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Private Caribbean

A Wander onOver Yonder

Located some 70 miles from Nassau and Great Exuma, with Florida 265 miles to the north-west,

Over Yonder Cay may be one island in an archipelago of 365 but it is making a big impact in terms

of its advances in technology and appeal as a destination.

By: Frances and Michael Howorth Photography: Dana Jinkins and Duncan Hipkin

Dr. Ed Bosarge: Over Yonder Cay

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Dr. Ed Bosarge: Over Yonder Cay

A Wander onOver Yonder

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Private Caribbean

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The island sits like a jewel in the crown. Itis the crowning glory of the Exumas, part ofthe necklace of islands we know as the Ba-hamas. Its gem like qualities are apparent forall to see, but like many fine and expensivebaubles it is only when you look more closelythat you realize quite what a special jewelOver Yonder Cay truly is.Strictly speaking the island does not belongto Dr Ed Bosarge. Legally, he is thespokesman for the Bosarge Family Officethat acts as its managing agents. But he is,nevertheless the inspirational genius behindits development. It was under his guidancethat this 72-acre plot has become a beacon ofhope to those who understand the impor-tance of maintaining what nature created,curating it in as pristine condition as is hu-

manly possible in today’s modern world.It was his vision that has transformed a onceremote fishing outpost into an eco-friendlyprivate haven for those seeking authenticbarefoot luxury. It is by his insistence thatOver Yonder Cay operates primarily onpower provided by its very own hybrid re-newable energy system, employing threewind turbines and a 1.5-acre solar field. Hetold us, “Research into green technology isone such area where the Bosarge Family Of-fice is actively involved: Over Yonder Cay isthe first island in the region to run entirelyon renewable energy.” Power that is surplusto immediate requirements is stored in a6MWh battery bank to be used at times oflower production, and diesel generators areon standby but are very rarely needed.

Over Yonder Cay's facilities include a nine-hole golf course, which in keeping with the environmentalconsiderations of the island does not need pesticides or intensive irrigation.

T

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He relishes in being given the opportunity totalk about the feasibility of going green and,sharing his data about real-time energy con-sumption and power generation, he tells us,“We have been invited by Sir Richard Bran-son to give the keynote speech at a confer-ence on Necker Island, explaining how wedid this and how the model could open upthe entire Caribbean area to energy sourcesthat are not reliant on fossil fuels.” A strongbeliever in using intellect and God-given tal-ent of entrepreneurship, Dr Bosarge has con-tributed to the business world throughcapitalism. The key is, he says, “finding sim-ilarly minded people to be part of my team.We have been very successful in that and asa result have been able to change the lives ofmany people through philanthropy.”

ica, we joined the parade flotilla and sailedup the Hudson River to the George Washing-ton Bridge. This was my first experience withbig boat sailing and my induction into su-peryachting.”Warming to the task he continues, “We thenacquired ‘Natasha’ an 83’ mahogany Camper& Nicholson yacht, designed by Jon Bannen-berg, which became the number oneCaribbean charter vessel in 1980 and 1981.She toured the Caribbean for 10-years with aBritish captain-and-wife team, spending timein the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Antiguaand Martinique, among others. After selling‘Natasha’ it took a few years to find the rightboat for the family office. Finally in 2005 theydiscovered a 115’ Ted Hood designed sloopwith a shallow draft that is perfect for cruis-

A PASSION FOR YACHTINGThe Bosarge family has always had an inter-est in spending time on the water and DrBosarge has been sailing since he was ayoung child. “I started building and owningsailboats at a young age, first with multihulls,including a 16’ Prindle catamaran, then a Cal36 monohull sailboat, which we raced in re-gattas for many years. In 1974, I acquired ‘Sk-oukum’, a 72’ Alden gaff-rigged schoonerfrom 1934. Two years later, the Governor ofTexas appointed her to represent the state atthe Tall Ships Parade in New York City. Wewere accompanied by a group of boy scoutsfor the whole voyage and we sailed fromHouston to New York via the Virgin Islands,Bermuda and Newport, Rhode Island. On 4thJuly 1976, 200-years after the birth of Amer-

It was Dr. Bosarge's vision that has transformed a once remote fishing outpost into an eco-friendly

private haven for those seeking authentic barefoot luxury.

