The Tribune

THE Bahamian island made famous by a biography of the heiress to a major oil empire is being offered for sale through a local realtor.

Whale Cay, located in the Berry Islands, was made famous by author Kate Summerscale in her book, The Queen of Whale Cay. This traced how Standard Oil heiress, Marion 'Joe' Carstairs, left London at 34 years-old to become the self-appointed ruler of the island.

For nearly 40 years thereafter, Carstairs happily spent her days smoking cigars, racing motor boats and entertaining the likes of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and legendary actress Marlene Dietrich.

She eventually sold the island and moved to Miami in 1975, but Carstairs' legacy lingers as do the homes and infrastructure she built during her "reign".

Today, Whale Cay's nearly 12 miles of coastline continue to attract attention for its fly-fishing, big game fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving.

"The Bahamas has long been known as the top private island retreat in the world," said George Damianos, president of Damianos Sotheby's International Realty, which has the exclusive listing for the property.

"But it's not simply the crystal-clear water and year-round sun that is attractive to investors; it's the fact that private islands in the Bahamas offer seclusion and security combined with the ability to stay closely connected to the world. Miami is only a 30-minute flight away."

Situated between the Bahama Banks and Tongue of the Ocean, Whale Cay's total acreage is estimated to be 711 acres, and includes a 4,000-feet paved airstrip which can accommodate charter flights and small private jets.

On the northern side of the cay, there's a two-and-a-half-mile long natural waterway that, if dredged, could provide anchorage and marina for boats.

"Whale Cay is one of the largest, contiguous, fee simple islands in the Caribbean," Mr Damianos said. "And with no Crown Land, the island is uniquely unconstrained for development."