The work of Bahamas National Trust (BNT) at Lucayan National Park and its famed Gold Rock Beach is reaping rewards with the number of visitors back up to 25,000 to 30,000 annually, according to BNT Director of Parks Ellsworth Weir.
"I've been noticing more people coming around," Weir said.
"Things were starting to pick up after Dorian ... and then with COVID, everything came to a halt. But, now, things are starting to pick back up [again]. I would say that we're right back to pre-COVID numbers."
The park ranked seventh in USA Today's Top 10 Caribbean Attractions in 2023 while Gold Rock was named in the top 10 beaches in the newspaper's 2020 survey and the BNT continues to work on improving the experience.
A welcome center and gift shop are two of the newest projects that Weir revealed are almost completed.
"We're in the discussion process now about what the interior design should look like and then we'll work on outfitting them with our education department. We plan to have in the welcome center looping videos, interpretive information, pamphlets, and information about this park and other parks," Weir said.
He added that a kiosk will be installed at the park's entrance for visitors to pay their admission fees while the parking lot will be expanded to accommodate more vehicles.
The rejuvenation process continues at the park's Gold Rock Beach, dubbed the "welcome mat of Grand Bahama".
Weir explained that the beach's coastal dunes eroded, due to the invasive tree species, the Casuarina and Australian Pine trees, which are prone to falling, especially during heavy downpours and strong winds, due to their shallow yet long-reaching roots.
Scores of them were uprooted by Hurricane Dorian, destroying the sand dunes and leaving the beach littered with broken tree trunks.
To remove the debris and remaining trees, BNT has gained the support of the Global Environmental Facility Fund.
Additionally, in partnership with organizations such as Waterkeepers Bahamas, Rotary Clubs of Freeport, the Kiwanis Clubs of Freeport and Lucaya, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, RBDF Rangers, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and numerous schools, an area of the beach that was turned into a lagoon by Hurricane Dorian, but started to repair itself in late 2020, was sectioned off to plant native vegetation such as sea grape and coco plum trees to encourage the natural rebuilding and stabilizing of the dunes.
While the beach is being restored to its former beauty, Weir noted that there are now some amenities available for visitors.
The Lucayan Beach Spot, owned by East Grand Bahama resident Corey Valentino Cooper, provides beach chairs and umbrellas, and sells cold drinks and self-cut coconuts to beachgoers.
Cooper said he first thought of vending on Gold Rock Beach in 2017, but hadn't pursued the opportunity until he became a park volunteer in 2021.
With his experiences, he thought the business opportunity would be a perfect fit.
"I was already familiar with water sports and chair and umbrella rentals since I worked in tourism at Grand Lucayan Beach," he said.
"I also worked with two other major water sports companies on the island, Ocean Motion and Fly Water Sports ... for about five to six years."
Cooper admitted that business can be slow.
"Every week is different; every day is different. Basically, I can have some days [where] I see about 12 people. Some days, I see about 200," he said.
However, Cooper said he's grateful for the opportunity noting that Gold Rock Beach is a prime location for his business due to its scenery and reputation.
"People are always amazed and speechless whether it's their first time there or not," he said.
To broaden the visitor experience, Cooper hopes to include non-motorized water sports at the beach spot such as snorkeling, paddle boarding, and kayaking.
Weir said Cooper is not the only vendor interested in managing a beach-side business and there are plans to accommodate new business ideas.
"There's been people showing an interest in a number of things; there's even someone interested in providing massages," he said.
"We prepared a job justification report a few years back and we found that we could actually have about 20 people out there working either concessions or [as] staff members, once we've put certain things in place.
"We have a drawing from an architect for a beach pavilion, a beach facility out there that will have a small deli, shaded area, a storage area. We're actually looking to get some costing to see how best we can move forward.
"We realized that the national park is supposed to provide economic opportunities for those around it while protecting the natural wonders of the area."
He added, "We try to look out for persons from East Grand Bahama ... Our vision is for persons to come and be able to open businesses and make money."
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