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ing the Bahamas. We named her ‘Tenacious’after Ted Turner’s famous racing yacht. Sheis still managed by the Bosarge Family Officeand often used by the family.”It was while sailing ‘Tenacious’ in the Exu-mas in 2008, that Dr Bosarge discoveredOver Yonder Cay while snorkelling. “It wasan interesting investment, perfectly situatedfor an exclusive luxury development, so oneof the Bosarge family trusts acquired it. Wehave since converted the island into a luxuri-ous 28-guest hotel and wellness centre thatis available to rent.” ‘Tenacious’ is oftendocked in the 13’-daft marina they built thereand passing yacht owners are encouraged tovisit and use the facilities if the island is notleased out. The marina, the deepest marinain the Exumas that is open to guests use, iswell protected and can offer dockage for sev-eral vessels over 100’. They can take shore

power and water but the marina is unable tooffer tank drainage or fuel bunkering.“At the same time as we were making the in-vestment in the island, we built ‘Marie’,” DrBosarge explains.” She is a 180’ ketch thatwas designed by Andre Hoek and built inHolland by Vitters. She is available for char-ter through Fraser Yachts, spending her sum-mers in Maine and winters in the Caribbean;she recently completed an 18-month tour ofthe South Pacific.” ‘Marie’ is well known inthe superyacht racing circuit, competing insuch events as the Superyacht Challenge, inAntigua, the St. Barths Bucket and the LoroPiana Superyacht Regatta in Porto Cervo.The Exuma Cays is one of the most breath-takingly beautiful island chains in the world,though it is a relatively unknown spot.Tourism to the area is mostly by boat, but su-peryachts concerned by the sometimes shal-

‘Tenacious’ (above) is a 115ft Ted Hood-designed sloop withshallow draft; perfectfor exploring theBahamas. It waswhile sailing on‘Tenacious’ in theExumas that Dr Bosarge discoveredOver Yonder Cay.

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Profile: Dr Ed Bosarge

Dr Bosarge in race mode on ‘Marie’ in the CaribbeanDr Bosarge in race mode on ‘Marie’ in the Caribbean

Dr Bosarge’s entrepreneurial success began after receivinghis PhD in Applied Mathematics from Brown University. Mostof his working life since then has been spent developing math-ematical and physical models of financial markets and turningthese into high frequency trading systems that provide liquid-ity for the financial markets.The Bosarge family, as beneficiaries, is the major shareholderof Quantlab Financial, which is one of the top three high-fre-quency trading firms in the United States and is active in 50 ofthe world’s liquid financial markets. Dr Bosarge also workedwith Standard & Poor’s to develop methods for yield enhance-ment of fixed income portfolios. He founded The Frontier Com-panies, where he further developed predictive financial markettechnologies for automated trading of major equity, fixed in-come, and foreign exchange markets, subsequently licensingthese systems to a worldwide client base of major financial in-stitutionsHe has always been interested in finding solutions to non-linearworld problems. Early in his career he worked in the field ofmathematical medicine, served as a math faculty member atRice University and was involved in joint ventures with IBMand the Methodist Hospital in Houston. It was at this time thathe became involved with finding a solution to cancer, using his

own models to approach treatment as opposed to traditionalmethods. He now devotes a lot of time to the MD AndersonCancer Center in Houston, where he is a Board of Visitors mem-ber, and he has become very involved in biotechnology in rela-tion to stem cells.It is in this field that his interest lies today and it is has becomethe primary function of the Borsage Family Office. Over the lastfive years the family office has sponsored conferences at theVatican and in Stockholm on the use of autologous adult stemcells for regeneration and treatment of diseases as opposed tothe prescription of pharmaceuticals. Through the Bosarge Fam-ily Office, he has funded a CellHealth Institute clinical studyinto reprogramming aging adult stem cells at the University ofMedicine and Dentistry New Jersey (UMDNJ).Interested in green energy, he is nevertheless a pragmatic andhugely successful businessman who, amongst his other respon-sibilities, lists as being the CEO of Petrodome Energy, LLC, anoil and gas exploration and production company operatingalong the upper Texas and Louisiana coast, and on the Gulf ofMexico Shelf. In 2011, the Bosarge Family Office funded theLEED Platinum, net-zero energy education center at theCoastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Dr Bosarge lives in Huston,Texas and spends his summer in Southport, Maine

