We have a golf cart available at the Octagon house and we will allow our guests limited use of this cart. After we purchased this cart, our guests have always had it available for their use, however, this agreement does not guarantee either the condition of the cart, suitability of the cart for your needs, or the availability of the cart during your stay. For example, if the previous guest does not charge up the batteries at the end of their stay, the cart might not be immediately available to you until the batteries are charged up. There is no charge for you to use the cart, and no charge for the electricity to charge this cart. If you agree to initial the golf cart section of the Octagon Rental Agreement, we will provide you with a map (also displayed below) along with the Octagon Rental Agreement confirmation. Please reference the two maps at the end of this web page which indicate where you may operate the golf cart.
If you choose to operate this cart, we are giving you permission to do so under the following conditions:
1. Only adults (21+ years) with a valid driver's license are allowed to drive it. This also means that even children under adult supervision in the same golf cart are NOT allowed to drive it. While you might see some golf carts being operated by persons who do not have a driver's license on Elbow Cay, e.g., young teenagers or children sitting in their parent's laps, this is against the law and we do not allow this. This is a Bahamas licensed vehicle with license plates, and this cart needs to be treated as a motor vehicle. Children are not allowed to drive a car in the USA, so the same goes here. I cannot stress enough that this a major condition regarding the use of the golf cart.
2. Starting in 2008, we are now allowing our Octagon guests to use the cart both inside the Dorros Cove community (where Octagon is located) as well as north of the Dorros Cove entrance up to White Sound, the small community in the middle of Elbow Cay. By using the cart, you now have land access to the Sea Spray restaurant as well as the Abaco Inn restaurant (both located in White Sound) -- boat access is also available to these two restaurants. We also allow the cart to proceed past Abaco Inn up to the elevated road overlooking the beautiful main (big wave) beach at White Sound all the way to the purple colored bench seat located on the right side of the road just at the end of the road that runs on top of the high sand dunes of White Sound. At this bench seat, the road abruptly turns left and "plunges" down a steep hill -- the golf cart is not allowed down the steep hill. There is plenty of room to park and to turn the golf cart around at this bench seat. Sitting on the bench seat overlooking the White Sound beach is very pleasant.
3. The golf cart is allowed only on paved roads -- driving on the beach sand or driving on dirt roads are not allowed at any time. You are allowed to park on the sandy parking area (also some grass area) designated for golf carts down at Tahiti Beach . The last 50 feet of the road to Tahiti Beach is hard packed sand, and you are allowed to drive on this area to get to the parking at Tahiti Beach. The last 1000' of the road before the purple bench seat is not paved but graded hard packed sand/gravel and a little bumpy, but you are allowed to travel on this road up to the purple bench seat. These 3 areas are the only exceptions to driving on unpaved roads.
4. To get to the eastern shore beaches of Elbow Cay, you can park the golf cart either just inside the entrance to Dorros Cove or just outside this entrance area.. This entrance is clearly identified by big concrete pillars and a rose/lavender color concrete wall that encloses an area about 25' x 50' in size. The main paved road goes through this entrance area and eventually on to White Sound and Hope Town to the north. Elbow Cay's eastern shore's beach can be accessed by a 200' long sand foot path located about 25' north of this Dorros Cove entrance. Please make sure the cart is parked off the paved road. You may also take the golf cart down to Tahiti Beach where the private Dorros Cove dock is located although many people just walk directly from Octagon to the beach -- you save about 1-3/4 minutes if you take the golf cart instead of walking on the paved road.
5. You are responsible for any damage done to the golf cart and to other persons and/or property. There is liability insurance policy coverage in the operation of the golf cart (no comprehensive coverage, i.e., if you damage the cart it is your responsibility), and coverage of liability insurance is limited -- contact us if you wish to know the coverage limits of the liability insurance policy. Travel on any road farther than the purple bench seat located on the "dunes" of White Sound is prohibited. Remember that throughout the Bahamas, driving is done on the LEFT side of the road.
6. We are not renting the golf cart to you. It is being offered for your convenience, and we do not guarantee that the cart will be available -- but if it is operational, you are welcome to use it as outlined above. If you wish to use the cart during your stay, please initial the "Golf Cart Use" box on the "OCTAGON RENTAL AGREEMENT" form. If you do not wish to sign this box, you do not have permission to use the cart during any part of your stay.
7. For allowing persons under 21 to drive the cart, for driving the cart on any road that is not paved (except the 3 areas noted in section #3), or for going beyond the purple bench seat in White sound with the cart, you agree to pay a per-incident fee of $500.
8. The key to the golf cart is hanging on the rack just as you enter the Octagon house. Please leave the key there at the end of your stay. If lost, replacement keys are $15 (replacement keys need to be factory/dealer ordered).
