Life in the Foreign Service is fairly unpredictable. Like the old saying goes, change is the only constant in life. And in the FS, that fact is ever more prominent. So here we are now, barely 10 months in to our posting in Nassau, and the winds of change have once again shifted. In less than a month we will pick up anchor and the dog, and sail for DC. This will be the first time in nearly 2 decades we have lived in the US and while some see it as “going home” it will be as foreign to us as anywhere they could send us. However that is a story for another time.

When you start a new posting, you think you have time to see and experience everything. In a place like Nassau, New Providence Island – an island only HALF the size of Tulsa OK! –  you run the danger of exploring it all way too soon. There were many things on my to do list – one of them exploring Bonefish Pond by kayak or paddle board. Fortunately we did get to see what little you can by foot.

Bonefish Pond National Park, nestled in the middle of New Providence’s southern coast, is 1235 acres of coastal wetland.

Established in 2002, it acts as a buffer from dangerous storm surge for communities in the south and provides a safe habitat for young marine and bird life.

Bonefish Pond is one of the last remaining mangrove areas on the island and is home to several species of the plant.

The Bahamas National Trust conducts many programs with local schools and organizations to convey the importance of protecting native habitats such as this and encourage more to enjoy what the natural environment has to offer while safeguarding its future for subsequent generations.

Though it is off the beaten path for many of my peers, it is well worth a visit. Go stroll along the boardwalk, look for fish in the rising or receding tides, and do a bit of bird watching in hopes of catching a glimpse of the many birds listed on the informational boards.

Or you could just spend a little time sitting on the steps of the gazebo, with your feet dangling in the water and meditating on what you would like the world to look like when you return to real life.

Honestly just looking at the sky is reason enough to spend some time in Bonefish Pond National Park.

It’s a great place to take a breath when the winds of change suddenly uproot your newly planted life.