Old Lodge bonefish pool at Sea Shell Resort

Nettie's Heritage Club and Sea Shell Beach Resort



Nettie's Heritage Club will remained closed for the 2011 fishing season...
Please check out the Abaco Lodge


Main Lodge
Nettie's Heritage Club and Sea Shell Beach Resort is located in Casuarina Point approximately 18 miles south of Marsh Harbor on Great Abaco Island. This intriguing lodge is built on the edge of a beautiful wildlife refuge and is on the threshold of some of the most pristine bonefish flats of all of the Bahamas.
In the labyrinth of creeks that penetrate Great Abaco Island lies treasure, not the ghost of pirates, but the elusive grey ghost, the bonefish. The area is perfect for bonefish and it is common to see vast schools of the fish tailing. There are two areas to fish: The first is Cherokee Sound, which is on the east side of the island is only five minutes by boat from the resort. There are numerous blue holes in Cherokee sound which attract a multitude of species including mutton snapper and baracuda. The second area is the Marls, which are located on the west side of the island, is a vast mangrove studded flat that extends all the way to the east end of the Grand Bahama Island and contains hundreds of square miles of rarely fished territory . The creeks are literally littered with bonefish holes. The size of the nearly translucent bonefish average about three to five pounds, and there are a few permit there as well. This lodge provides the best access to The Marls and Cherokee Sound.

Nettie offers two basic-but-comfortable accommodation options. The original Great Abaco Bonefish Club, which is now called Heritage Club, opened to customers in 1993, The Heritage Club is an airy, two-story structure with eight twin-bedded rooms each with a ceiling fan, private bathroom, and air conditioning. The building is located slightly inland and overlooking a picturesque lagoon. Home style meals, fresh and natural Bahamian style, are served in Heritage Club dining room.

The Seashell Beach Club is located on the beautiful 8-mile Cherokee Sound beach and features natural accomodations and an exercise pool. The intriguing new lodge opened in May 1999. The pine wooded site, which borders a wildlife refuge, is set in the natural surroundings, and landscaped with hundreds of plants, including sapodilla, mango, sugar apple, coco plum, bougainvillaea, and sea grape. Hundreds of herb plants flourish in the gardens, and the house specialty drink Herb Tea is made with eleven different kinds of common and exotic plants. A zoo on the premises houses rare flamingos, hibiscus devouring iguanas, and free roaming peacocks, ducks, and geese. The new rooms are air-conditioned! Guests staying at the Seashell Club have a five minute nature walk to the dining room at the Heritage Club.


Some of the bonefishing guides are from the nearby settlement of Cherokee. The bonefish skiffs, which are similar to Dolphin super skiffs, have 30 or 40-HP engines which are more than sufficient as you won't need to travel very far. The lodge has added two larger boats which will put Robinson Flats, Little Harbor, and Snake Key within running distance of the lodge and open up some reef fishing for those interested.

Miss Nettie Symonette, owner of Nettie's Sea Shell Beach Resort on Great Abaco Island has a small problem. Nettie stocked the fresh water pond adjacent to her resort with about three dozen Tilapia. Now she has thousands of those fish. She invites her guest to take as many as they want and she will even cook them for you. We found out the little guys can't resist a Crazy Charlie.

You can book your stay for a three-day, four-day, five-day or weekly basis. The cost is $1,172.00 for three nights and two days of fishing, $1,536.00 for four nights and three days of fishing, $1,905.00 for four days of fishing, $2,278.00 for five days of fishing, and $2,667.00 for six days of fishing, based upon double occupancy, plus airfare. This will include round-trip transportation from the airport for stays more than four nights (if stay is less than 4 nights then transfer charge is not included), accommodations, meals, and full day bonefishing with a guide. Not included are alcoholic beverages, gratuities, departure taxes, and items of personal nature. Also available (for a fee) are boats, cars, canoes, and snorkeling gear. Prices are subject to change without notice until booked. Click here for rates.

Who is Nettie?

Nettie Symonette Nettie Symonette is a native Bahamian, born on the island of Eleuthra.

Nettie's Sea Shell Beach Resort is the result of her dreams and a lot of hard work. With years of hotelier experience behind her, Nettie acquired 635 acres of Crown land, locally perceived as primarily swamp and waste land, and created what is known today as "one of the most unique Ecotourism resorts in the Caribbean."

The love of her native Bahamas and her tireless efforts to promote its heritage and preserve its natural beauty resulted in her receiving the Cacique Award for Ecotourism in 1996 and the coveted Order of Merit Award the same year.

She has won many other awards of distinction, among them: Most Outstanding Woman in Business (1988), Bahamas Who's Who Society Hospitality Hall of Fame Award (1990) and Silver Jubilee Award (1998).

Pool at Sea Shell Beach Club Miss Nettie Symonette, philosopher, dreamer, herbalist, and healer turned innkeeper has the perfect escape. You might sleep better than you have in a decade! And Nettie's Heritage Club and Sea Shell Beach Resort is one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean. Come share Nettie's vision!

There are frequent 40-minute flights to Abaco's Marsh Harbor International Airport from West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami on Continental Connection, US AIR, American Eagle, and Bahamas Air. Nettie's Sea Shell Beach Club is 18 miles south of the Marsh Harbor International Airport, about 30 minutes by car. Round-trip transportation from the airport is included for stays more than four nights. If stay is less than 4 nights then transfer charge is not included.

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