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low waters tend to miss the Bahamas andhead straight from the US shores down tothe Caribbean islands further south, wherethere is a lot more traffic. However, throughoutside investment via purchase of privateislands, the island chain has become morepopular over the last few years. It is the re-sponsibility of both the government andthose investing in the area to practice goodenvironmental stewardship to keep it in itspristine state.As well as keeping the islands themselves in-tact, the waters of the Bahamas are one if thecountry’s greatest assets. The sea life needsprotection from bleaching, overfishing andpollution. The Exuma Cays Land and SeaPark is a fantastic example of how this isdone and Over Yonder Cay fully supports inany way it can to maintain the diversity andvolume of marine life so it does disappear as

elsewhere in the Caribbean.Over Yonder Cay is situated right in the heartof the Exumas, just a quick tender ride awayfrom many of the spectacular attractions ofthe archipelago, including the abundantwildlife of the Exuma Cays Land and SeaPark, the friendly nurse shark family at Com-pass Cay, the magical hidden underwatercave of the Thunderball Grotto, not to men-tion the fantastic snorkelling and diving inthe reef right on the island’s own shores.From enjoying a round of golf with stun-ningly unique views, to world-class healthycuisine and outstanding watersports, the is-land offers first class facilities in a luxury yetrelaxed environment. In fact, the island is soprivate and peaceful it is hard to imagine youare so close to the US mainland. Dr Bosargesays, “The island is a secret, one that we wantto share with a select group of people who ap-

A haven for wildlife, the Exumas is home to

a unique array of species both above and below

the water’s surface, including the famous swimming pigs of Big Majors Cay.

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preciate the beauty and appeal of what wehave created at our special island home.”

OTHER PASSIONSIf Dr Bosarge is passionate about yachtingand his island then he is equally adoring ofhis many other pastimes, music being one ofthe foremost. He told us, “Music has been inmy life from day one, my grandmother wasa concert pianist and opera star, and so‘Marie’ has a Steinway grand piano in themain salon. We have a concert pianist playmusic at the beginning and end of the racesin which she competes.Dr Bosarge’s love for old guns and cannonsis well-documented and he has one of thelargest private collections of cannons in theworld. “There are 75 pieces that date fromthe 1600s to the 1900s; they are mostly ofBritish, Portuguese, French and Dutch ori-gin. One of my favourites is a British solid-bar cannon that weighs 4,000lb and canshoot a 16lb ball five miles. The British hadgiven the cannon to Nepal in the 1800s andit now sits ‘guarding’ the entrance to OverYonder Cay. My two other favourite cannons

are solid bronze and weigh 3,000lb each.Lord Charles Cornwallis of the British Armyused them in the American RevolutionaryWar. When the British were beaten, Cornwal-lis retreated to his ship with the cannons.They were then used against America againin the bombardment of Baltimore in 1812.The British subsequently gave them toNepal in 1828. They have been fully restoredand they are fired daily at our summer homein Southport, Maine.” As if the roar of a cannon were not enough,Bosarge’s passion extends further up the au-dible scale with his love for World War II air-craft, or, as those who pilot them refer tothem, "war-birds." Together with his business partner, theBosarge Family Office has created the TexasFlying Legends Museum, a charity that hason display 13 restored aircraft. Many partic-ipate in displays throughout the UnitedStates. The museum is dedicated to honor-ing past generations and inspiring the lead-ers of tomorrow through their active flyingdisplays. All planes have been restored tonear-original condition and include a P-40

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QuickfireMy favorite spot on OYC is… therenewable energy mission control roomI’m most proud of… my backinggroundbreaking research into adultstem cellsBusiness is… always a challengeI wish to be remembered for…finding solutions outside the boxI will never give up… entrepreneurshipand finding solutions to problems thatothers consider impossibleMy favorite place on earth is… thehelm of ‘Marie’ during a Caribbeamsuperyacht regattaMy favorite watch is… BreitlingEmergency with dualfrequency distress beaconIn people I find the most endearingquality to be… honesty and dynamismFavorite yachts… ‘Tenacious’ and‘Marie’My aircraft for personal travel is…a Citation 10

Captain Duncan Hipkin, now islandmanager of Over Yonder Cay, shields

his ears from the cannon fire thatmarks sundown on 'Tenacious'.

