my keys,
I’m headed for the tropics now, to catch a salty breeze.
The Rush of Gold
The bank account was overflowing, zeros in a line,
I bought a watch of solid gold that made the sunlight shine.
A mansion on a grassy hill with twenty-seven rooms,
And gardens filled with exotic plants and rare, expensive blooms.
I bought a fleet of Italian cars that roar like mountain cats,
I filled my closets up with silks and designer shoes and hats.
The "friends" I hadn't seen in years came knocking at my gate,
I bought them dinners, drinks, and trips—I thought the life was great.
The Downward Slide
But money has a funny way of melting in the sun,
When every day is "treat yourself" and everything is fun.
I didn’t check the balance sheets, I didn't track the flow,
I thought the well would never dry, I didn't want to know.
The taxes came, the lawsuits bloomed, the cousins asked for loans,
The mansion started crumbling down, I heard it in its bones.
A million here for "business deals" that turned to dust and air,
A million there for parties held with people who didn't care.
2026 Summer Internship Opportunity with Friends of the Environment!
2026 Summer Internship Opportunity with Friends of the Environment!
Friends of the Environment is looking for Summer Interns to assist with our Summer Camp Program!
We’re seeking someone who:
- Is 18 years or older
- Is a Bahamian citizen
- Is a proficient swimmer
- Loves working with children and being outdoors
This is a great opportunity for anyone passionate about the environment, education, and making a positive impact in the community.
Internship runs from June 15th - July 17th
Location: Friends of the Environment Campus, Marsh Harbour, Abaco
If this sounds like you or someone you know, get in touch with us today!
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
The Worldview of The Bahamas: Cultural Values, National Identity, and Political Skepticism
"Lift Up Your Head" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
The Worldview of The Bahamas: Cultural Values, National Identity, and Political Skepticism
The worldview of the Bahamian people is shaped by a complex blend of historical experience, religious tradition, cultural pride, communal values, and political realities. At its core, Bahamian society is deeply influenced by Christianity, which plays a central role in shaping public morality, social expectations, and national identity. Christian beliefs and values are highly visible in Bahamian life, influencing attitudes toward family, ethics, governance, and social behavior. As a result, Bahamian society generally maintains conservative social values, particularly regarding family structure, marriage, and personal conduct.
Monday, April 13, 2026
Royal Bahamas Police Force: Crime Prevention Symposium
The Royal Bahamas Police Force
Urban Renewal Division
CRIME PREVENTION SYMPOSIUM
April 18th, 2026
at 7:00PM
Yahweh House of Prayer
Stack Avenue, Nassau
A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush
"Young Ground Dove" - ©A. Derek Catalano
Download photo
A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush
I.
Within the palm, a pulse is felt, a warmth of life and gold,
A tiny thing of feather-weight, but certain in the hold.
It does not sing the grandest song, nor boast a plumage rare,
But it is here, beneath the thumb, while others dwell in air.
The morning mist is thick and grey upon the tangled thorn,
Where silhouettes of phantom wings are on the breezes borne.
Two shadows flit behind the leaf, two melodies entwine,
They promise more than what is held, they shimmer and they shine.
II.
The mind is such a restless thing, a merchant of the "more,"
That paces through the present room to peer outside the door.
It weighs the heavy, humble grain against the sacks of spice,
And whispers that the certain thing is never worth the price.
"Why keep the spark?" the ego asks, "When wildfires might ignite?
Why settle for the candle-wick when stars are in your sight?
Release the grip, relax the hand, the bush is close at hand,
Where better prizes wait for those with courage to demand."
III.
So many eyes have turned away from bread upon the plate,
To hunger for a banquet-hall behind a locked-up gate.
The traveler leaves the steady path for marsh-light in the fen,
And trades the coin he earned today for dreams of making ten.
We see it in the lover’s gaze, who seeks a perfect ghost,
And leaves the one who stayed through storms, the heart that loved them most.
We see it in the seeker’s toil, who digs a hundred wells,
But never tastes the water clear where deeper spirit dwells.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
The Mulberry Tree
Me an' da wife bin pickin' Mulberries. 🙂
"Mulberries on Branch" - ©A. Derek Catalano
"Mulberry Dish" - ©A. Derek Catalano
Friday, April 10, 2026
The White Gold of Inagua: The History and Process of Morton Salt
Morton Salt Company
The White Gold of Inagua: The History and Process of Morton Salt
Introduction
The history of the Morton Salt Company in Great Inagua is a fascinating saga of industrial resilience and ecological harmony. Located on the southernmost island of the Bahamian archipelago, this facility is the second-largest solar saline operation in North America, covering roughly 300,000 acres and producing over a million tons of salt annually.
I. The Beginnings: From Rakes to Revolution
The story of salt in Inagua predates modern corporations. For centuries, "salt raking" was a brutal, manual labor performed by early settlers and enslaved people who used wooden rakes to scrape crystals from natural ponds. However, the modern industrial era began in the late 1930s with the arrival of three American brothers: Doug, Bill, and Jim Erickson.
