13 Things the Baeumlers Have Fallen in Love With in the Bahamas

While Bryan and Sarah Baeumler put in long days their children are often with them at the resort. And when the kids are off at school, Sarah and Bryan do double-duty so they have more time when school’s out. “We’ll take three or four or six weeks and spend 24-seven with the kids on the boat exploring different destinations,” says Bryan. “And have fun as a family and disconnected from the real world.”

For the Bauelmers, being close to the ocean at all times was one of the biggest draws of island living. “We’re a water family,” says Bryan. “I mean, we’re in the best place in the world for that – crystal-clear water and the Great Barrier Reef.”

Watch the Baeumler kids try fresh coconut water.

Thanks to that crystal-clear ocean and vibrant marine life, the Baeumlers have taken to scuba diving like…fish to water. “Our family has developed a new-found love of the ocean,” says Sarah. “We love exploring underwater and discovering all the amazing marine life.”

One of the Baeulmer boys’ favourite pastimes is fishing with their dad, where they reel in their prize and throw it on the barbecue for dinner. “It’s the bonefishing capital of the world,” says Bryan. “I mean, environmentally speaking, it’s just a paradise for [fishing].”

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In the Bahamas, when you set off for an afternoon of fishing, you’re almost always guaranteed to come home with something delicious to cook up. You can’t beat the freshness of seafood pulled out of the clean waters that surround these lush islands.

The wildlife on and around South Andros is incredibly diverse. This Bahamain Oriole is considered critically endangered but one showed up at the Caeurla Mar Resort! “You get pelicans and all kinds of birds,” says Bryan. On North Andros Island there are boars and other wild animals. With no crocodiles on the islands, there are no natural predators.

Developing a real sense of camaraderie on the island has been one of the greatest gifts for the Baeumlers. “When there’s somebody in need, the community rallies around them,” says Bryan. “It has a fundraiser or collect goods and services…it’s just been amazing [to] expose the kids to that.”

See how the Baeumlers began their biggest project yet.

On South Andros Island, Sarah heads down to the beach for a solo walk before the workdays begins (and the inevitable headaches of running a huge construction project roll in), taking in lungfuls of that clean Caribbean air. “The beach, the sand, the palm trees and the warm wind, there’s nothing much that could quite match its serenity,” says Sarah.

While renovating an old beachside hotel has had its challenges, living in the Bahamas has allowed the Baeumlers to take a beat. “It’s a much simpler existence,” says Bryan. “You know, [we] gained a lot of perspective being down [here], in so far as what’s really important.”

Taking a break from renovations, Bryan kicks back on the edge of his worksite. “We weren’t really sure what to expect or what we’d find when we got down [here],” says Bryan. “But people are so willing to work hard and to learn mostly, which is really important.”

For Bryan and Sarah, having the chance to immerse themselves and their kids in the South Andros Island culture has been a joyful learning experience. “It’s a big family…just in a small town,” says Bryan. “Everybody knows everybody, generation upon generation of people that have lived on that island – and that’s why it feels like a community because everyone knows one another.”

RElated: Find out 10 essentials Sarah Baeumler can’t live without in the Bahamas.

The Bahamian combination of sun, sand and sea has done more for the Baeumler kids than solely provide a playground. “Our kids are very adventurous and they’ve [now] travelled a lot,” says Bryan. “They realize that the world isn’t a big scary place. The world is actually pretty small, and people in general are good and new experiences are healthy.”

See full episodes and short videos from the Island of Bryan.