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Guests travel to Over Yonder Cay by Cessna Grand Caravan seaplane.Local catches from the water like this red snapper make for delicious, fresh dinners.

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permits and licenses. Having an Americanarchitect unfamiliar with Bahamian buildingcodes was also a small hurdle, but anythingneeding modification was simply tweakedby a Bahamian engineer to make sure the de-signs were up to scratch. There were manyadministrative hurdles during constructiongiven the size and location of the project,plus the logistical problems that one couldimagine when building a luxury island in aremote location, in the middle of the ocean,in a foreign country. Having  close to 200staff to oversee was an HR challenge aswell.”Ownership of private islands is not a newconcept to the region; other islands in Exu-mas have been acquired by notable figuresin recent years. The Aga Khan, famed for hishorse racing stables and love of superfast su-peryachts, has purchased Bell Island. Filmproducer/director Tyler Perry bought a 25-acre island called White Bay Cay, as well asanother seven-acre island in 2009 and plans

fighter, a Corsair fighter, a B-25 bomber, a P-51 Mustang and, rarest of all, a JapaneseZero fighter plane. The Zero is said to be oneof only two in the world that can still take tothe skies. Dr Bosarge is rightfully proud ofthe help he has given to preserve such her-itage and in 2010, took the aircraft to the StBarths Bucket regatta to perform daily airshows for the people of St Barths and raceparticipants.

THE ISLANDThe island of Over Yonder Cay is a leaseholdestate, deriving its title from the British colo-nial occupation of the Bahamas. Before thecountry became an independent nation 40years ago the British Government leasedmany islands to private individuals. “It wasfrom one of these people whom we acquiredthe leasehold title and had it extended by100 years,“ Dr Bosarge divulges. “Planningpermissions were tedious but likely similarto what any builder would experience with

Over Yonder Cay'shybrid renewable

energy system couldprovide the key tosustainable island

living in the Caribbean.

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building a tropical Balinese-style home forhis own use and several guest bungalows forentertaining. LVMH Chairman and ChiefExecutive Bernard Arnault not only ownschunks of Feadship and Princess Yachts butis also the owner of Norman’s Pond Cay,while country singers Tim McGraw andFaith Hill own the 17-acre island, Goat Cay.Swashbuckling Pirates of the Caribbeanactor Johnny Depp owns Little Halls PondCay and David Copperfield lays claim to hisown Musha Cay.“Many owners of islands in the Exuma Caystake about a decade to fully develop them;we took half of this because of the intensework that we carried out in the first threeyears after acquiring it,” explains Dr Bosargewith candor. “There was a very clear visionfor the island from the outset in terms of thevillas, the style of décor and how the islandwas to be used personally by the family, butthere have been areas that have developed

since the original concept was created.“Some ideas naturally come to you later on,after the bulk of the development has beencompleted. Around a year ago we decided toput in a nine-hole par-three golf course anda floodlit tennis court. This is a totallyunique combination of facilities in the re-gion and is proving incredibly attractive torental guests.”Speaking of the development in more phys-ical detail, Dr Bosarge explains, “We had ap-proximately 200 workers on the islandduring that construction period, building thevillas and staff housing as well as the chal-lenging task of dredging the marina and ap-proach channel. The development of ourgreen energy system is ever evolving astechnology improves and we fine tune ourhybrid solar and wind system; we are con-stantly improving our efficiency. The field ofrenewable energy is an exciting one and weare working with some of the leading minds

Villa Fiamma takesadvantage of the

spectacular viewsthat are provided by

the island's unrivalledelevation in the

Exuma Chain.