In 1935, the Ericksons founded the West India Chemical Company. They saw the potential in Inagua’s flat, arid landscape and constant trade winds. They moved away from manual labor, introducing mechanization, building canals, and installing the "Pemona" pump to flood Lake Windsor (now Lake Rosa) with seawater. By 1954, their operation had grown so successful—yet so capital-intensive—that they sold it to the Morton Salt Company of Chicago. Under Morton’s stewardship (operating as Morton Bahamas Limited), the facility was modernized into the global powerhouse it is today.
Portrait of Me - A. Derek Catalano
Portrait of me taken by my son Christopher Catalano
I changed the background with Adobe Photoshop
Portrait of me taken by my son Christopher Catalano
Tropical Interior Design - PC Wallpaper
Thursday, April 9, 2026
The Attention Seeker
"The Attention Seeker" - Bahamas AI Image
©A. Derek Catalano
The Attention Seeker
The stage is set, the curtain parts, a practiced breath is drawn,
He stands beneath the spotlight’s glare before the break of dawn.
A master of the grand design, the architect of noise,
Who trades his inner quietude for hollow, gilded joys.
He wears a mask of many hues, a kaleidoscope of skin,
To hide the silent hollow where the dialogue begins.
For in the court of public eyes, he plays the frantic clown,
Terrified that silence might eventually pull him down.
He feeds upon the gasps of crowds, the whispers in the hall,
He’d rather be the villain than not be seen at all.
A scandal brewed in morning tea, a tragedy for show,
He waters every drama just to watch the garden grow.
The truth is but a canvas, often stretched and pulled away,
Until it fits the narrative he needs to win the day.
“Look at me!” the spirit cries, a beacon in the night,
Shining with a fevered and a self-consuming light.
On digital horizons, where the pixelated glow
Dictates the ebb of status and the rhythmic social flow,
He counts the heartbeats of the web, the metrics of the soul,
Giving up his privacy to pay the psychic toll.
A filtered face, a curated and artificial life,
A sharpened edge of vanity that cuts like any knife.
He measures worth in "likes" and "shares," in comments thin and brief,
A momentary harvest that provides a false relief.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
The Mother Church: An In-Depth Study of Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Nassau
Christ Church Cathedral - ©A. Derek Catalano
The Mother Church: An In-Depth Study of Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Nassau
Standing as a stalwart sentinel of faith and history at the corner of George and King Streets in downtown Nassau, Christ Church Anglican Cathedral is more than a place of worship; it is the spiritual and historical epicenter of The Bahamas. Known as the "Mother Church" of all Anglican churches in The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, its story is inextricably linked with the development of the Bahamian nation itself.
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Don't Be Loud and Obnoxious
"Loud and Obnoxious" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Don't Be Loud and Obnoxious
The world is a stage where we all have a part,
A symphony played from the beat of the heart,
But some choose to blast like a horn in the night,
Ignoring the peace and the soft, morning light.
There’s a lesson to learn in the heat of the crowd:
The soul is not heard just by being too loud.
When you walk through a room with a thunderous stride,
With a voice like a cannon and nowhere to hide,
You think you are vibrant, you think you have flair,
But you’re sucking the oxygen out of the air.
A joke is a treasure, a laugh is a prize,
Until it is screamed to the top of the skies.
Consider the coffee shop, cozy and dim,
Where a student is reading on hope and a whim,
Or the park where a poet is seeking a line,
And the sun through the branches is starting to shine.
Then comes the shouting, the boom of a phone,
Invading a space that was never your own.
Monday, April 6, 2026
Creating a Government-Operated Public Bus Service in The Bahamas: Feasibility, Challenges, and Benefits
"Island Hopper Jitney Service" - Bahamas AI Image
©A. Derek Catalano
Creating a Government-Operated Public Bus Service in The Bahamas: Feasibility, Challenges, and Benefits
Introduction
A modern, government-operated public bus service in The Bahamas is not a utopian idea. It is a practical nation-building project whose time has likely come, especially for New Providence, where most of the country’s population, jobs, schools, government offices, and tourism activity are concentrated. The real question is not whether The Bahamas needs better public transport. It does. The harder question is whether the state should directly own, regulate, and operate a structured bus network rather than continue relying primarily on the fragmented jitney model that has shaped mobility in Nassau for decades.
The answer, on balance, is yes, but only if the project is designed with realism. A government bus system in The Bahamas is feasible, but not if it is approached as a political announcement or a symbolic fleet purchase. It must be built as a transport institution: professionally run, financially disciplined, digitally managed, legally empowered, and integrated with the geography and economy of the country. If done properly, it could reduce traffic, improve worker mobility, support tourism, lower household transport costs, and raise the overall quality of urban life. If done poorly, it could become another underused public asset burdened by weak enforcement, poor maintenance, and political interference.
