Photo courtesy of Dolphin House Bimini
2018 marks the 25th year of construction of the Dolphin House, also lovingly referred to as “Poetry in Stone”. Touched by an experience with dolphins years ago, Bimini native Ashley Saunders has dedicated his life to creating a structure in their honor. Everything that comprises this house is recycled – leftover construction materials from resorts, private homes and churches, and debris from the beach, the street, and even the dump. Visitors and community members contribute memorabilia. Conch shells, sea glass and colorful bits of tile are meticulously placed. Everything within the house has a place, and a story.
Mr. Saunders is a fifth-generation Biminite, stemming from one of the oldest families in Bimini. His family originates from shipwreckers and salvagers. Today his salvage roots are strong as he continually rounds up materials for his ongoing mosaic. As broken as something might be, he believes it still has a place. Bimini is a place where people are always coming and going, and he believes that’s what Dolphin House is all about, and that items that might otherwise be cluttering the earth, have found a meaningful place.
The first floor houses a gift shop and a museum with artifacts, books, coins, and sculptures. View a conch shell dating back to the Lucayan native era, photographs of Bimini throughout time, book collections of Nobel Peace Prize winners, Hemmingway, coins and currency from around the world that visitors have donated to the collection, and 50 years of National Geographic magazines. Within the gift shop you’ll find handmade shell earrings, shark teeth necklaces, music by local artists and three books written by Mr. Saunders. The second floor is a two bedroom apartment, and he is currently in the process of constructing a third story, another guest apartment, with panoramic views of Bimini.
Ashley has a seemingly magical demeanor about him that speaks directly to your soul, and his genuine views on life, his love for the planet earth and his island home are inspiring. You can feel the energy within this living art. Stop by and you will most likely be warmly greeted by Mr. Saunders himself who would be more than happy to give you a walk-through and tour.
Dolphin House is located on Dolphin Lane in Alice Town, tel. 242/347-3201, www.dolphinhousebimini.com, and is open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
If you’d like to learn more about Ashley Saunders and his Dolphin House, take a moment to watch his short bio here
0 Comments