For those who either can't afford or don't want the insulated and high-priced resorts, Seven Gables is a truly appealing way to see much of Eleuthera and get a bit more of a taste of the Bahamas as the Bahamians live it. The location on the edge of the settlement of Hatchet Bay, close to the center of the island, is useful if you would like to visit sites to the north and to the south. Arrington McCardy and his family are friendly, low-key hosts, and I could first tell this when they brought fresh mangos to our door after the mango man had been by. They found us a rental car one day from down the road, let us use their phone, and I noticed they rented bikes. The cottages are set on a hill above Hatchet Bay, and our's offered a stunning view of the surf rolling onto the beach, a view that I enjoyed each morning from the porch while drinking my coffee, a view that I'll think of all winter. We enjoyed snorkeling in that same bay. Another cottage is set at the top of a cliff with a view out to the Caribbean Sea, and we also snorkeled around that point. There aren't any restaurants in Hatchet Bay, but with a couple of stores, you can buy provisions for the cottage's small kitchen. One night we were able to buy some awesome conch chowder from a family who had a sign up on the road. Not too many tourists are in Hatchet Bay, so you feel as though you're truly in the Bahamas. We hope to stay again, and this time ask for the cottage high above the water in hopes of seeing the eagle rays that Mr. McCardy said sometimes swim by.