9. You the user assume all risks to both you and your passengers if you choose to use this golf cart, and agree to pay for all damages done by and to the golf cart.
Notes: There is a small pull-off area about 20' east of the front gate to the Octagon house. You can park the golf cart either there during the day or night, or close to the front fence on either side of the front gate during the day. The golf cart needs to be parked in the pull-off area at night, but during the day when you are using it, you can park it temporarily closer to the front gate if you wish.
To drive the cart, sit in the driver's seat. Insert key on front panel switch and turn clockwise. This is not a starter switch like on a car -- it just turns on the electric power, so don't turn the switch hard. Under your legs is a big black lever that controls the cart's direction. Move the lever to the "F" for moving forward or "R" for moving in reverse. Step on the accelerator. The set brake should automatically snap toward you releasing the break, then off you go. You must be fully stopped to change the direction lever. To park the cart, press down medium to hard on the upper left part of the brake (it will also press the main brake forward) and it should lock the main brake down preventing the cart from moving. Then finally, turn off the key and remove it.
As a precaution, make sure all golf cart passengers are aware that you are going to operate the golf cart. The rear passengers do have a hand rail and foot rest, and it is quite safe for rear passengers, however if they are not ready, they might be injured if not prepared for the movement of the cart.
You should not have to charge the golf cart while you are there considering that you will be traveling relatively short distances, however, the caretaker will show you how to connect the golf cart charger if charging is necessary. If you are frequently going to White Sound, you should probably put the charger on at the end of each day. There should be enough charge for maybe 8-10 round trips to White Sound, but its always better to have the batteries fully charged. You're welcome to recharge it at any time, especially if you use it a lot, but it should be charged at least every 7 days. It should take you back and forth to Tahiti Beach about 10-15 times before you should need to recharge it. It shouldn't quit all of a sudden, just go slower. If you are going to charge the cart, do this in the evening after you are through with your activities. There is a headlight and tail lights for night driving, e.g., coming back in the evening from the Abaco Inn or Sea Spray restaurants.
The golf cart charger is located in the little housing located in the pull-off parking area at Octagon. To recharge the cart, first plug the big two-prong plug from the charger into the plug located a few inches from the forward/reverse direction lever of the cart. You might hear the charger click, and this is normal. Second, flick up the red switch on the grey colored switch box. The switch box is located just above the small charger housing. The charging gauge located on the front of the charger (look through the glass front of the wood charger housing to see the gauge) should go up to about 20 amps charging. You can leave the charger on overnight and the gauge should read zero in the morning indicating the charge is complete. In the morning when the golf cart is fully charged (gauge reads zero), first flip down the red switch on the switch box. Second, unplug the big two-prong cord from the cart. The key to the cart is on a key holder located on the hat rack located inside the house under the wood "OCTAGON" sign facing you just as you come in the front door of Octagon. Please leave the key there when you leave.
If you wish to have a golf cart to go around the whole Elbow Cay including having the ability to the 20 minute golf cart ride to Hope Town, we recommend that you rent a cart from Island Cart Rentals at 1-242-366-0448 and talk to either Kevin or Yvette Albury. This phone number is a direct dial number from the USA. They will deliver their rental golf cart directly to the Octagon front door (no extra charge for delivery) at the time and day you request. They will also pick it up from Octagon at the end of your rental. Another option is to have them deliver the golf cart to the main ferry dock (the post office dock) in Hope Town, and you can then drive the cart back to Octagon when you arrive and drive back into Hope Town and leave it there when you catch the ferry. This option would be good for two persons + luggage but would not be a good option for 3 or more + luggage -- just not enough room. If you are also renting a boat, then you would probably want the cart delivered directly to the Octagon house. Kevin and Yvette are good people to do business with, and I highly recommend their services if you want a rental cart to tour the island. They have daily and weekly rentals available. Price: about $240/week. They have both electric and gas powered carts. Gas carts I think are a little more expensive to rent, but I really prefer an electric cart -- they go about the same speed, and the quiet (no engine noise) is nice going around the island. On the road towards Hope Town, the White Sound area half way up Elbow Cay on the road from Octagon to Hope Town is very beautiful to see (this area also reachable by your rental boat by mooring at the Abaco Inn dock). The rest of the road from White Sound to Hope Town goes through low level trees and scrub brush and there is not too much to see, i.e., the road does not go near the water until you get right into Hope Town.
Don't forget to put your initials in the "Golf Cart Use" box of the OCTAGON RENTAL AGREEMENT if you want to use our golf cart. Enjoy!!!
Southern End Of Elbow Cay (Dorros Cove Community Area)
Southern Half Of Elbow Cay Up To White Sound
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