in green energy generation and storage,using our island as a model for isolated en-ergy grids of the future.”“The project managers and architects for thedevelopment of Over Yonder Cay were pre-dominantly from the United States, but themajority of the workers for the island’s devel-opment were Bahamian. Some of the skilltransference includes the installation ofpaved roads, electricity, frosting glass win-dows, marcite for pools, landscaping knowl-edge and some audio video training. Manyof these workers have remained with the is-land after the development was completed.Together they have built a team that knowsthe island inside-out. One of the island’smanagers, Michelle Woods, was key to run-ning the development of the island for usand has a remarkable wealth of experienceand understanding of the project.”Architect and project manager Mihai Ange-lescu was responsible for the overall designof the island, while Rodica Mirea was the in-terior designer for the villas and MalcolmMiller was the landscape architect. “We builta nursery to house the plants that were com-ing in at a rapid pace for quick planting. Nowthe nursery is the site of on-going propaga-tion so that we can harvest our own plantsand ship fewer in.”“The logistical challenges that we faced wereusually relating to barge availability, coincid-ing with building materials being in stock oravailable for delivery during a tough eco-nomic time. Many items were not readilyavailable off-the-shelf and we encountered alead-time that set our timeline back. Anotherlogistical challenge we faced many timeswas having enough man power to finish cer-tain tasks between four villas and two build-ings simultaneously without falling behindin our timeline.”Over Yonder Cay can now welcome up to 28guests, more than could be accommodatedon two superyachts. This makes it a great lo-

e island's decor is accented withantiquities that reflect the Bosargefamily's historical and cultural interests.

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cation for multi-generational family celebra-tions, as well as substantial groups of peoplewho want to be able to share a luxury holidayexperience with ultimate privacy that is notattainable at a traditional holiday resort. Hir-ing the island in its entirety is somewhat akinto chartering a super yacht. There are manysimilarities. The island’s general manager isCaptain Duncan Hipkin, who for some yearsran ‘Tenacious’ when she was chartering inthe BVI. He has brought with him to the is-land his wife Liza, who served as Chief Stew-ardess and Chef on board ‘Tenacious’.Together they bring extensive experience ofthe superyacht world and that has given Hip-kin the ability to oversee a staff of 30, 60 per-cent of whom are from the Bahamas.Hipkin told us, “Those who are accustomed torenting luxury villas, superyachts and privateislands expect the best service possible, no

matter where they are. The attention to detail,intuition of a guest’s needs and personalisedservice are key to making the experienceabove and beyond what would be available ata traditional resort. These are dependent onthe quality and experience of the staff, aboveand beyond the facilities and amenities onoffer. Whether you are on a super yacht a pri-vate island, this does not change.The Captain continues, “The most obviousdifferences between staying on a yacht andan island like Over Yonder Cay are theamount of space per guest and the numberof people that can be accommodated at once.Although there has been some increasethrough the Passenger Yacht Code, the vastmajority of super yachts are limited to sleep-ing just twelve guests. If groups are larger,then there is the option to charter multipleyachts, but this brings with it an innate divi-

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Using green energy doesn't have to mean a sacrifice of luxury.

e master bathroom of Villa Fiamma is decorated

with ornate tapestries,crystal chandeliers and

intricate sculptures.

of clients come back to the island, some ofwhom have used the island for different pur-poses on each trip, for example on a familyholiday at first and then for a big gatheringof friends.” Much of the business is from theUS, but there are also important client basesin Europe, Russia and Brazil, and it is this ac-cessibility to the population centres thatholds the key to the continuing success of is-lands the likes of Over Yonder Cay.When the first astronauts went into spaceand photographed Earth, they were asked ontheir return where did they think was themost beautiful place in the world. They con-cluded that it was a tie between the Exumasand the Society Islands. You can easily seewhy Dr Bosarge, family and friends pop‘Over Yonder’ for long weekends as fre-quently as possible. The great thing is… youcan too. I

sion in the group, not to mention a muchhigher price tag.”“The differences don’t end there. Over Yon-der Cay has a spectacular array of activitiesand facilities on offer that simply could notbe provided by a super yacht. Take for exam-ple the nine-hole par three golf course ex-tending across the island’s breath-takinglyrugged landscape, the floodlit tennis court,the multiple pristine beaches, and a range ofwater sports on hand that will keep even themost adrenaline-fuelled guest entertained.”If she is in the Bahamas, a charter of ‘Tena-cious’ is available concurrently, increasingthe overall guest capacity by eight, or beforeor after the island rental.Although the island only opened to welcomeguests in the last year, the first year alreadyhas produced a 25 percent ‘revist rate’ in thatyear. Hipkin reports, “We have had a number

Villa Fiamma's mastersuite is complemented

by generous privategardens and terraces.

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