This essay examines the feasibility, challenges, and benefits of creating a government-operated public bus service in The Bahamas, with primary focus on New Providence and secondary consideration for Grand Bahama and selected Family Islands.
Angel Fish Tile
A white 4 inch tile I painted sometime around 1990(bottom). It was dirty and grimy but cleaned up with AI(top).
"Angel Fish Tile" - AI cleaned
©A. Derek Catalano
"Angel Fish Tile" - Painted original
©A. Derek Catalano
©A. Derek Catalano
View: Happy Sun Tile
No White Woman Has Ever Sat in the House of Assembly: One Tried 1962
Lady Greta Oakes
By The Bahamianologist
No White Woman Has Ever Sat in the House of Assembly: One Tried 1962
There has never been a white woman elected to the Bahamas House of Assembly. Not once. Not in the 64 years since women were given the right to vote in 1962. No white Bahamian woman in living memory has run. None has even been offered a nomination.The first woman to sit in the House was Dame Janet Bostwick, who won her seat in 1982. Since Dame Janet, women have liberally served as parliamentarians. Black women. Only Black women. The chamber has never seated a white Bahamian female member.
In 1962, one tried.
Her motivation may have been in question. Her ambition was not.
Sunday, April 5, 2026
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Rip Ty'd - AI Redo
Helped my son with a video shoot at a local micro-brewery on Dowdeswell St., Nassau. Took a shot of the logo on the building(top) and enhanced it with AI(bottom).
Rip Ty'd Logo - Original
©A. Derek Catalano
Rip Ty'd Logo - AI Redo
©A. Derek Catalano
©A. Derek Catalano
Friday, April 3, 2026
TOMORROW! - Ranfurly Homes for Children Easter Bake Sale
Ranfurly Homes for Children Easter Bake Sale
This Saturday at the Ranfurly Homes for Children located at 101 Mackey Street and at Lowe's Pharmacy in Harbour Bay Shopping Plaza
April:4th, 2026
12:00 PM-6:00 PM
Indulge in a variety of sweet favourites
The Easter Story: From The Last Supper to The Resurrection
On this Good Friday Native Stew presents
The Easter Story: From The Last Supper to The Resurrection
Sourbush a.k.a. Cure For All
Sourbush a.k.a. Cure For All - ©A. Derek Catalano
Used for various ailments
Download full size: 2688x2574
Related article: Bush Medicine in The Bahamas
Thursday, April 2, 2026
All the Women Want Me
"Magnet" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
All the Women Want Me
They smile and toss their glances wide,
They gather close with practiced pride,
They laugh too long, they lean too near,
They drop their hints for me to hear.
They paint their lips, they strike their pose,
They wear perfume like blooming rose,
They play their games, they cast their net,
But I’m not bait they’re gonna get.
Yes, all the women want me, true,
But I belong to only you.
So let the whole world stare and see,
No one but my wife is meant for me.
They cannot have me, not a chance,
Not with a wink, not with a glance,
Not with a touch, not with a plea,
Because my heart is not for free.
I am a man who knows his ground,
Whose feet stay firm, whose soul is sound.
I’m not a leaf in lustful breeze,
Blown by desire with shameful ease.
I’m not a fool who throws away
A lifelong love for one cheap stray.
I’m not so weak, I’m not that blind,
To trade true gold for glittered grime.
Happy Sun Tile
A white 4 inch tile I painted sometime around 1990(bottom). It was dirty and grimy but cleaned up with AI(top).
"Happy Sun Tile" - AI cleaned
©A. Derek Catalano
Download full size: 1024x1024
"Happy Sun Tile" - Painted original
©A. Derek Catalano
©A. Derek Catalano
View: Angel Fish Tile
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Spiny Lobster Season Closed!
Spiny Lobster Season Closed!
This means that during the period of April 1st through July 31st it is an offence for persons to take, capture, have in possession, kill, or offer any fresh or live crawfish for sale.
The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, commonly known to Bahamians as crawfish, is the largest fishery, and an important contributor to the economy. It provides income to many fishers, seafood vendors, processors, and exporters. It is also a popular delicacy for Bahamians and visitors alike, so we must protect this species' population.
The closed season for the spiny lobster corresponds with peak breeding times for crawfish species. Harvesting crawfish during this time reduces the reproductive capacity of the species. To uphold Spiny lobster populations, we ask you to join BREEF and support the closed season by choosing a different dish!
The Grand Dame of Nassau: A History of the British Colonial
British Colonial Hotel - ©A. Derek Catalano
The Grand Dame of Nassau: A History of the British Colonial
Standing prominently at #1 Bay Street, the British Colonial Hotel is more than just a luxury resort; it is the physical manifestation of Nassau’s evolution from a pirate haven to a global tourism capital. Known affectionately as the "Grand Dame," its history spans over three centuries of military defense, industrial ambition, and cinematic glamour.
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