Jaunted

A sci-fi geek to the core, I was naturally intrigued by the rich mythology of the island, so I decided to do a little digging. I didn’t have to go far considering the Birch Family, who founded Small Hope Bay Lodge where I was staying, has been in Andros for decades and are very familiar with the creatures there, great and small, real and fictional. Owner Jeff Birch can tell you from personal experience that the Chickcharney is as alive as you and me. Although he’d heard the stories, he was absolutely astonished to encounter one as a young boy while exploring the West side of Andros.

So what is a Chickcharney (also spelled Chickcharnee) you ask? Well, from what I’m told, it’s best described as a furry-and-feathery owl-like troll that lives at the tops of the tallest trees in the Andros pine forests. If you cross one, it will strip your clothes off and turn your head backwards, but in some cases it also can bring good luck. According to island inhabitants, if you see two trees from opposite sides of the road twisted at the top or bound together, it’s a sign that one is nearby. While the Chickcharney is only found on Andros, its legend spans well beyond the island’s borders. Most interestingly, it was featured in a Time magazine article from 1947!

Although lesser known, Andros is also home to the Lusca, who is a half-shark, half-octopus creature that lurks among the waters of inland caverns and blue holes. Some residents believe that Lusca’s breath is responsible for the tidal currents and is sometimes even strong enough to create a whirlpool. When chatting with Casey Birth, Jeff’s daughter, she told me that the main thing to look for as a sign of Lusca is the water rising or bubbling up. Considering I had an afternoon trip planned to the popular inland blue hole, Captain Bill's, the day I spoke with her, I was definitely going to keep that advice in mind.

Whether you believe in mythical creatures or think they’re only stuff of, well, myths, my opinion is that you never really know. So perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but on my way to Captain Bill's Blue Hole, I was planning to haul ass back to shore at the sight of even the tiniest unexplained ripple or gurgle.

Related Stories:
· Andros Field Trip [Jaunted]