Cat Cay Dream
The Bahamas
Rocquility, former residence of The Rockwells
5
Bathrooms:
5¸ Baths
Square Footage:
- 5,000 sq. ft.
- Directly on The Bahamas' finest beach.
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Why does everyone smile and warmly say hello on Cat Cay?
Cat Cay is a private island in the Bahamas surrounded by gin clear warm waters only 48 miles from Miami, yet a world away from the cares of the Continental USA. Whether you cross the Gulf Stream by boat and arrive to one of the most modern, beautiful marinas in all of the Bahamas or if you fly over on Island Air, you arrive to a state of tranquil, peaceful modernity. This elegant, yet extremely casual isle is vacation home to some of Americaâs important families- those who cherish the idea of privacy, exclusivity, and the treats of the tropical waters. Here they fish, golf, play tennis, beach comb, entertain, relax and swim in a completely relaxed state. Although some cell phones work here, no one would dare think to turn them on. Ditto for the available Internet and cable TV- must we consider something more important than whether the lobster and conch will be served cracked or whole? Other cares about our vacation home here are also far in the background- thanks to an island privately owned by a Florida Corporation, which only lives to serve its shareholders on Cat Cay. And serve them it does with medical, power, water, roads for golf carts, a world class marina, security, and service personnel. Want an extra maid? - Just ask. And unlike what you left behind, workers here are only allowed to stay as long as they perform to your high standards. Once released from service, they canât be rehired by anyone else on the island without your permission. No wonder it is ăno problemä on Cat Cay. Bliss.
Almost anyone can own a beachfront property, precious few are allowed the privilege to purchase on a beautiful remote island so close to Miami. Only 60 homes have been built on Cat Cay, and only Rocquility sits on the spot chosen by the modern developer of this dream island.
The house and the land under Rocquility follow what is known as the developerâs law of nature. Developers always retain the very best parcels for themselves and their families and surely Rocquility is no exception to this law. The home itself was once owned by the Rockwell family of Rockwell International, most famous for putting things up in space, and locally most famous for preserving the best space for themselves on one of the Bahamas most perfect beaches. This pearly white dream of beach stretches across the southern end of the island where the waters constantly replenish its crushed white coral beaches. Unlike what we ran across screaming as children with burning feet, nature has very kindly deposited little round jewels of sand which donât retain the heat and are spa-grade friendly to toes and well, whatever else finds itself so lucky to be parked there. The sand is so wonderful that some 15 miles away is an island intelligently named Sand Island where the Bahamians sell sand by the boatload to places not-so-blessed. (If you are ever asked to explain why the sand on the beach at Fisher Island is so perfect, now you know why.) And we donât just sit on the perfect sandy spot, we also enjoy the very slow change in elevation from the terrace into the water which affords us a direct view of our children way out there in the water picking up starfish and running and swimming for joy. No stairs to the beach here. And those three little islands to the right are perfect for lobsters and conch collection·to say nothing of magnificent uninhabited South Cat Cay out there on the horizon to the left where you can walk to at low tide. It doesnât get any better than this.
Now to the house itself, instead of some McMansion thrown up on the beach by a developer attempting to make a statement, this home speaks volumes about the upper class approach to a vacation home on a tropical isle. It is a super casual beach house with two 2-story wings attached in the middle by 2 family/living rooms with a kitchen/dining room link in the middle. Every important room looks directly out to the beach and ocean. 5 bedrooms and 5 ¸ baths are casually but elegantly presented in 5000 SF. By the time you purchase the property it will have undergone its cosmetic surgery to preserve its young face with new windows and doors throughout the faŤade. Far from a home which screams ăluxury propertyä from the street, it simply quietly says ăwe have arrived and this is how you live at the beach.ä (On an island where everyone has arrived, no one finds it necessary to shout it. Double Bliss.) Casually elegant window treatments are the only hint that someone was cued into 2003 trends for grand homes. On the east side of the home on the main floor is a very pleasant one bedroom suite and a glassed in porch used by our current lucky residents as a media room. Further in, towards the center of the home is the grand 2-story living room with fireplace and impossibly beautiful views to the sea. A graceful stairway leads to the master suite upstairs which is isolated from the rest of the house, save its back stairs which go directly to the beach. In the middle of the house, facing the sea is a dining room which opens onto a large terrace for alfresco dining and entertaining. On the bayside of this room is the service area of kitchen, guest bath, washing machine and extra refrigerators. Further west one enters the second family room and its coral rock walls. This area also opens to the seaside terraces and serves as the entrance to the second floor guest bedrooms and main floor office and garage. Upstairs are 2 beautiful bedrooms with ensuite baths and öif you must bring the grandchildren- a dorm style room for plenty of wee little kids. The bedrooms open into a common corridor which leads to a second exterior stairway going down directly to the beach. Outdoor showers are at the foot of these stairs.
How do we get around here? The garage is home to your island transportation; a couple of golf carts and your shoes should you ever put them back on before leaving the island. (OK, Cat Cay does have a minivan for your luggage and you might think about shoes for drinks at the neighbors or dinner down on the marina at the Naughty Cat.)
A few of the remarkable amenities of Cat Cay Yacht
Club.
Island bliss for the lucky few. Other properties available nearby for families requiring more than 5 bedrooms, or reclusive writers who would rather sit under the stars all by themselves with company when invited.
Offered for sale exclusively through The Rex Hamilton Corporation.
For more information on this property,
contact Rex Hamilton at (305) 441-2828 or at
crocodile2000@msn.com.
SOLD
2655 LE JEUNE ROAD, SUITE 500,
CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA 33134 USA
telephone: 1 305 441 2828 ~ fax: 1 305 446 7073
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