A Princess Cays Mystery!

I've been reluctant to post this for quite a while because I would hate to see what I'm about to tell you about be disrespected. But after as much research as I've been able to do with absolutely nothing found, I thought I'd put it out there and maybe someone has an answer. Last April when we stopped at Princess Cays on our cruise on the Star Princess, I decided to take a walk. We've visited PC a couple of times before, and I wanted to see what the beach was like to the south of the Princess area. I knew from previous visits that it was very rocky initially and that sandals were needed to get past the rocks - I'm sure this is why there were no footprints on the beach after I got past the rocks. I walked for about a half mile, then noticed a clearing in the bushes above the beach and what appeared to be the remains of a foundation of a house. And there were two other cement structures. When I walked up to them I realized they were graves! They are very crude, above the ground, with barely legible, crude round cement markers attached. Now here's what I would really like to know. The names on each were of women, one who died at about age 19 in late 1930's, the other who died at age 26 a couple of years later. The last names were not the same, but judging from how they were set at a certain angle very close to the edge of the beach, right next to each other, I had to conclude that they must have known each other and been buried that way in that location for reason. Other people had obviously discovered them, because a few shells and pieces of coral had been placed on the graves out of respect, I imagine. What could this mean? How did they die at such a young age, and why were they placed together in that spot? I tried to do as much research as possible about the history of Eluethera and discover anything about these women but came up totally empty. For what it's worth, if you zoom in on that end of Eluethera (Princess Cays) on Google Earth, you can make out the remains of a road and the clearing, but it appears to overgrown and not used. So...at the very least I think this has the makings of a good novel! In any case, if anyone reading this does make the walk down and find the graves, please be respectful. Any information anyone might have is appreciated.

Gene

This is very interesting. I will have to watch this thread to see if anyone comes up with any good answers.

I got momentarily excited when I saw your thread topic because I left a mystery book on the beach at Princess Cays when I was there on December 4. For a brief minute, I thought maybe you had found it! Unfortunately, it was a library book. Fortunately, it was a $5.99 paperback, and I fessed up and paid the library yesterday. Unfortunately, I was only 15 pages from the end (or else I would never have taken the book off the ship), so I don't know who done it. And also unfortunately, I can't shed any light on YOUR Princess Cays mystery either.

Ok, I give up. I'm trying to find Eluethera and/ora Princess Cays with Google Earth and can't... Where exactly is it?

Ok, I give up. I'm trying to find Eluethera and/ora Princess Cays with Google Earth and can't... Where exactly is it?

Go to these coordinates for Princess Cays

24 degrees 38' 13" N

76 degrees 10' 17" W

You'll even see a Princess ship there.

That is so interesting. Let me know if you find out what it was all about, but I never thought to walk down there. If you remeber the names you can try searching for their geneology and that might help. If not I hope you are a writer so you can make a book about it.

I just checked my picture file from that cruise - I knew I had taken a couple of pictures of the headstones - and I misstated their ages slightly but here's what the pictures show (although they stones are hard to read):

Mirtle Gibson

Born 1928

Died 1946

Olga McPhee

Born 1919

Died 1947

If anyone does make the walk down there, I'm sure you'll be struck as I was by how wild and beautiful and remote and lonely it feels, all at the same time, so close to hustle and bustle of the Princess Cays area around the point only a mile or so away.

Gene

Very Interesting!

Wow, interesting thread... I'll be there in 2 weeks. Can you give me directions as to how to walk there? Coolmama, maybe you can hobble along with me? :) (Hope you're doing alright girl)

I am using the non-enhanced version (free) of Google Earth. I seem to be unable to type in the coordinates for this. How do you type in the tiny o for degrees? I tried typing out the word degrees, and it didnt work. Thank you, Karen

Go to these coordinates for Princess Cays

 

24 degrees 38' 13" N

76 degrees 10' 17" W

 

You'll even see a Princess ship there.

Use "d" for degrees, so it would be:

24 d 38' 13" N, 76 d 10' 17" W

Hi all--I did a Google search for "Olga McPhee" and only came up with one hit:

http://64.226.34.179/events/sharingwwIIstories022201/sharingww2stories022201.htm

All it says about Olga McPhee (and I'm not even sure if it's the same Olga McPhee) is "Olga McPhee was the first female cargo handler for American Airlines."

I didn't get any hits for "Mirtle Gibson" so I ran the search again without the quotes, but it came up with a bunch of hits that didn't seem relevant.

I tried a search on Rootsweb.com too (great free genealogy site) but all I found was an Olga McPhee who died in Riverside, California in 1993, and nothing on Mirtle Gibson.

As you face the water, walk to your left. At the point you will come to the very rocky area - be sure to wear sandals or sneakers. After you make it around the point, continue walking down the beach for about another half mile and you will come to the site.

I could get to it but had to type in 24 38'13" N, 76 10'17" W and it will take you there. Kinda cool looking at the Grand class ship, look closer and you can see a orange tender.

Finally got to it, but had to type in 24 38' 01.46" N 78 11'07.75"W

I dont really understand why its different for some of us, but just glad to see it. Yes, I see the tender too. Karen

quote=PTJD]I could get to it but had to type in 24 38'13" N, 76 10'17" W and it will take you there. Kinda cool looking at the Grand class ship, look closer and you can see a orange tender.

We've walked thru the rocks before, but never that far. This is interesting. I wonder if maybe someone should ask the ladies that braid hair and sell souveniers about it - they may know something and be willing to share.

Ok, I give up. I'm trying to find Eluethera and/ora Princess Cays with Google Earth and can't... Where exactly is it?

I can only reach it with these numbers:

24 38' 01.46" N 76 11' 07.75" W

Karen

caribbean2000,

Can you post a picture of the grave site? I would love to see it. (And not have to walk all the way down there, lol, jk)

Even the LDS geneology website didn't find them (there were hits for ladies of the same name, and even same birth year for Mirtle, but wrong death year).

...oops can't do it...too big a file according to the upload info when I tried. Never figured out how to resize photo files, sorry! Send me an e-mail and I'll attach and send. I'm at:

capefisherman01 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Gene

jen_dalessan AT adelphia dot net

I am very interested in all this!!

By chance, did you ask any of the Princess Crew if they knew anything about the graves? Very interesting. Would love to know more about these 2 people. Wil be stopping at Princess Cays in Feb. on CP if weather is OK. Will have to make a point of going and paying Our respects. Any info you hear be sure and let everyone know. Ike

Jen - pics sent. Ike - I did not. I think the idea one person had of asking the ladies in the straw market about it makes sense. thanks for the input everyone!

Gene

I used to stay in the Bahama's when I was young every summer.

My best understanding would be that you will not find anything on either women on the net. If they were locals, they most likely had little money. It was not uncommon for the locals to bury loved ones anywhere. We even found a skull one time on the beach?? Never found out anything about it, but I was young and it was on to better things.

On Grand Bahama Island where I stayed no one had money except the tourists or people brought in to work in the hotels. Most locals had no electricty, running water etc. Many lived in shacks by the beach ( no bugs right by the shore at night). They were very poor, but very happy people.

A lot has changed since they came into their independance back in the late 60's early 70's.

caribean2000 can you send the pictures to mrgaims@aol.com

thank you.